The coronavirus media-driven panic is underway and shows very little sign of stopping anytime soon.
The impact on stock markets and the economy have already been seen. The travel industry is feeling the impact, some schools are already jumping to canceling classes and big-time public events will be next as some ponder not allowing crowds during March Madness. When all of these things come together, we will be in full-blown panic mode.
Members of Congress and even President Donald Trump were at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) where, apparently, someone who has been deen diagnosed with this illness has been identified.
Some members of Congress have self-quarantined.
1. I am announcing that I, along with 3 of my senior staff, are officially under self-quarantine after sustained contact at CPAC with a person who has since been hospitalized with the Wuhan Virus. My office will be closed for the week.
— Paul Gosar (@DrPaulGosar) March 9, 2020
Today I released the following statement: pic.twitter.com/XGXEa4ozcg
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) March 8, 2020
Now, some are suggesting that Congress go into recess and not meet under these circumstances.
Members of Congress are becoming increasingly anxious about coronavirus, and there is growing pressure on leadership to take steps to protect lawmakers — even potentially recessing for a period of weeks — two Democratic congressional sources said. https://t.co/VUFoKn9idQ
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 9, 2020
This is absurd.
U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) is having none of this.
Brooks, who was in attendance at CPAC, called into WVNN radio Monday morning to say he is feeling fine and disagrees that Congress should go into a recess.
Brooks added that doing so “sends entirely the wrong message out.”
“The only people who have any kind of risk that is above average are the people that are elderly with some kind of immune deficiency,” he told “The Dale Jackson Show.”
Brooks also noted that he didn’t even think talk of recess was serious, saying, “I thought my staff was joking. But there appears to be some serious concern in Washington to the point where we ought to shut down Congress, and that’s just the wrong message.”
Brooks later joked about the ages of the people remaining in the race for president, saying that they might want to be concerned about debates.
My takeaway:
Mo Brooks is right about this. There is no reason to further worry an entire country that is needlessly on edge and fearful. If you shut down the most visible part of the federal government over this, it sends a message that this is far more serious than it is.
If anything, Congress needs to be ready to act if needed. Members don’t need to be hiding in their homes because the people on TV want to report on what they want to be “Trump’s Katrina.”
Listen:
Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.
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