OP-ED : COVID LOCKDOWNS—FIVE YEARS LATER

Mario Nawfal

@MarioNawfal
🚨OP-ED: COVID LOCKDOWNS—FIVE YEARS LATER

March 11, 2020, marked the start of global lockdowns, and five years later, the political aftershocks are undeniable.

What began as a health measure quickly became government overreach, fueling a surge in preference for conservative policies that demanded for limited government.

Small businesses suffered at an unbelievable rate—a 22% drop in active owners—while massive corporations raked in record profits, reinforcing resentment and support for free-market policies.

Isolation deepened distrust in institutions and centralized control, with people rejecting the heavy hand of government mandates— an unhealthy mix: shut down business, takeaway incomes, all while forcing an electorate to stay at home.

The fallout cemented a “less is more” governance preference for government, with support for personal liberty over state intervention—evident with elections all over the world.

The pandemic fundamentally altered public trust, economic priorities, and government perceptions, cementing a lasting ideological shift that continues to influence policy debates, electoral outcomes, and attitudes toward state intervention.

Sources:NIH, PNASorg, Pew

Mario Nawfal

@MarioNawfal
🚨 COVID HYPOCRISY: LEADERS IMPOSED RESTRICTIONS BUT CARVED OUT EXCEPTIONS

During the COVID-19 pandemic, public trust eroded as leaders imposed strict restrictions while flouting their own rules. California Governor Gavin Newsom dined at the French Laundry, ignoring his social distancing orders.

Chicago’s Mayor Lori Lightfoot got a haircut during lockdown, while New York’s Mayor Bill de Blasio visited a gym after shutting them down citywide.

Meanwhile, mass gatherings, like protests, seemed exempt from scrutiny, highlighting selective enforcement.

This “rules for thee, but not for me” mentality damaged public confidence in health mandates.

True leadership requires consistency—something many failed to deliver during the pandemic.

Accountability is long overdue.

Source: AP, NY Post, The Times