Editorial

                              Who Can We Trust?

You don’t have to be reminded by this newspaper that much of the country has been on ‘lockdown’ for months. You are living through it.  In time of crisis, Americans have come together in unity and do what needs to be done to overcome whatever crisis is taking place at the time. War, natural disasters, economic decline and other trying situations tend to strengthen the resolve of citizens to work together until the problem is solved. And this is how it should be. In the past, Americans were happy to cooperate because most of the time they were confident that the information being given them by Government, the news media and experts in the field was accurate with the goal of winning the battle and doing so for as long as it took, but as soon as possible. But in the opinion of millions of Americans today; in regard to the Corona Virus, that confidence is weakening and unity is beginning to fray.

No one says there is no virus.  There certainly is a virus. But suspicion is growing among the population as to just how accurate the information they are being given really is and asking if some of it is being driven by politics and greed. The CDC has come out and admitted that they have told hospitals that if the death of a patient is listed as Corona Virus and put on a ventilator, that hospital will receive close to twice the money even if the actual cause of death was something else.. The number of cases in some cities such as New York are said to have been inflated so as to get more federal dollars. Some doctors are saying one thing, while others say something totally different as far as what treatments work and which do not. Some in the news media are now being accused of spreading panic in efforts to up their ratings and in a few cases have openly and gleefully expressed hope that the longer the crisis and lockdowns continue, the more it will hurt President Trump. We even have some elected officials hoping that this will continue till after the November election for the same reason.

People are beginning to question the motives of those in positions of authority because of some of the pettiness and dishonesty publically on display most every day by those officials and the willingness to comply with the rules and restriction set forth is beginning to dissolve because of a growing lack of trust. Americans cherish their freedom and liberty but are willing to temporarily give a little if it’s for the greater good. But if they decide they are being manipulated by a political power grab, they will not tolerate it for long, nor should they.