Finally, the US government should have stand-by authority to allocate essential medical supplies, in order to ensure that the whole population has access to basic protective equipment and medications, based on need and regardless of income. Most of these items are simple and inexpensive, so supply problems may be short-lived. But if they are not tackled quickly, the government has the power under the Defense Production Act of 1950 to give orders the private sector, and prices should be controlled to prevent profiteering.
Compared to a world war, COVID-19 is a relatively small problem that should be manageable. But controlling a pandemic nevertheless requires mobilization: a comprehensive approach spanning resources, services, finance, and information. The public needs to feel the urgent necessity of radical behavioral changes, the disruption of daily routines, and firm measures to prevent destructive speculation by those looking to make a quick buck.
Again, the attack on Pearl Harbor offers a useful precedent. Within two days, the US had declared war and started shifting to a war footing. As the Japanese advanced on Malaya, the US issued a nationwide ban on the sale of rubber tires to quell panic purchases and protect essential users, as well as a 35-mile-per-hour speed limit to save rubber and motor fuel. These orders were swift, decisive, and generally accepted. They showed that the American public can rally around a common purpose when necessary.
With the COVID-19 epidemic bearing down, Americans should now remember our own history. We have confronted larger crises before. The same institutions, practices, and sense of public spirit that served our parents and grandparents can serve us, too. But there is not a moment to lose.
James K. Galbraith, a former Executive Director of the Joint Economic Committee, is Professor of Government and Chair in Government/Business Relations at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author, most recently, of "Inequality: What Everyone Needs to Know" and "Welcome to the Poisoned Chalice: The Destruction of Greece and the Future of Europe."