“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” —Thomas Paine (1776)

The political and media echo chambers have put their “fear pandemic” narrative in extra-high gear — with inexcusable dire collateral consequences for American workers and their families.

I’ll get to that in a moment, but first let me ask: Do you know somebody who suffers from ABM (Acute Bunker Mentality)?

The onset symptoms of ABM occur when mass-media echo chambers foment unwarranted public hysteria by promoting an apocalyptic scenario, especially if that scenario is bolstered by conspiracy theories and an election-year political agenda. Those afflicted with ABM are sure that this is “THE BIG ONE” and consequently spend most of their waking hours obsessed with the next report about the end of the world.

The only cure for ABM sufferers is an eventual realization that the world did not end, at which point they come up for some fresh air and begin preparing for the next apocalyptic scenario.

Now, I’m not referring to those who take reasonable steps to prepare for rare calamities that beset a region and occasionally the whole country. For decades, The Patriot Post has provided comprehensive guidance on Disaster Preparedness Planning, including a Two-Step Individual Readiness Plan with a section on how to shelter in place in the event of a biological contagion.

Sensible preparation for a natural or manmade crisis is important, because the more prepared we are individually, the more assistance we can render to our neighbors and communities — and the less reliant we are upon limited government resources (think Hurricane Katrina). That has always been my preparedness objective. National preparedness begins with individual preparedness, and individual preparedness is the firewall against a “fear pandemic” of the type that is currently sweeping the nation.

But I mention ABM to say that those who have Acute Bunker Mentality reactions to current news cycles serve as good barometric indicators for mass hysterics just ahead, because they tend to be the first to react.

However, even the most reasonable people can become swept up in hysteria, most notably today, given the inescapable media blame-gaming and political churn regarding coronavirus.

That’s understandable given how the COVID-19 spread and deaths are being reported. As we discovered last week, media talkingheads struggle with basic logic and math.

Regarding the dramatic daily revisions for coronavirus infections and deaths, typical of the failure to connect increased testing with increased diagnosis was this assertion today: “Once the government began testing, cases exploded.” In other words, the dramatic increase in diagnosed cases is not just a reflection of how contagions spread but also related to increased testing — the more testing, the more cases discovered.

Similarly, the daily “death toll” percentages are dramatized by basing that on the number of fatalities divided by the number of diagnosed cases. As of today, there are 1,050 diagnosed cases and 29 deaths, or a death rate of 2.7% — very high. But that is not how the CDC calculates mortality. The actual mortality rate is based on the number of fatalities divided by the total at-risk population. For most viral outbreaks, that falls in the 0.1%-0.5% range, far lower than the shock figures being promoted by the media. COVID-19 mortality rates will likely fall in that range.

And the fear factor definitely gets ramped up when governors start deploying National Guard troops, as did New York Demo Andrew Cuomo to establish a perimeter around a three-square-mile “containment area.”

Don’t misunderstand me: The coronavirus variant causing COVID-19, may well be much more serious than other seasonal viral infections. As I have noted previously, it is going to be another bad year for U.S. infectious disease deaths, and could far exceed the 2017-18 flu season, when the CDC estimated the U.S. flu death toll was 80,000.

The virus causing COVID-19 has mutated into two strains, and one may be much more aggressive. The “S-type” appears to be milder and less infectious, but the “L-type” is more contagious and accounts for 70 percent of cases. Unfortunately, though human vaccine trials will begin in early April, if successful the vaccine will still take 8-12 months before it is available.

But there are prudent measures to prevent contracting and passing it on — wash your hands and stay home if you are sick. Avoid large gatherings. The implementation of “social distancing” measures, however disruptive, is how most communities are attempting to slow the contagion. (Didn’t social media already distance everybody?)

But the notion of “containing” coronavirus is naive. Cuomo can’t contain or eradicate eight-ounce rats in a single block in New York, yet he asserts he’s going to lock down the spread of countless quintillions of minuscule 200 nanometer coronaviruses in a “one-mile containment zone”?

The current fear pandemic is a case study in grossly irresponsible media and political response.

So, who are the “fear pandemic” profiteers?

First would be the floor traders on Wall Street who reap huge profits on equity-market swings. They are joined by the producers and retailers of products associated with the perceived crisis.

Second would be the mainstream-media opportunists who reap huge advertising revenues on endless loops of click-bait crisis churn.

And third, the worst of the profiteers are the politicians who inevitably pad their political fortunes and futures by fomenting fear. There are some significant questions about the mortality rates of COVID-19 that as of yet are unanswered, but there is no question about the fact that Democrat Party principals Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) are doing what Democrats do best — using the misery of others as fodder for their political agenda.

These Demos are hanging their 2020 election hopes on the prospect that they can generate enough fear to undermine the Trump administration’s economic policy success — and alienate his support from tens of millions of Americans who have benefited from the strong economy. They know that the financial markets are the most immediate and visceral indicators of business and consumer confidence, and that combined confidence largely influences the direction of the economy.

