As a result of the new viral epidemic, economic consequences are unfolding. Americans may lose their jobs while watching the small companies around them close their doors, at a time when the American citizen is worried about his retirement savings. It is a bleak scenario that made lawmakers scramble to soften the blow, and a few days ago, Congress passed a relief package that temporarily provides leave for some workers and employees, expands unemployment insurance, increases funding for food vouchers and medical assistance, and this could only be the start of the government's response.
The federal government's efforts are aimed at helping Americans navigate the short-term turmoil of the epidemic, but the long-term impact can have even greater consequences, as more Americans monitor what the government can offer them, and they may begin to change their opinions about the role they play in their lives, Regardless of the current epidemic.
In other words, the current situation could bring to life the most common saying on the left, that "government can be good and do something good."
It will not be the first time that the expansion of the social safety net has reshaped people's perceptions of what the government should provide for them. For example, the consequences of the "New Deal" in the 1930s were not only the development of policies such as social security and the minimum wage, but also a strong feeling that the government should guarantee a basic standard of living for all Americans. Despite funding cuts, and many efforts to reverse the "new deal", all policies adopted during that period remain in place today.
More recently, the dynamic government has embraced itself with the Affordable Care Act. Although the law was somewhat unpopular when it was first passed, it has gained the support of more Americans, over time. Indeed, while the Republican Party attempted to repeal the law after its passage in 2010, Republicans quickly changed their message from “repeal” to “repeal and replace”, when it became clear that most Americans did not want to withdraw the law, which was seen as an implicit recognition that the country would not return to The era before the "Affordable Care Act". Even when Republicans dominated the White House and both houses of Congress at the start of Donald Trump's presidency, they repeatedly failed to amend the anti-corruption law, although the administration undermined the law in other ways.
Delegitimization
"Trying to de-legalize the Affordable Care Act is tantamount to delegitimizing the idea that the government can do things to help citizens," says Harvard law professor Kenneth Mac. As the federal government prepares to bolster the economic prospects of Americans during the Corona Virus pandemic, expanding the social safety net can redefine people to the government’s authority to help them make ends meet. Jason Foreman, who served as Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers during the administration of former US President Barack Obama, says: "I don't think anyone alive at this moment will forget this (epidemic)," saying, "If we were working on the principle of paid leave, we would be "Better now."
Although Americans tend to dislike the "big government", the relief bill, and other aid passed by Congress, may follow the same trend for past social programs, as the reluctant American public will not only be dependent on official policies, but will start Considering his expectations from the government as "a legitimate right." "When the government responds to a crisis like this and applies specific policies that help people, and when the government’s role in those policies is really, really, it really helps people feel that the government is responding to people like them," said Susan Mettler, a professor of political science at Cornell University.
But this does not necessarily mean that the Americans ’fear of the“ big government ”will disappear entirely. And relief efforts, Miller says, "are likely to give people a more positive attitude toward these policies."
However, there is a question that many Americans can begin to ask, as Congress steps in to help them survive this economic crisis: Why is the government doing this to me now?
As the federal government prepares to bolster the economic prospects of Americans during the Corona Virus pandemic, expanding the social safety net can redefine people to the government’s authority to help them make ends meet.
Despite Americans ’aversion to the“ big government, ”they could follow the congressional aid bill, as the reluctant American public will not only be dependent on official policies, but will begin to consider its expectations from the government as a“ legitimate right. ”