It’s interesting, but not surprising that Derek Miller, the president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber, feels that the private sector should lead us out of the mental health crisis associated with COVID-19. Is this because he feels that the state’s leadership (Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, the unseen, unheard supposed head of the state’s COVID response) has failed us woefully as the predicted fall case spike has indeed manifested itself? Or is it because Mr. Miller feels that the state — whether the actual state or federal — is trying to dismantle the country’s attempts at creating a public health care system, so private businesses need to step further into the void?
I thought the business of businesses was to produce goods and services, generate sales, provide meaningful employment to employees, generate profits, and act as civic leaders. But apparently Mr. Miller and his ilk feel strongly that businesses should also devote a big chunk of their resources to act as de facto mental health care providers and not leave that task to more public options. And apparently in his role with the Chamber, Mr. Miller doesn’t need to consider the thousands of Utahns who have either lost their jobs due to COVID or haven’t/don’t work for a business that provides mental or physical health care insurance.
Mr. Miller: How will your beloved private sector help those people?
Tom Diegel, Salt Lake City