Colorado today had declared a “state of emergency.” Or rather, the rich, homosexual playboy “businessman” who bought the governorship has declared the purple-turning-blue “green state” in a state of emergency. Of course, he seems to be fully supported by the bureaucracy (not necessarily ALL the bureaucrats, I admit) and the statists, the soccer moms and Mrs. Grundy types and the woke and social justice warriors.

Why? Coronavirus, of course. Beer Flu. A total of 15 people – get that, FIFTEEN – people in a state of 5.85 million people – have been diagnosed with it. No deaths, yet. No indication that any of these 15 people are likely going to die from it. No indication that they have done anything to spread it, to infect others.

Why?

First, because that is what “progressive” (regressive) states and governors do. Polis has the example of California, Washington, New York, Ohio, and elsewhere: Colorado must prove it has rejected its conservative, western, resource-based, family-friendly, evil past by working with the big boys now.

Second, because of the benefits of emergencies. As someone once quipped about the abysmal behavior of robber barons and crony capitalists, “Bankruptcy is the natural state of big business.” Indeed, it sometimes seems to be the preferred state. So it is with government. Emergencies are the preferred state of government, in order to achieve its goals of maintaining and increasing control of the population, extracting revenue from them, and ensuring their positions of power, wealth, and influence. Here in the Fifty States, it is also a surefire way of getting more money from the FedGov to bolster the budgets and spending of state and local and tribal governments.

Crises give an excuse for declaring emergencies. Even medical emergencies, and now we know, even POSSIBLE medical emergencies.

We now, in Colorado, have a new and very low threshold, for defining an “emergency” in Colorado: fifteen people get sick, and it is “an emergency” for everyone in the state. (Although I admit, there may be (according to Polis) another thirteen people who may have Beer Flu. And some of them are – gasp!- in Aspen!)

So, if fifteen children get measles in Julesburg, or Kim, or Mancos, or Rangely? And the state DOESN’T declare a statewide emergency, then it must be because the powers that be in Denver hate rural children, right? You can come up with many scenarios.

There is, no doubt, a third reason that Democrat Polis declared a statewide emergency. Because it is an attack on Trump. As a followup to their so-successful impeachment of Trump, his supposed failure to deal with Beer Flu has been a very common meme. Polis and the Colorado General Assembly burnish their Democratic credentials.

And after all, panic must be shared. In a world where various festivals are cancelled (SXSW, Arnold Classic in Ohio, Venice Carnival, etc.) , where schools are closed when there is no sign of illness in their communities, and where panic can lead to economic maladies (that can be blamed on Trump and other political opponents). And panic loves company. Especially in various nations where mob rule is increasingly common and growing – whether it is the yellow-vests and Muslim mobs of France or Antifa in Seattle.

And worse is happening around the world. Panic, emergencies, crisis, power and control all go together.

Italy, for example, has already expanded a 15-province state of emergency to the entire nation. AND make it illegal to have a wedding, be baptized, or have a funeral. And the pope, beloved statist that he is, has gone along with it and forbidden mass from being celebrated (except, apparently, by video) until the 3rd of April (which just happens to be Good Friday, not some date identified by medical personnel as the end of the Beer Flu danger.)

North Korea, on the other hand, has stated time and again that there is NO coronavirus in the Hermit Kingdom. But 180 North Korean soldiers have died of a mysterious flu-like illness, and their rations have been more than doubled. (North Korea is well-known for keeping its junior soldiers malnourished and even near starvation.)

Fortunately, not all states, not all countries, and not all businesses are panicking and making unwise, damaging mistakes. For example, the annual construction and mining equipment show, ConExpo, in Las Vegas, will go on as scheduled next week in Las Vegas. Of course, we could point out that the vast majority of people attending THAT conference are responsible adults who run businesses and take risks in business and life on a daily basis, not bureaucrats or welfare clients.

(By the way, one source of info worldwide is Business Insider’s special page. However, I’ve noticed errors and omissions there.