The election of 2020 caused a big ruckus for nothing. We went into the election with a mean, old elephantine POTUS and came out of it with a mean, old asinine one. Both espouse policies that are, frankly, rather Australopithecine in nature.

These are questions worth asking amid all the back slapping taking place over the creation of corona-vaccines. Conservatives in particular normally think of tradeoffs, of the unseen, and of the dangers presented by partnerships between politicians and private businesses. Not now, however, which should have readers wondering if even bigger bills for political panic over the virus await.

The longer lockdown policies last – in practice especially but also when defended by public health authorities – the more that elites in government and media risk a devastating loss of credibility. The rebuilding of reputation might prove impossible for at least a generation or two.

The civil authorities have decided, in effect, that fully indemnified pharmaceutical companies have the de facto ‘right’ to force me to take an experimental vaccine that, in the very, very best of circumstances, will only match what my apparently well-functioning body has already given me without any side effects. And this, while straight out telling me that even if I submit to their government-coerced medical experiment I will probably still not get my full constitutional rights back. This is an important issue that needs to be addressed.

The CDC is now citing a new study that shows that Covid ‘case’ and death rates were lower in US counties with mask mandates and higher where on-site dining was allowed. The study is flawed because it doesn’t account for seasonality, position along the epi curve, the age or morbidity structure of the population, or lots of other things.

Please do not give up hope. In the Spring of last year, all seemed lost. As the Spring comes again, we are again reminded that history is nothing more than what we make of it. We are not its victims but its authors. Freedom will return!

Governor Cuomo has had too much control for too long; he has obviously enjoyed wielding it since Day 1. As I have said again and again, until we make clear that we will not abide by these infringements on our civil rights, our liberty, and our dignity, they will not stop. Unfortunately, New Yorkers have proven themselves all too willing to comply.

Governors who continue to impose lockdowns and mask mandates are fast becoming as popular as Red Sox fans in the Yankee Stadium bleachers, at least in half of the country. The internal polling is out, and the draconian restrictions are being abandoned in droves. History will not be kind to the remaining high-handed holdouts.

I empathize with those desiring that the name of the 3.1 mile bridge should revert to Tappan Zee; other recommendations would undoubtedly include renaming the structure for a deceased serviceman or woman, the 9/11 attack victims, or a different New York State Governor. (DeWitt Clinton, who facilitated the building of the Erie Canal, often comes up.) But I disagree with all of those.

Like Bryan Caplan, I love learning so much I decided never to leave school. I live for the lightbulb moments students have when they realize what economists mean by "at the margin" or when they start using and applying the concepts we cover in class. Economically speaking, those are private benefits, however, and the case for sticking taxpayers with the bill is shaky indeed.