Included in his plans to fight the coronavirus, presumptive president-elect Joe Biden has pledged to appoint "a fully empowered supply commander in charge of filling in the gaps" in the production and supply of "essential" items needed to fight the virus.
On his website, Biden elaborates on his plan, declaring that his "supply commander" would "take command of the national supply chain for essential equipment, medications, and protective gear."
This very Soviet-sounding position is necessary, Biden insists, because "We can no longer leave this to the private sector."
Leaving aside Biden & Company’s laughable assertion that America’s medical industry reflects any sort of unfettered laissez-faire operation, his proposal for a centralized, command-driven medical "supply chain" under the direction of a government commander betrays a stunning ignorance of the complex and interconnected patterns of production and exchange that make up the economy.-- excerpt, rest at link above --
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."