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Government Response To The Coronavirus (6 Viewers)

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James Daulton

Footballguy
I don't want to turn this into a Trump bashing thread.  But I do think it's time to start talking about how our government is dealing with this global issue that's yet to be fully felt here in the US.

Their current tact seems to be to act like it's no big deal and the coronavirus will simply peter out and not impact the US too much.

Sen. Kennedy drilled the Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf over some details and Wolf seem woefully unprepared.  I can't say I have much confidence that this government's seemingly lack of organization will be effective.

 
This is actually bringing Dems and GOPers together best I can tell.  Neither "side" seems to believe we are ready to go and the White House (Kudlow specifically) is saying its taken care of and everything is fine.  It seems odd that there is a request for $2.5 billion out there.  If we are to believe all the evidence we have before us, that's not nearly enough to address the problem that will most likely be with us for some years to come.....especially knowing that the White House wants to CUT CDC funding.

ETA:  They need a point person yesterday to be on top of this to minimize impact.....preferably NOT a close personal friend of the President or one of his family members but someone from that dreaded area of science who knows what's going on.

 
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This is actually bringing Dems and GOPers together best I can tell.  Neither "side" seems to believe we are ready to go and the White House (Kudlow specifically) is saying its taken care of and everything is fine.  It seems odd that there is a request for $2.5 billion out there.  If we are to believe all the evidence we have before us, that's not nearly enough to address the problem that will most likely be with us for some years to come.....especially knowing that the White House wants to CUT CDC funding.

ETA:  They need a point person yesterday to be on top of this to minimize impact.....preferably NOT a close personal friend of the President or one of his family members but someone from that dreaded area of science who knows what's going on.
I disagree, respectfully, of course.  I believe Ivanka and Donald Junior ought to be the point of the spear on this.  They ought to visit as many sick and infected persons and treatment facilities as possible to learn all they can.  They ought to be put in direct contact with these folks, exposed to the facts, as it were.  Then they should report back to their dad, in person.  Donald should then embrace and kiss his daughter to thank her for her service.

 
Though I did post about this in the Trump thread, I agree that we shouldn’t necessarily bash him- we should be bashing the Republican Party and the conservative movement in general. That is because they have a decades old policy of slashing public health resources, of viewing them as unimportant. Every time Republicans get into power this is what they do, and it’s the main reason we appear to be so woefully unprepared for situations like this. 

 
I disagree, respectfully, of course.  I believe Ivanka and Donald Junior ought to be the point of the spear on this.  They ought to visit as many sick and infected persons and treatment facilities as possible to learn all they can.  They ought to be put in direct contact with these folks, exposed to the facts, as it were.  Then they should report back to their dad, in person.  Donald should then embrace and kiss his daughter to thank her for her service.
Don't

 
Fun Fact: Trump eliminated a position called Senior Director of Global Health Security. That person used to work in the NSC to coordinate responses to global health emergencies and potential pandemics.

 
Though I did post about this in the Trump thread, I agree that we shouldn’t necessarily bash him- we should be bashing the Republican Party and the conservative movement in general. That is because they have a decades old policy of slashing public health resources, of viewing them as unimportant. Every time Republicans get into power this is what they do, and it’s the main reason we appear to be so woefully unprepared for situations like this. 
In May 2018, Trump ordered the NSC’s entire global health security unit shut down, calling for reassignment of Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer and dissolution of his team inside the agency. The month before, then-White House National Security Advisor John Bolton pressured Ziemer’s DHS counterpart, Tom Bossert, to resign along with his team. Neither the NSC nor DHS epidemic teams have been replaced. The global health section of the CDC was so drastically cut in 2018 that much of its staff was laid off and the number of countries it was working in was reduced from 49 to merely 10. 
FP

- I'm not sure I entirely disagreed with Boots - agreed, now is not the time for politics - but then addressing the needs means addressing the mistakes, especially those based around the ideologically driven purges being made these days.

