One month ago today, against the advice and counsel of scientists, doctors, and public policy experts, Trump said, “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.”
As of this morning, the United States has 81,782 confirmed cases of COVID-19. More total cases than any country in the world.
So Trump was off by a little, and not because any expert led him astray. He simply didn’t want to accept reality, nor did he want to warn the American people or prepare us for the coming pandemic.
Avoiding COVID-19 would’ve been impossible. But things would be far better today had we prepared properly. Stockpiled and distributed personal protective gear for doctors and nurses beginning in January. Increased production of necessary supplies well ahead of the virus. Begun testing immediately, using the approved and effective WHO test rather than waiting for the CDC to produce a test. Instituting social distancing practices more than a month ago.
Had we done these things and many more, America would be a very different place today.
Instead…
Two years ago, Trump fired his pandemic response team and did not replace them.
More than two months ago, Trump ignored repeated and desperate warnings from United States intelligence agencies about the coming pandemic and rejected their advice for immediate action.
Instead, Trump repeatedly referred to the coronavirus as “a hoax.” In March, he referred to it as a hoax.
Just sixteen days ago, Trump said, “They’re trying to scare everybody, from meetings, cancel the meetings, close the schools — you know, destroy the country. And that’s ok, as long as we can win the election.”
These are facts that cannot be forgotten when we go to the polls in November.
Above all things, a President is responsible for the safety and security of the America people. Trump has failed at every step.
Just three weeks ago, Trump refused to allow Americans to disembark from a cruise ship because, in his own words, “I like the (COVID-19) numbers being where they are. I don’t need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasn’t our fault. And it wasn’t the fault of the people on the ship either, okay? It wasn’t their fault either and they’re mostly Americans. So, I can live either way with it. I’d rather have them stay on, personally.”
Numbers ahead of lives. That is how Trump has operated every step of the way.
Thankfully, we have plenty of video evidence of Trump’s incompetent, irresponsible, and immoral inaction.
Let us not forget his words and actions in the coming months.
