Prediction

When the history of this crisis is written, there will be one great hero--the internet.  Because of it:

1) The opinions of many many more experts can be brought to bear on the crisis, both to sway each other and policymakers.

2)  The policymaking feedback loop--policymakers propose something stupid, economists criticize it and propose a better alternative, policymakers change their minds and adopt the alternative--takes hours and days, not weeks and months.