The political divide of contemporary politics has never felt as consequential as it does right now. And there’s never been a greater need for our politicians to rise above the politics of the moment.

The coronavirus crisis has disrupted all of our lives— while ending a tragic number of them. COVID-19 killed more than 1,000 Florida residents as of Friday morning, 72 of them in Sarasota or Manatee. While limited testing indicates far fewer infections in this region than hotspots like Miami-Dade County, the population here remains a vulnerable one with an illness that discriminates against the older and more care-free, which is the Sarasota-Bradenton to a tee.

But a statewide lockdown forced by a public health crisis has brought consequences of its own. More than a half a million unemployment applications were sent to the state Department of Economic Opportunity this week alone. In a state that’s been, to be overly fair, tightfisted about benefits in the past, the safety net has been torn from the posts.

As the polarization of our politics pushes voters to the edges of ideologies, and as the 24-hour news cycle encourages us to politicize everything, there’s been a tragic public response to the subject of preserving the public well-being. On one side are the hoaxers, I suppose we have to call this the far right nowadays. They question if the virus deserved any response at all, calling it no more than a flu despite being much more contagious and evidently more deadly. I hate labeling this as a conservative view. But for those reflexively suspicious of government control, this is a high-profile polarity that draws in too many in fearful moments like this.

But just as dangerous are the scolds who proclaim to represent the left. You could find them online Wednesday when County Commissioners supported a very limited reopening of the beach to runners. For these folks, allowing walks on the beach invites death to us all. And don’t you dare talk about opening workplaces where those half a million unemployed workers could earn a living.

Now I’m not certain myself if Sarasota was ready to open the beaches. But then I’m not sure Manatee saves anyone keeping them closed. Fortunately, someone as conflicted as myself isn’t casting the vote at commission hearings. But whether you agree with Manatee, Sarasota, Ron DeSantis or Andrew Cuomo, the truth is we have elected officials whose only job is to make hard decisions. We’ve no choice but to trust in their judgment. If we believe they have erred, our duty as voters is to hold them accountable at election time.

But I won’t threaten officials with my vote. Not right now. That’s because the last thing that should inform decisions about public health is public opinion. Our leaders need to weigh a wide array of issues to ensure the most lives are saved with the least collateral damage inflicted. Officials, whether at the local, state or national level, need to make decisions for the greater good based not on the popularity of their choices but on the best data from the top experts.

And yes, public health officials absolutely must be heard. But they need not be heard exclusively. Business leaders and economists have a role to play. Liberals may bristle at the notion commercial well being can be balanced against protecting the vulnerable. Conservatives will recoil at intentional regulation that not only kills jobs but could literally close businesses down.

This pandemic demands more than philosophical debate. The stakes are too high, the balance is fragile and the math painfully hard. Worse, there are no right answers.

Voters essentially will deliver their own verdict on politicians, but it’s a disservice to the honorofic before officials' names for even the impact on their reelection to play a role in the decision-making process before them today.

Jacob Ogles is contributing senior editor for SRQ MEDIA.