>>This statement reminds me of the politician's syllogism:
I see no similarity: if the Titanic is heading for an iceberg, it's a truism that it's wrong to do nothing. Which is not the same as saying that any old response will do. It may well be that disaster will result no matter what, but that's not an excuse to prevent people trying things that seem to help other ships stay away from icebergs but that some claim will cause the US to sink immediately.
"... They ne'er cared for us
yet: suffer us to famish, and their store-houses
crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to
support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act
established against the rich, and provide more
piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain
the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and
there's all the love they bear us."
-- Shakespeare: Coriolanus, Act 1, scene 1