As equity markets collapsed again this week, Pelosi and Schumer stoked the fear fires by blaming Donald Trump.

Of the market collapse, Pelosi said, “What we know about the Dow is they want certainty. They want to have confidence that there is a plan and I think that what is happening there is a reflection of the lack of confidence.” Pelosi added, “We would hope that rather than name-calling … that he would be again joining with his healthcare professionals who are advising him and the rest of us in a well-coordinated government agenda.”

Schumer insisted, “Trump continues to manufacture needless chaos within his administration, and it is hampering the government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak.” He added, “The administration must move more quickly and seriously to address the severe impacts of the coronavirus on the financial security of America’s families.” Moreover, he and Pelosi “are demanding that the administration prioritize the health and safety of American workers and their families over corporate interests.”

Regarding the Pelosi’s “stimulus plan,” Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) declared the legislation needed to be passed quickly to offset how response to “coronavirus has been mishandled by the White House.”

So, according to the Pelosi/Schumer fear pandemic tag team, and other Demo “leaders” like Jeffries, it’s all Trump’s fault.

Did I miss anything? I’m calling BS on all those blame claims, as they constitute a quintessential example of leftist “BIG LIE” propaganda. (And they want Joe Biden in charge?)

The Pelosi/Schumer “viral panic” narrative, dutifully repeated by the media ad nauseam, is intentionally undermining consumer and business confidence and, by extension, clobbering “the financial security of America’s families” by undermining the administration and fomenting fear — and that is precisely the leftist strategy.

By repeatedly eroding consumer and business confidence, they’re playing fast and loose with the job stability of all working Americans and their families. The net worth and retirement plans of all middle-income families are taking a big hit, and so is breadwinner job stability.

Two years ago in my column, “Will Democrats Get the Pre-Election Recession They Want?,” I noted that more than half of Americans own stocks and other types of investments, including their homes, the values of which are dependent on a strong economy. More than one-third of corporate stock value is held in lower- and middle-income Americans’ retirement plans, such as IRAs and 401(k) accounts.

Thus, the consequence of the Pelosi/Schumer political games: Caught in the crossfire are tens of millions of American workers and their families, whose jobs and income prospects will fall victim to the Demos’ politically induced recession — the direct result of having thrown economic confidence and stability under the bus in order to attack Trump.

I can assure you that Pelosi and Schumer are high-fiving with their Demo caucuses in Capitol Hill cloakrooms, knowing that what’s bad for American workers and families is bad for Trump’s reelection prospects.

They’re also betting that the fear factor will worsen before it subsides. And if COVID-19 mortality rates turn out not to be as high as Democrats hope, they’ll then claim credit for having funded the response.

Contrary to the assessment of Pelosi and Schumer nationally as their fear pandemic spreads coast to coast, in the most leftist state in the union, California, the most leftist governor in the nation, Gavin Newsom, offered an entirely different assessment of the Trump administration’s response. Asked about the repatriation of cruise ship refugees afloat off the coast of California, Newsom said that Trump had declared, “We’re gonna do the right thing,” and “you have my support, all of our support, logistically and otherwise.”

According to Newsom: “President Trump said everything that I could have hoped for, and we had a very long conversation and every single thing that he said, they followed through on. Every single thing his administration said — and it starts at the top, including the vice president — has been consistent with the expectation that we’d repatriate these passengers and we’d do it in a way that does justice to the spirit that defines the best of our country and the state of California.”

As a reality check, that sums up the Trump administration’s actual commitment to moving “quickly and seriously” to address the “impacts on … America’s families.”

And more accurately regarding the administration’s overall response, former Sen. Jim Talent (R-MO) observed how quickly and effectively the administration has responded: “I have participated in tabletop exercises involving pandemic response; indecision is both seductive and dangerous, as Japan and South Korea are finding out. Trump’s style of leadership is on balance a plus in this kind of a crisis. He is neither afraid to make decisions nor overly concerned about being criticized for the decisions he makes. That is vital.”

For his part, President Trump said Tuesday, “Everybody has to be vigilant and has to be careful. But be calm.”

Calm is the last thing Democrats want, but by the end of April, retrospectively, if Pelosi and Schumer have overplayed their hand, there may be hell to pay. If their ChiCom Virus apocalypse doesn’t materialize, Trump should rightly hang the “needless chaos” they’ve disgracefully created like an albatross around their necks.

Oh, and how long before the leftist opportunists blame “climate change” for the mutation and spread of this coronavirus variant?

(Visit our comprehensive ChiCom Virus Pandemic response and recovery page, and see our related pages.

Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis
Pro Deo et Libertate — 1776

---

Join us in prayer for our Patriots in uniform and their families — Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen — standing in harm’s way, and for our nation’s First Responders. We also ask prayer for your Patriot team, that our mission would seed and encourage the Spirit of Liberty in the hearts and minds of our countrymen.