Which came first, lack of infrastructure to handle a pandemic like COVID-19, or the COVID-19 pandemic? I can't think of a more cogent question today. Virtually everything today that isn't "working" well is being blamed on COVID-19, and, well, maybe to some extent that's true. COVID-19 is the spark that ignited interest in all the failings of our current infrastructures from politics, to government, economics, transportation, education, social services (my furloughed partner has been waiting for over a month for any federal or state unemployment assistance), agriculture, petroleum industries, small businesses, retailers...need I go on? But I believe COVID-19 is only the spark. The infrastructure problems existed long before COVID-19, and, sadly, during this opportunity to explore, identify and "fix" our broken infrastructure, we aren't doing this. Not as a nation. Not in cooperation.
Is the answer to ignore COVID-19 protection, and just "get on with business?" Is it really business and money that is the answer? Again, I don't think so. First we need to address those broken infrastructures, something that will pay off in the future, and eventually bring business and money back, this time, in correct relationship to the myriad facets of activity our nation engages in.
Is it about federal verses states' rights? Immigration? Gun rights? Again, I don't think so. These are smoke veiling the real, and decidedly difficult, issues. So how can I as an author help address these underlying problems? I'm busy working my way through the third, and I hope, final edit of my new Savant Books and Publications' novel, THE EDGE OF MADNESS (Aignos, in preparation) in which I address many of these infrastructure issues including some truly novel fixes.
