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The context matters: https://www.factcheck.org/2020/03/trumps-statements-about-the-coronavirus/ https://www.factcheck.org/2020/03/trumps-statements-about-th...

by acqq 7y ago

The context matters: https://www.factcheck.org/2020/03/trumps-statements-about-the-coronavirus/ https://www.factcheck.org/2020/03/trumps-statements-about-th... "Feb. 26: “And again, when you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that’s a pretty good job we’ve done.” — Trump at a press conference." "Feb. 27: “It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.” — Trump at a White House meeting with African American leaders." "Feb. 29: “And I’ve gotten to know these professionals. They’re incredible. And everything is under control. I mean, they’re very, very cool. They’ve done it, and they’ve done it well. Everything is really under control.” — Trump in a speech at the CPAC conference outside Washington, D.C." Let's face the truth: that was the main problem.

downerending 7y ago
FDA, CDC, etc., are a massive bureaucratic flywheel, and pay little attention to whoever is in the Whitehouse. I'm not sure I'm a fan of Trump's messaging, but I'm under no illusion that it made any difference at all in this.
- pnw_hazor 7y ago
  SK reformed their pandemic response in 2014-2015, the rest of most developed countries left their old plans in place. I am amazed that anyone expected the CDC, FDA, or other Fed, state, local public health bureaucracies to spring into action doing the best right thing. They are government bureaucracies that historically bumble around, waste resources, act slowly, are led by career bureaucrats, and so on. Just like other large bureaucratic organizations, expecting them to work in times of crisis is unrealistic. The CDC and FDA had a plan in place -- developed long before Trump took over, they executed that plan. Unsurprisingly, the plan under produced and came in behind schedule, like many government programs. It is unrealistic to think anything else would have happened. We have all witnessed government agencies big and small completely drop the ball when it counts. This time is no different.
eric_cc 7y ago
Wait are you really blaming Trump because he made stupid comments?
- acqq 7y ago
  I'm surely don't believe that he is some exception, i.e. that he was the only one being stupid. As I see it, the presidents (and the prime ministers) represent the sentiment of the system, the power structures and the voters. The system he and his equivalents across the world represent is based on the premises that it's totally expected to plan spending 1.5 trillion for a single plane, but that preparing for the next epidemics is something not worth doing. To quote why there are already not more resources allocated in, for example, being prepared to produce more vaccines or contain the epidemics before it spreads: https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/how-long-will-it-take-to-develop-a-coronavirus-vaccine https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/how-long-will-it-ta... "there may never be a market for a vaccine at the end of the development process, because the epidemic is contained, or never comes to pass. Then, traditionally, if there is an epidemic, it may take hold in a developing country where the costs of research and development cannot be recouped. “The resources and expertise sit in biotech and pharma, and they’ve got their business model,” Grant said. “They’re not charities. They can’t do this stuff for free.”" The brokenness of the system that results in all that: the 1.5 trillion plane and maintaining the force and the technology to destruct the whole world on a minute notice, but at the same time not being ready to invest in health preparedness because "it may take hold in a developing country where the costs of research and development cannot be recouped" is way beyond stupid. The system which intentionally does nothing to prevent the demise of the world, just because some people expect to profit every time the danger occurs. The same people obviously profit every time a 1.5 trillion dollar plane is being made. Also as I understand US sets the tone for Europe: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/03/03/eurofighter_nao_analysis/ https://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/03/03/eurofighter_nao_ana... A big part of the world does the same stupidities.

by acqq 7y ago

downerending 7y ago

FDA, CDC, etc., are a massive bureaucratic flywheel, and pay little attention to whoever is in the Whitehouse. I'm not sure I'm a fan of Trump's messaging, but I'm under no illusion that it made any difference at all in this.

pnw_hazor 7y ago
SK reformed their pandemic response in 2014-2015, the rest of most developed countries left their old plans in place. I am amazed that anyone expected the CDC, FDA, or other Fed, state, local public health bureaucracies to spring into action doing the best right thing. They are government bureaucracies that historically bumble around, waste resources, act slowly, are led by career bureaucrats, and so on. Just like other large bureaucratic organizations, expecting them to work in times of crisis is unrealistic. The CDC and FDA had a plan in place -- developed long before Trump took over, they executed that plan. Unsurprisingly, the plan under produced and came in behind schedule, like many government programs. It is unrealistic to think anything else would have happened. We have all witnessed government agencies big and small completely drop the ball when it counts. This time is no different.

eric_cc 7y ago

Wait are you really blaming Trump because he made stupid comments?

acqq 7y ago
I'm surely don't believe that he is some exception, i.e. that he was the only one being stupid. As I see it, the presidents (and the prime ministers) represent the sentiment of the system, the power structures and the voters. The system he and his equivalents across the world represent is based on the premises that it's totally expected to plan spending 1.5 trillion for a single plane, but that preparing for the next epidemics is something not worth doing. To quote why there are already not more resources allocated in, for example, being prepared to produce more vaccines or contain the epidemics before it spreads: https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/how-long-will-it-take-to-develop-a-coronavirus-vaccine https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/how-long-will-it-ta... "there may never be a market for a vaccine at the end of the development process, because the epidemic is contained, or never comes to pass. Then, traditionally, if there is an epidemic, it may take hold in a developing country where the costs of research and development cannot be recouped. “The resources and expertise sit in biotech and pharma, and they’ve got their business model,” Grant said. “They’re not charities. They can’t do this stuff for free.”" The brokenness of the system that results in all that: the 1.5 trillion plane and maintaining the force and the technology to destruct the whole world on a minute notice, but at the same time not being ready to invest in health preparedness because "it may take hold in a developing country where the costs of research and development cannot be recouped" is way beyond stupid. The system which intentionally does nothing to prevent the demise of the world, just because some people expect to profit every time the danger occurs. The same people obviously profit every time a 1.5 trillion dollar plane is being made. Also as I understand US sets the tone for Europe: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/03/03/eurofighter_nao_analysis/ https://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/03/03/eurofighter_nao_ana... A big part of the world does the same stupidities.