America’s economic shutdown is unprecedented and the media has yet to explore why we abandoned our principles of strength and prosperity to deal with COVID19 in such an unprecedented and economically catastrophic way. I feel our cumbersome response is a sign that America’s is losing its status as Leader of the Free World.
America’s world leadership status is not undeserved. Economically we dominate and until Donald Trump took office, we took that role seriously. There was plenty warning that a pandemic could strike but Trump chanced it and lost. From Steve Jobs to George W. Bush to Barack Obama, plenty prominent leaders warned that a major pandemic could strike at any time and that it could be devastating. Trump even dismissed multiple warnings from within his administration throughout January and February, neglecting his duty to keep us safe.
For the cost of one F35 Fighter jet we could have more than replenished our depleted stock of N95 masks and after three years of his presidency, Donald Trump cannot blame Barack Obama for getting us caught off guard. Sacrifice a few more of those jet fighters and although Lockheed Martin would have been a bit disappointed, our military would be just as strong against external threats but more importantly our personal protective equipment (PPE) stockpile would in place to protect our first responders from internal risks. Second, we should have had enough test kits to test every American two-to-three times over. Third, Trump should have never fired the CDC expert embedded in China or the Pandemic response team President Obama created. Trump can blame China neglecting America’s interests or he can blame himself for firing the people put there to ensure our well-being.
Under a normal presidency America would remain prepared for pandemics and employ tons of people throughout the world to keep an eye out. When a potential plague is detected, Washington would send experts not only to help but also to be America’s eyes and ears where it is occurring. When a virus becomes an epidemic the US would already have experts on the ground with access to germ samples, saving valuable time. Meanwhile the President, doctors and scientists would be educating Americans throughout the country about the measures being taken by government and what those citizens should do to remain healthy; at this time medical facilities would be preparing for an onslaught of patients and labs would be churning out test kits as soon as the America’s experts have sequenced the new strain. This assiduousness is why the Swine flu epidemic only cost 3900 lives during the first six months, keeping the pandemic at bay while doctors and scientists build up the forces to head off a major attack. Trump’s COVID19’s first case was just over three months ago and the disease has already killed over 60,000.
Sadly, President Trump did none of the normal measures and instead downplayed the threat while hoping the spring heat would suppress the encroaching germ. Then, once the virus was already spreading rapidly within the country, he closed the borders, which is like locking the bank vault after the robbers have struck. These irresponsible missteps have cost America over 60,000 lives and may have cost us our image as Leader of the Free World.
What part of the game plan was shutting down our economy? How did we end up following China’s lead? The answer is because our president is simple minded and ego driven. The economic shutdown, a last ditch effort, didn’t require any strategy, foresight, complex thinking or privileged facts. It was a simple 180-degree approach that any unsophisticated thinker would do. The media, mostly serving a base that doesn’t specialize in politics, have not called Trump out on it. Normally, while American preparedness would keep a pandemic at bay, we and our immense wealth would be sending supplies around the world to financially weaker nations. The sight of those C-5 and C-17 cargo planes flying into affected countries adorning American flags and bringing much needed supplies would be a delightful reminder of who’s boss in this world. Under Trump’s leadership our whole country became incapacitated. China just shutdown Hubei Province and since the rest of the world couldn’t depend on an weakened United States with a halted economy, they followed China’s lead and shut down themselves. When hard hit poor countries like Italy and Spain succumbed to COVID19, China, not the US, sent supplies in boxes with Chinese flags proudly displayed. Further rubbing our own faces in the mud. The New England Patriots, of all teams, sent their team plane to China begging for supplies. Seeing their red white and blue plane with the word “Patriots” on Chinese soil is like seeing your wife’s car parked in another man’s driveway while he gives her what you failed to.
China is a force to be reckoned with and our COVID19 screw-up may have irreparably tipped the global balance in their favor. Donald Trump estranging our allies and then printing $6 Trillion dollars to compensate is a dangerous combination that gives them yet another reason to consider abandoning the dollar. This COVID19 crisis debacle lands squarely at Donald Trump’s feet. The fact that he let China beat us is his fault and solely due to his inability to lead. Over 60,000 Americans’ blood in on his hands. He got 2020 his campaign slogan abbreviation right, K.A.G, but got the words wrong. They should be “Killed America’s Greatness.”