Political Gumbo: The Loop, Schools and Parade Themes

The Loop is open, and that’s a good thing. For those claiming it never should have been closed, it never would have been closed if people practiced social distancing instead of acting like they own the joint.

Learn from that, and do the right thing and it stays open.

Bigger issues: Recreation is in the process of reopening.

Soon the two biggest issues will have to be addressed restaurants and schools.

On the latter, I am not expecting them to reopen on time. I think even the most frustrated distance learning parent feels apprehensive at this point. It is going to take a lot of time to prepare students for the new rules.

Btw, we don’t even know what those rules are and it’s mid-May.

Either way, if the idea is to spring them on the kids and their parents on Day 1, it will lead to a massive fail.

The younger kids will have problems for sure with social distancing. As far as the older kids, let’s do some chemistry.

John likes Mary, Mary likes John.

Mary smiles at John = No more social distancing.

Chemistry and biology will win just about every time.

As far as restaurants go, I think it’s going to be a minute even after the doors reopen for things to work out.

The question for all businesses is not how soon the doors can reopen. The question is how soon will the consumers feel comfortable about going through the doors?

Robin Salzer had some good ideas on the matter in a column that ran in PNow and the PW several weeks ago, maybe even earlier than that. The days are running together.

About the Rose Parade: So for sure there was no parade in 1942, one month after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Because the parade was obviously all worked out there was still a theme. However, according to some reports there was no parade in ’43 and ’44. Yet each of those years had themes. That makes it hard to figure out for sure. I am sure Larry Wilson will know the answer to that one. By the way, thanks for the shout out.

The big question now is what happens in 2021.

I say clear the streets and do it the way it was done in the early days, a couple of horses and Model Ts with flowers on them.

Last Note: PW Deputy Editor Matt Rodriguez is turning out to be a pretty good reporter, and that’s a really good thing. Matt is churning out the book alongside the greatest newsman I have ever known and he is doing it during a pandemic and he is in his early 20s.