Who Is In Charge Here?

For John, BLUF:  Coronavirus is causing more people to give voice to their concerns.  This is an OpEd from a new on-line publication, Done.♠  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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OpEd:  Why is a Social Worker Dictating COVID-19 Policy for the Country’s Largest County?

From Done, an OpEd, 16 May 2020.

Here is the lede plus seven:

Los Angeles County is, by a wide margin, the most populous county in the United States.  At an estimated 10 million, its population is larger than all but seven states and over a hundred countries.  In fact, LA County has nearly the same number of inhabitants as, dare I say it, Sweden.  Yes, that neo-Nazi, baby-killing, fascist, herd immunity gathering, bastion of pure evil Sweden (sarcasm intended).  Not only is LA County full of people, it is also full of money, having nearly the same GDP as Saudi Arabia.

A county with that population and wealth should have an army of world class scientists leading the battle in the fight against COVID-19.  Let’s take a look at who is leading this world class team.

Dr. Barbara FerrerOur LA County Public Health Commissioner is Dr. Barbara Ferrer.  You can find her bio here.

Impressive, right? Well, look a little closer.  She must have graduated from a top-tier medical school, or so one would think…

Now is when I usually get the “OMG” response, even from the most liberal of liberals.

To be clear she is not even a medical doctor. She has a Doctorate in “Social Welfare.”  So essentially, we have a high-powered social worker (albeit one of the most well-known in the country) leading the largest county in the United States in the fight of our lives against this biological threat.

Yes, this is the real-life version of “I’m not a doctor but I play one on TV.”

Instead of looking at science and data and adapting her public health response to attack what we now know are the strengths and weaknesses of this virus, she is essentially behaving like an elementary school principal (probably because she was one).  Exerting her new-found unchallengeable and unelected power over an entire population that she views as children.  She tells us what to do, how to do it, and even threatens to take away our few remaining freedoms, if we misbehave.

As President Obama recently said:

More than anything, this pandemic has fully, finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they’re doing.

I think the assumption was that that was a swipe at President Trump.  I think the jibe really applies at the coal face, where things are done in our Federal System.

I suspect there are underlying cultural problems that increase the spread of coronavirus in LA.  For example the homeless problem.  How do we fix these underlying problems?  For example, the overall health of the homeless puts them about ten years older than the physical age.  This is a favor in COVID-19 deaths.  Social distancing is harder in a homeless environment.  What about hand washing?  Likely less.

And, the solutions are not just based in building things.  There is the needed changes in social mores.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  "Launched on Earth Day 2020, in the midst of the global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Done.com celebrates the heroes and calls out the villains amongst companies, business leaders, athletes & celebrities, politicians and everyday people.  We aim to shine the bright lights of transparency on brands, organizations and people, and commend them or hold them accountable for what they have, or haven't 'done.'"