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Why wouldn’t we create a 9/11 style COVID commission?

A 9/11 Commission was obvious when created in November 2002. To date, COVID-19 has killed 200 times more people than 9/11 across the U.S., and continues to threaten lives domestically and around the globe.

Any event that results in: 

And any event where: 

What could a 9/11 style commission achieve?

Specifically, a 9/11 style commission could investigate:

If history has taught us anything, we know that a commission alone is inadequate to address these issues. The 9/11 Commission issued 41 recommendations in its first report and many were quickly implemented. Some of these improvements undoubtedly prevented additional terrorist attacks.

However, despite these improvements, four years later, the U.S. was woefully unprepared for Hurricane Katrina when it crashed into the Gulf Coast. Additional reports followed, including one by Congress titled, “A Failure of Initiative.” Only some recommendations were fully implemented and we continue to pay the price.

What is most certain, is that if we fail to come together to examine this crisis and make improvements on all levels of government, we will be doomed to repeat its failures.

Ben Smilowitz is founder and executive director of Disaster Accountability Project and SmartResponse.org, a nonprofit started after Hurricane Katrina.