NOTE: It’s important to underscore that I wrote and published this piece on February 25, 2020. It demonstrates just how much invaluable time was lost before the Trump regime even began to take seriously the looming global public health crisis.
RVC March 20, 2020
By Ray Cunneff
Trump’s Pandemic
February 25, 2020
While President Donald Trump says with absolute confidence that his administration has the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus contained, and that in any case it will “miraculously” disappear by April, it’s become increasingly clear that he’s once again ignoring the science, cutting the funds needed for control and prevention, and putting millions of lives at risk.
COVID-19 is described as a “novel” virus, meaning that not much is still known about it. But what is known is scary enough. Epidemiologists have long feared an animal-to-human transmission that would rapidly accelerate into a highly contagious second and third-generation human-to-human transmission. And that’s exactly what we’re dealing with now.
And despite Trump’s “nothing to see here” bluster, he has systematically reduced our ability to combat it. It’s unknown who whispered in Trump’s ear that the virus would be gone by April, like the flu, but it’s absolutely false. One only has to look to Australia, where it summer now, to see that the heat of summer has actually increased the number of cases. And unlike the flu, there is no vaccine or cure on the horizon.
CDC director, Dr. Robert Redfield, strongly disagreed with Trump’s assessment, saying “This virus is probably with us beyond this season, beyond this year, and I think eventually the virus will find a foothold, and we will get community-based transmission.”
Trump began slashing public health funding in 2018, diverting millions of dollars from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cut over $1 billion from the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF), and the cuts have been deeper with each budget since.
Trump’s 2020 budget called for even more drastic cuts to public health funding and resources the CDC needs to deal with the growing emergency. Fortunately, his proposal is considered DOA in both the House and Senate.
“There are outbreaks. There are epidemics. And there are pandemics, where epidemics become rampant in multiple countries and continents simultaneously. The novel coronavirus that causes the disease named COVID-19 is on the verge of reaching that third, globe-shaking stage.”
-The Washington Post 2/24/2020
Ray Cunneff is a former CBS Television executive, professional motion picture and television writer. His book, “2020: A Trump Odyssey – The Rise of America’s Fascist Dictator” has just been released on Amazon Kindle
Thank you very much for your remarkable essay. It’s comforting to know that there are people who understand. Since this whole science denial thing got big, I have just basically been in shock. And now this coronavirus pandemic is a story that breaks all the rules. I thought we had multiple levels of protection against epidemics, people studying every aspect. But, we in fact had nothing.
There’s an important part of the definition of COVID-19 that is largely ignored or misunderstood: Medical Science can determine if you have an active infection; and eventually serology testing will be developed that can tell if have had it; but medicine can’t tell if you are a carrier. Also, hard facts about carriers, such as how many people one carrier can infect, are hard to come by. In the case of our wacko congressmen: testing negative doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t test positive tomorrow – the very next day. They intentionally exposed themselves when it was totally unnecessary. Then they intentionally exposed most of the House, and unknown numbers of senators. These guys really know how to set a good example. When the body count is finally filed, they should be prosecuted. For murder.
How stupid and irresponsible is it possible to be? Ask a United States senator.
There’s an outstanding question here that is a whopper: WHERE WAS DR. FAUCI when the Level 4 Advisory was issued in January? Bowling League? All the bigshots with their high-flown creditials, why did not even one warn us? The Doc sure dresses nice, But, you know, I’m much more impressed by diligence than expensive suits. Hes too damn old. Too timid. We will remember Fauci as the well dressed, sweet little old man – who failed in his duties as a physician. If he didn’t know how dangerous a novel Coronavirus could be, then no one did. He must have. He let us down. Fauci needs to suit-up and hit the front lines. If anyone should be held accountable, it should be the “top epidemiologists.” They knew. And, if they knew, then they killed human beings. If they didn’t know, they are miserable, incompetent imposters. I’m a bit confused, what does an epidemiologist do? Iknow! I know! Next, the lint-brained fool will write a book. I’ll take two. (Only real rednecks know what that expression means.)
It’s become clear that the mid-January Chinese lockdown sent a powerful signal globally that a public health tsunami was coming, but corporatist governments, left and right, chose to ignore it. There’s even now a xenophobic hubris in some segments of both the UK and US that “it can’t happen here” and “we’re not China”. They continue in minimization or outright denial, desperate to get back to business as usual, willing to sacrifice the most vulnerable on the altar of profit. The bitter irony in the US is that those who might suffer most are the Trump loyalists foolish enough to believe him.
You’re correct in every particular, Mr. Cuneff; and your article, Trump’s Pandemic, was absolutely spot on!
It is a “bitter irony in the US…that those who might suffer most are the Trump loyalists foolish enough to believe him.” But more than that, I think it’s fair to say it would be an historic example of poetic justice as well.
They who sow the wind, fully deserve to reap the whirlwind.
Fauci said that DT’s claims are “aspirational. ” I wonder what he might have meant? The word refers to steps taken to increase one’s social position. Que? It’s obvious that doctors are poorly educated except in Chemistry and Symptomology, but do they have to make it so obvious? This man is the spokesperson for all of us, but he makes up word definitions and usages like; well… Donald Trump! Let’s see now: the White House should have top professional communication experts. But, they have… what they have: and that ain’t much. Expert liars, and bums making money for nothing. People who parrot the words of a semi-literate boob. Boy, that’s a tough job!
If Fauci wants to impress his viewers, and influence them, then he should work on his diction (word choice) and usage; or ask someone who knows how to look it up for him.
Actually, Fauci was trying to suck up by complimenting Trump, like so many others. Trump should be drummed out under the 22nd. Ammendment. And he should take Fauci, and all the suck-up sycophants with him. And, yes: I will volunteer at my local hospital as soon as I am able. And I’ll go there wearing work clothes appropriate to the job and the circumstances. I sure as hell won’t be wearing a silk goddamned suit. This ain’t no party, bub.
One other “image” related note: Gentlemen don’t wear black before 5:00pm.Trump’s black frock coat is a stone mafia thing, and an insult to every decent human being. Fauci’s imitation is revolting. orvjust plain stupid. Or, maybe he’s trying to look like an undertaker, I guess that that’s appropriate. I don’t like cowards and camp followers.
Seems to be rather ill-crossed stars that just as the effect of governments reaches an all-time low, after weathering a continuous assault of forty years, these viruses reach new stadia of complexity.
Soon will come the time when we need to spend hundreds of billions for research, to give us a fighting chance to survive on this planet, but government is dysfunctional, ridden by corruption – actually ridiculous: They bicker and delay when people are dying.
I think that we are seeing the end of the United States of America. The “United” part can be dispensed with: Governors are taking over. Trumpism has left the good old U.S.deeply in debt. We no longer lead in production, manufacturering is dismal; even in sercives we have finally lost our advantage.
And now, with the Fed, and the NYSE having become full-on political arms, confidence in our fiscal leadership is lower than it has ever been, and lagging. We don’t need the federal government, and we are sick to death of them, with their boorish manners, their vulgarity and commonness. Their contempt and disregard for us, the People. Their mind-boggling, filthy greed and lust. And their politicization of everything in our lives.
I could stand a bit of social distancing from politicians – about a million light years.
I liked your piece.
Is my article still under review? It’s not in the Home Page rotation.
I think it was in “Featured Posts.” The rotation doesn’t change very often.