Summary
Ideological Nature of Public Health Bureaucracy
The public health bureaucracy under COVID-19 prioritizes left-wing ideology over health, evident in recommendations for redistributive welfare states and gun control as public health emergencies.
Public health officials demonstrate a predictable ideological bias, favoring rule-following over responding to changing conditions, as seen in their arbitrary allocation decisions and disregard for collateral damage.
Unaccountability and Unresponsiveness
The bureaucracy’s dedication to rule-following and lack of responsiveness to changing conditions render it unaccountable for the destructive consequences of its policies.
Unable to calculate profit and loss or determine value-adding activities due to lack of consumer feedback and dependence on taxes, the public health bureaucracy makes arbitrary and wasteful allocation decisions.
Consequences of Lockdown Policies
Lockdown policies led to devastating consequences for hundreds of millions worldwide, including non-COVID excess mortality, mental health deterioration, child abuse, domestic violence, and widening global inequality.
The crisis resulted in large increases in debt, food insecurity, lost educational opportunities, unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, increased loneliness, social polarization, democratic backsliding, and human rights violations.
Propaganda and Power Grab
The public health bureaucracy engaged in a non-stop spread of propaganda based on lies, fallacies, and superstitions, while accusing others of misinformation.
Officials demonstrated a grasping for more power, exemplified by Anthony Fauci’s anger when a federal judge ruled against mandatory masks on interstate travel, believing public health should supersede the legal system.
Lack of Accountability and Explanation
Former White House COVID-19 adviser Andy Slavitt’s inability to coherently explain the failure of lockdown policies highlights the bureaucracy’s lack of accountability.
Economist Mises explained in his 1944 book that bureaucracies prioritize rule-following over human life, joy, and basic decency, leading to devastating consequences during crises like COVID-19.