Being that things are changing quickly, and the publication delay in having this opinion printed, it is possible that some of the points I discuss may have already been addressed. I apologize to the reader if some of this is moot.
I have read Mr. Kolb's commentary (March 21 issue) concerning the proposed small business program designed to alleviate the economic strain on small businesses. I have also followed the U.S. government's response to the economic impact of the coronavirus on businesses and individuals, and Gov. Cuomo's responses. While they all provide support to alleviate the economic impact on both large corporations and small businesses, the relief for individuals is small, of short duration and lacks insight into the long-term consequences on the typical person residing in both this state and this country.
A check of $1,200 or less per person that is being proposed from the federal government is nice, but will not last long. Increasing access to unemployment benefits will help, but probably will fall short of people's economic needs, having the ability to delay mortgage payments for 90 days will be helpful as well, but eventually those bills will come due. Not having to worry about foreclosure and getting evicted for failing to pay your mortgage or rent is a nice benefit, but again it is short-lived and will cease before the true economic impact of people not being able to receive their full pay for several weeks to months, and losing substantial portions of their retirement accounts, comes to fruition.
I recognize that people in politics are under a great deal of pressure right now and things are changing faster than they can manage and decisions are being made without sufficient time to fully consider all of the risks and benefits. I commend them for trying to address the impact of this epidemic. Decisions made under such conditions are rarely well thought out, as there is not enough time to fully research the implications of those decisions. However, making the primary focus of economic relief on business is short-sighted. While the majority of businesses in New York are small businesses, the majority of New Yorkers are not small business owners. Keeping small business owners afloat is meaningless if the typical New Yorker suffers severe economic damage and cannot afford to purchase the goods or services of those small businesses. This is not to imply that small businesses should not receive support; to the contrary, what I am saying is that in addition to that governmental decision-makers should add specific safeguards for everyone, from part-time to full-time employees and sole proprietors.
What should be added to legislative responses to the economic impact of the coronavirus are measures that will assist (they will not provide total support) the typical New Yorker. What is required is that people cannot be foreclosed upon or evicted for up to a year due to lost income. Mortgage and rent are not the only bills that people have to pay; while there has been some thought to this regarding waiving late payment fees with credit cards, that is not enough. We need to guarantee that utility services cannot be disconnected for up to a year, that phone and internet services not be interrupted due to inability to pay monthly bills, and individuals' credit rating will not be negatively impacted subsequent to difficulty paying their bills for possibly up to five years. If people's credit ratings are negatively impacted it will cost them more money when taking out loans, may limit their ability to purchase a home or rent an apartment. Thus potentially leading to more homeless people in this state.
People are anxious and afraid over the impact that this virus is having on their lives. For many people they are feeling lost; they did everything they were supposed to do to be financially stable and suddenly due to no fault of their own they are in dire financial straits and concerned for their health and possibly lives. This fear and anxiety manifests itself in people hoarding basic necessities, food, cleaning supplies, ammunition and for some preparing for the apocalypse. Politicians telling people what they think the population wants to hear rather than the truth, telling falsehoods and being vague, exacerbates this fear. People can handle the truth, and it is OK to tell them that you do not know, the average person does not expect that their elected official is all-knowing and probably appreciates a little humility. Hearing what they need to hear allows them to plan; they may be a little anxious when they first learn the reality of a situation, but then it becomes a problem that can be solved. When the truth is withheld or downplayed the anxiety festers, because one cannot plan for the unknown. What is not OK is being disingenuous.
I have worked as a public servant for over 30 years and have worked with people from all walks of life. It appears that more recently this country has become less tolerant of alternative opinions and perspectives. That does not serve the general populace well during times of strife. I have worked with people of all ages and abilities, from a variety of races, national origins and religions. What I have observed is that we are more alike than dissimilar. It is time for this nation and state to pull together and stop focusing on the small differences and embrace the commonality. Someone much greater than I once said, “A nation divided against itself cannot stand.” It is time to come together and solve this problem as one; we are not Republicans, Democrats or independents, we are Americans.
There are surely other measures that are required as well. If anybody in a governmental position would like to sit down and talk, we could probably come up with others. I do not have all the answers, but what I can offer is the ability to help people in governmental positions consider options, weigh the risk and benefits of potential decisions, and develop strategies to assist the general public in managing this current situation. This is all that I have to offer at this time. For those interested, the Daily Messenger has my contact information.
James Acquilano, Psy.D. is a Canandaigua resident.
"typical" - Google News
March 25, 2020 at 02:35PM
https://ift.tt/2Uhn6Wf
COMMENTARY/JAMES ACQUILANO: We can't neglect relief for the typical New Yorker - MPNnow.com
"typical" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2MUAcon
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "COMMENTARY/JAMES ACQUILANO: We can't neglect relief for the typical New Yorker - MPNnow.com"
Post a Comment