Your health vs. your work is a false choice

Previously published in the Terre Haute Tribune Star, 26 April 2020

Seeing protests against the “lockdown” orders of various states and framing of the problem as the cure is worse than the disease, the pitting of lives against the economy, especially the right to work, had me wanting to pull my hair out. As one who tries to observe events dispassionately, to view with as clear of eyes as possible, especially when writing in this space, the protests, the claims, the conspiracy theories, the entire premise, of pitting people’s lives against the “right” to go to work (by the way folks, there is no right to work), this is especially challenging.

So, instead of what I usually do, attempt to provide perspective informed by social science, I’m going full-tilt conspiracy theory.

The framing of the “choice” as work (income) or your health is a false one. Or at least it is one that is not inevitable. Don’t you see what has happened? “They” (and they can be whomever shady boogeyman you choose) have created the situation we’re in, we have to choose between health and income. It needn’t be that way. And, if the stimulus that funnels to business is successful and they can open up and begin operations and paying employees, how many people will face, not an abstract choice, but a real one, a choice of their health or an income? “They” have created a devil of choice, which needn’t be. But it has been. You should be wondering why. Why this choice? Why not a different choice? Why force people into a choice at all?

It wasn’t difficult, politically, to “find” $2.2 trillion. But, its distribution is complicated, so it requires a bureaucracy, oversight, rules, etc. All of that, especially when done in an emergency situation, is going to be problematic and all kinds of things are going to go wrong, full of unintended consequences like major corporations getting huge loans from the funds targeted for small businesses.

A simpler solution would be to have appropriated $2.2 trillion and just distributed it to every citizen. That works out to about $5,700 per person. That’s a whole lot different than $1,200 per adult taxpayer of a certain income. A family of four would receive almost $23,000. That would be much better to get people through these challenging times than $1,200 in “bridge equity” (whatever the hell that is). It’s a simple solution, it would give people some security, and not working, though still difficult, wouldn’t be such that people might actually end up having to put themselves (and others) in harm’s way to pay the bills.

So, why wasn’t that done? Because “they” didn’t want it, that’s why. So, instead of protests demanding the “right” to play a Russian roulette-style game, we should be demanding our federal government give us the economic means to not have to play this deadly game. Protesting governors won’t do any good. Oh sure, perhaps a gas tax holiday, but that assumes you have the money in the first place.

Your governor can’t print money, so they can’t do this. But the federal government can, the latest example the $2.2 trillion (of which most is going to businesses, but who can’t make money without employees, who then may have to put their lives in danger to make anyone money). So, what’s in it for “they?” Why did “they” create such a situation? Who benefits from this kind of chaos in the United States?

“They” didn’t create the virus. Rather “they” are taking advantage of it to create this dilemma, this absurd choice to pit being infected or loss of income. Reject it. Demand something different. Demand your Freedom Dividend, from the greatest economy ever seen in history. Demand a shelter-in-place payment so we can weather this until it’s under control.

We’ve been spending money like there is no tomorrow for the past three years, why can’t we spend some money to keep people safe in the face of this virus? Why would “they” not want us to? Call “them” out and demand our elected leaders do something that really would make a difference. A short-term Freedom Dividend for American citizens as we ride out this challenge and not end up with millions of people foreclosed on, credit ruined, cars repossessed, and every other calamity that occurs when you have bills to pay and your savings is exhausted (if you ever had any savings).

Why are you letting “them” win?

Thomas L. Steiger is a professor of sociology and director of the Center for Student Research and Creativity at Indiana State University. Email thomas.steiger@indstate.edu.