 
Fun Fact: Trump eliminated a position called Senior Director of Global Health Security. That person used to work in the NSC to coordinate responses to global health emergencies and potential pandemics.
Nothing much fun about it. 

But again I want to stress this isn’t isolated to Trump. It’s long held conservative philosophy, whether it’s public health, FEMA, the EPA: they don’t think these agencies are necessary and every time they get power, they cut spending in these areas. 

 
FP

- I'm not sure I entirely disagreed with Boots - agreed, now is not the time for politics - but then addressing the needs means addressing the mistakes, especially those based around the ideologically driven purges being made these days.
That’s the other part of this: conservatives always approve these cuts, but whenever an emergency occurs they say now is not the time to talk about politics. And then when things become normal again, they approve more cuts. 

 
That exchange is what got me thinking about this.  If this diehard republican is questioning our governments readiness, it gives me a  lot of pause. 
I caught a glimpse of Sen. Kennedy's remarks yesterday, and it gave me a bit of a pause too.  Good for him.

 
That’s the other part of this: conservatives always approve these cuts, but whenever an emergency occurs they say now is not the time to talk about politics. And then when things become normal again, they approve more cuts. 
Actually, no. Read that again. That's about leadership and information gathering in NSC and DHS. It's not (solely) a budgeting issue. Bossert was gotten rid of because he was considered not sufficiently loyal. Totally different situation. 

 
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$2.5 billion, it's a start.  Agree it's not going to be enough, but gets the ball rolling.  Maybe it's my concern for government funding waste, and I'd like to see a bit more of where and how the funds plan on being spent before that figure climbs into the 10's of billions or more.  Pardon me if it is explained in some articles.  I have not caught up on my readings yet.   

 
Actually, no. Read that again. That's about leadership and information gathering in NSC and DHS. It's not a budgeting issue. Bossert was gotten rid of because he was considered not sufficiently loyal. Totally different situation. 
I guess Trump doesn't subscribe to the management theory that having people around to challenge you and make you think outside your comfort zone will ultimately lead to better decisions.

I'm guessing Trump's philosophy of my way or the highway comes from having everything  handed to him in life.  You don't bankrupt a casino without being really really bad at managing.

Luckily he had his golden toilet/WWF persona to fall back on. 

 
I just try and imagine would happen in the US if they were to try and do a city quarantine/shutdown like they did in China. Is there a word for pandemonium ####storm of chaos?

Going to be an interesting next few weeks as this ratchets up. We do seem wholly unprepared.

 
I just try and imagine would happen in the US if they were to try and do a city quarantine/shutdown like they did in China. Is there a word for pandemonium ####storm of chaos?

Going to be an interesting next few weeks as this ratchets up. We do seem wholly unprepared.
Ha....I have a friend living in China teaching at a school there and have been following his experiences through his blog.  One of his recent posts was that he actually felt better off over there because, in his view, China is doing what they need to in order to slow this thing down and what is required would never go over in the US.  Too many "the government can't tell ME what to do" attitudes to come together and sacrifice their personal wants for the common good.  

 
And here is the other political issue involved: Trump’s credibility is completely shot with most of the country. When we listen to him tonight, there is no reason to believe he is telling the truth. 

 
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And here is the other political issue involved: Trump’s credibility is completely shot with most of the country. When we listen to him tonight, there is no reason to believe he is telling the truth. 
Just read this somewhere else but is a good point: Trump is can't control this. He can lie all he wants, but the people who control the stock market aren't his base. They're going to look at reality.

 
I don’t expect a president to tell me we have vaccine. I don’t need them to lie. I want them to say we are making this our priority, full force of the government is behind this, here are the steps all people should take, let us know they are putting experts in charge and we are giving them every tool they need to do the job.

 
I don’t expect a president to tell me we have vaccine. I don’t need them to lie. I want them to say we are making this our priority, full force of the government is behind this, here are the steps all people should take, let us know they are putting experts in charge and we are giving them every tool they need to do the job.
Uh, I suggest you don't turn in tonight then.  Maybe replay an old Obama or GWB speech instead. 

