We’ll get through the Pandemic – eventually. The vaccines are effective. It looks like we’ll get over here most vaccinated by end summer.
This would be the time by our political leaders to start a debate about the future beyond the pandemic plagued last two years.
Most of my friends and my family and me actually are privileged kids. We survived the largest public health crisis relatively unscathed. We were restricted for some time in our freedom of movement, but that was about it. I acknowledge this fact.
Many others are not so privileged. People in the hospitality business, in event organization, fitness centres, shops assistants, many in smaller companies lost their jobs, their livelihoods, their perspectives in life.
We as a society have an obligation to each other.
Given the economic devastation that Covid has caused it would now be the moment to start a debate about how to shape the post-Covid future, how to help to folks that for no mistake of theirs lost their livelihoods. We will need a Marshall type program to get them back on their feet. And yes that might include that we for say 2-3 years pay a percentage point or two more in taxes (and close some of the egregious tax loopholes awarded to corporations and wealthy individuals).
Why shall we do that? Out of pure self-interest.
Provide our children a great place to live. A society that is a great place to bring up your children and you can provider them a perspective and all of that in a safe environment is an equitable society. If that social contract is broken, you get broken states populated by desperate and vulnerable people. Just ask people in formerly prosperous places like Venezuela or closer to home people in destitute banlieues and suburbs in say Manchester, Berlin or even Geneva and Zurich.
Just, there’s no such discourse by our elected leaders. They will miss the beat, yet again.
PS: Irony of it all: Such a program would enjoy popular support and would be a vote winner.