We need to get back to work in North Carolina
Editor’s note: The Charlotte Observer and Raleigh News & Observer editorial boards urged NC Gov. Roy Cooper to resist calls to reopen the North Carolina economy when his stay at home order ends at the end of April. Kenny Smith, a contributing columnist to the editorial board, offers his perspective on how long N.C. should wait:
The country is so polarized we can’t even find agreement on how to react to a pandemic. Sentiment on TV/social media seems to be hysteria or hoax and tends to fall along political lines. Left-leaning commentators appear to be more accepting of restrictions while conservatives are ready to reopen the country. How about a middle ground, based upon data?
Thus far I have accepted government actions to protect citizens. I have assumed the government has powers in crisis that we would never normally allow and would certainly question. But after examining the data, my patience is running thin. It’s time for county and state leaders to chart a path forward that gets us back to work.
After 15 years in commercial real estate, I was surprised to learn my occupation is deemed non-essential. Commercial real estate touches all areas of the economy: retail, manufacturing, distribution, office, healthcare, etc. We help small businesses grow and expand. My family is losing much-needed income during my mandated exile from work. While small businesses are failing and unemployment is skyrocketing, those who impose the stay at home orders are still getting paid.
Americans are scared. We are scared of the virus, but many of us are far more afraid of the long-term economic consequences of the ongoing shutdown. If the county reopened tomorrow, I would not be spotted in a large crowd, but you would see me working immediately. I don’t need the government to tell me how to apply common sense to stay healthy. For example, when conducting a property tour, I would ask my clients to follow in a separate car. No shaking hands. Physical separation. Frequent hand washing. Common sense.
Data has been scarce, which makes it difficult to create models that are anywhere near close to reality. Hospital utilization is nowhere near early estimates. In fact, our local hospitals altogether have abandoned plans for a field hospital. At one point it was suggested as many as 2.0 million Americans could die. Recent projections have dropped to 60,000. And even that new, lower, estimate is suspect. In each case, the models have been off by many factors. Now that we have more information, we need to adapt our approach. Businesses may implement spacing, where practical. In many cases, it will be determined by the consumer. I will see my barber and get my teeth cleaned
The economic hardship is not worth continued shutdowns. We are learning about the virus in real time. Decisions have been driven by fear, incomplete data, and shifting goalposts. I believe history will judge us poorly on how we handled the virus if stay home orders extend beyond early May. Government overreach, halting the economy, and stopping daily life will be deemed a disproportionate response compared to the potential depression we may face if we don’t get back to work soon. Already the hole is too deep for many to recover. Sadly, some industries will vanish due to changed behaviors.
It is time to balance the well-being of the vulnerable with our need to work. My heart goes out to anyone who has lost a loved one, but it also aches for those losing their livelihoods. Americans are reasonable people by nature and willing to make sacrifices when necessary. A simple cost/benefit analysis will tell you the 951 cases in the county and 5,113 statewide don’t justify continued shutdown. I can hang in there awhile longer, but we need to get back to work by May 15. Unfortunately, for many it will be too late.
This story was originally published April 17, 2020 at 10:25 AM.