 
This is an easy win for the prez.

Not saying it’s an easy situation but this speech should be a chance for the prez to just read a well written speech. Give us some West Wing #### here.
Except that I don’t go in with an open mind. I go in thinking this man is a liar and not to be trusted. And I don’t think I’m the only one who thinks this. 

 
Except that I don’t go in with an open mind. I go in thinking this man is a liar and not to be trusted. And I don’t think I’m the only one who thinks this. 
Yeah there is that. But for this situation there isn’t a bad guy here. Everyone is rooting against the global pandemic.

A well written speech that doesn’t make it about himself, talks about everyone working together, and, novel idea here,  he could even be the bigger man and allow the Dems/Congress to take some credit in working to solving this. 

This should be an easy speech that great speech writers want to write.

Well see what happens.

 
Yeah there is that. But for this situation there isn’t a bad guy here. Everyone is rooting against the global pandemic.

A well written speech that doesn’t make it about himself, talks about everyone working together, and, novel idea here,  he could even be the bigger man and allow the Dems/Congress to take some credit in working to solving this. 

This should be an easy speech that great speech writers want to write.

Well see what happens.
I’m sure he’ll talk about the 2.5 billion and how he’s keeping the country safe. He won’t mention the cuts to CSC and the shutdown of the agency that @SaintsInDome2006 referenced. 

Hopefully he won’t throw out some nativist talk about shutting down borders. 

 
I’m sure he’ll talk about the 2.5 billion and how he’s keeping the country safe. He won’t mention the cuts to CSC and the shutdown of the agency that @SaintsInDome2006 referenced. 

Hopefully he won’t throw out some nativist talk about shutting down borders. 
Yup. Definitely mention the money and hopefully  some topline messaging on what the plan is.

No other BS. 

We’ll see if he has it in him.

 
Funny, I read it would be 12-18  months at least for a vaccine.

Please tell me the President of the United States isn't lying to the world.
A company called Moderna has a vaccine ready for human trials,now.

Fun fact: I sold my shares in Moderna last October. :( :kicksrock:

 
I just hope he doesn't play the conservative talking point which is to say the the virus is no bigger than a cold or that it is a liberal hoax to hurt his election.   

Do we know if Trump or his people have any financial stake in the company?  

 
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And here is the other political issue involved: Trump’s credibility is completely shot with most of the country. When we listen to him tonight, there is no reason to believe he is telling the truth. 
I posted almost 4 years ago Trump reminded me of the Jack Nicholson Joker where he's throwing money to his followers in the parade only to have Joker be their undoing. 

 
And here is the other political issue involved: Trump’s credibility is completely shot with most of the country. When we listen to him tonight, there is no reason to believe he is telling the truth. 
Definitely not everyone.  I mean he could sell Trump vaccine like that phony Jim Baker tried to do a month ago and probably make millions.  

 
Bet there’s a few GOP Senators wishing they had spoken up when Trump was replacing all the ‘adults in the room’ with yes men and campaign donors.

 
The government response has not been very impressive so far. It's a schizophrenic mixture of false bravado and keystone cop flailing.

 
I disagree, respectfully, of course.  I believe Ivanka and Donald Junior ought to be the point of the spear on this.  They ought to visit as many sick and infected persons and treatment facilities as possible to learn all they can.  They ought to be put in direct contact with these folks, exposed to the facts, as it were.  Then they should report back to their dad, in person.  Donald should then embrace and kiss his daughter to thank her for her service.
You might need a break from here.

 
I’m sure he’ll talk about the 2.5 billion and how he’s keeping the country safe. He won’t mention the cuts to CSC and the shutdown of the agency that @SaintsInDome2006 referenced. 

Hopefully he won’t throw out some nativist talk about shutting down borders. 
Been waiting for this. Surprised there hasn’t been any talk yet tbh.

 
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