Johns Hopkins University says US was most prepared country in world for pandemic

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by Pete F.

South Korea, population about 50 million has about 280 total Covid deaths, that would equate to about 1,680 deaths if the population was 300 million. Why do we have 120,000 dead? We are the richest, most productive, innovative country in the world.
Aren’t we?

How come 58 countries, most of which are far poorer and way less productive and innovative than South Korea, have a smaller death rate due to Coronavirus than South Korea?

There are probably many factors that are different for each country that influence how many deaths each has due to the virus. One of the many, for instance, is the amount of the various kinds of worldwide traffic a country has, and from where that traffic comes. Another is the amount of physical, cultural, political, sociological, and all the other -al and -ism diversity a country has.

The U.S. is by far one of the most diverse and trafficked in the world. And part of that massive diversity is the difference between various parts of the country. Most of the deaths have occurred in just a few places in the U.S. So one might want to examine why that is so, and make comparisons between those parts of the country with SK, and comparisons to it with parts of the US where the death rate is lower than SK.

And one might want to examine the diversity of governmental action and control in the U.S. compared to the more homogenous governmental control of SK.

Not to mention the individualistic temperament of Americans who tend to defy government restrictions and recommendations compared to that of the population of SK.

And on and on . . .

The easy out is to say it's Trump's fault.

[Pete F.]

Originally Posted by detbuch

How come 58 countries, most of which are far poorer and way less productive and innovative than South Korea, have a smaller death rate due to Coronavirus than South Korea?
The poorest countries have done everything possible to control Corona. They also have less of the travel and transits that you claim are the uncontrollable factors in the US, but far less capability to track and trace. They also wear masks.
There are probably many factors that are different for each country that influence how many deaths each has due to the virus. One of the many, for instance, is the amount of the various kinds of worldwide traffic a country has, and from where that traffic comes. Another is the amount of physical, cultural, political, sociological, and all the other -al and -ism diversity a country has.

The U.S. is by far one of the most diverse and trafficked in the world. And part of that massive diversity is the difference between various parts of the country. Most of the deaths have occurred in just a few places in the U.S. So one might want to examine why that is so, and make comparisons between those parts of the country with SK, and comparisons to it with parts of the US where the death rate is lower than SK.

And one might want to examine the diversity of governmental action and control in the U.S. compared to the more homogenous governmental control of SK.
Or one could look at the immediate action taken by SK and most of the countries that have lower deaths per capita than the USA.
SK heeded the warnings from the WHO that our adminstration failed to listen to and immediately started stockpiling PPE, developing tests by bringing together the private sector and funding multiple test developers to make sure they had the capital for development and putting into place the panademic control measures developed with US aid to combat previous pandemics.

Not to mention the individualistic temperament of Americans who tend to defy government restrictions and recommendations compared to that of the population of SK.
The individualistic temperament of Americans that has a large group repeating claims that the virus is a hoax, it's a plot and no worse than a cold. That same group would have listened if the leadership had come out, demonstrated social distancing, reducing personal contact and wearing masks. Nobody who is successful in a leadership position thinks that the example they demonstrate is worthless.
The same people who chant fake news, lock her up and send them back because that is the response they have been taught would tell others to wear a mask and socially distance if they were told that is the way Americans support each other.
That's not what happened is it?

And on and on . . .

The easy out is to say it's Trump's fault.

Actually the easy out is to say "I take no responsibility at all" when he knew better

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
Leadership: Whatever happens, you're responsible. If it doesn't happen, you're responsible.
2:01 PM · Nov 8, 2013·Twitter Web Client

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by Pete F.

Actually the easy out is to say "I take no responsibility at all" when he knew better

He was specifically referring to the slow roll-out of the testing kits. And he makes a convincing argument that he was not personally responsible for that.

[Pete F.]

Originally Posted by detbuch

He was specifically referring to the slow roll-out of the testing kits. And he makes a convincing argument that he was not personally responsible for that.

History and politics should give him as much slack as these people received for their speech:

“They cling to guns and religion”
“I voted for it, before I voted against it”
“Basket of deplorables”
“Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job”
“Stuff happens” (Donald Rumsfeld on the chaos of post-invasion Iraq)
“It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’, is.”
“Peace for our time.”

I now realize that Tweety can't even hold himself to the same standard that he claimed his predecessor needed to meet and you claim that we should give him the benefit of doubt for various obtuse reasons.

This is what he had to say when Obama was President.

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
Leadership: Whatever happens, you're responsible. If it doesn't happen, you're responsible.
2:01 PM · Nov 8, 2013·Twitter Web Client

Or is your premise that white privilege actually exists and it is Tweety's due?

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by Pete F.

@realDonaldTrump
Leadership: Whatever happens, you're responsible. If it doesn't happen, you're responsible.
2:01 PM · Nov 8, 2013·Twitter Web Client

Or is your premise that white privilege actually exists and it is Tweety's due?

"Whatever happens" doesn't mean what happened before you got there. The CDC was already incompetent in its ability to deliver quality testing kits before Trump became "responsible." When the Trump administration found that there were existing problems with the CDC's ability, and that there were regulations in place which made it impossible to move quickly enough to correct existing obstacles, it moved to resolve the problems (i.e., took responsibility) . . . and it did.