The Soapbox

Joined: 01/04/2001 Posts: 26971
Likes: 34214

What's this?

There were so many people around the world who misjudged this.

Scientists are still struggling to understand it.

And the fact is Trump didn’t have the power to close the country anymore than he has the power to open it. If he’d been more proactive than most Western leaders and started pushing for draconian measures early, he might have given cover to governors who were also groping their way through. But those governors were groping too.

I don’t mean to defend Trump. I want him gone. But this is a terrible time to follow the now familiar pattern of Trump action, followed by strong Trump opponent reaction, followed by Trump full throated defenses, and on and on. I think we need serious examination of the response to this crisis from the community to the national level, so we do better next time. There could be a next time soon, with this same virus, only months after it eases this time, assuming it does and we can reopen to some extent.

We’re completely politicizing everything from the cluelessness with which most countries acted as the disease silently spread, to drug therapies. Not a recipe for strong policy design, and we need strong policy design and execution.

(In response to this post by Hoo82)

Posted: 04/14/2020 at 08:23AM

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Current Thread:

“The authority of the president is total”. But he takes no responsibility. ** -- 111Balz 04/13/2020 8:32PM

Popcorn and a big coke for everybody. -- Chuck Taylor 04/13/2020 9:55PM

I just wish he, according to Dr. Faucci,had acted earlier -- Hooddihsm 04/13/2020 8:50PM

I’d actually disagree and I disagree with pretty much everything trump -- Hoojack 04/13/2020 9:53PM

The pandemic playbook on his desk gave him some hints in preparedness -- Hoo82 04/13/2020 11:22PM

There were so many people around the world who misjudged this. -- hoolstoptheheels 04/14/2020 08:23AM

Traitor!!! ** -- ResistHoo 04/13/2020 10:54PM

You’re still not funny ** -- Hoojack 04/13/2020 11:14PM

That's pretty much exactly how I feel. Trump is wholly unqualified for the -- BocaHoo91 04/13/2020 10:06PM

Asian countries were also uneven in their responses. -- hoolstoptheheels 04/14/2020 08:10AM

The deaths-above-replacement comes down to one factor -- Faz d. Hoo 04/14/2020 12:04AM

That argument would be a better one if Trump wasn't still saying -- 00 Hoo 04/13/2020 10:40PM

He shouldn't have been saying that, but there's no way he would -- BocaHoo91 04/13/2020 11:19PM

See my response to Hoojack below...the argument (my argument, anyway) -- 00 Hoo 04/13/2020 11:23PM

Which steps. And what difference would it have made. -- BocaHoo91 04/13/2020 11:28PM

I mentioned a few in the reply to Hoojack that I referenced. -- 00 Hoo 04/14/2020 12:07AM

Wait, what? -- Faz d. Hoo 04/14/2020 12:14AM

You don't think the US was capable of figuring out testing early on -- 00 Hoo 04/14/2020 01:24AM

That sounds like violent agreement to me ** -- Faz d. Hoo 04/14/2020 09:07AM

Yes but look at this politically: he shuts the economy -- Hoojack 04/13/2020 10:48PM

Those aren't the only two options (shut down the economy or don't) -- 00 Hoo 04/13/2020 11:19PM

My company did the same. I was working from home for weeks before any shut -- Hoojack 04/13/2020 11:37PM

We needed one of those two ... ** -- WaxHoo 04/13/2020 11:03PM

No leader wants to shut down the country. That said, Trump did the ... -- Blah 04/13/2020 11:10PM

Leaders in California stopped the spread by shutting down early -- WahooMatt05 04/13/2020 10:26PM

Trump wasted at least 6 weeks of lead time. I'm not blaming ... -- Blah 04/13/2020 10:19PM

You won't catch me defending anything Trump has done. I just don't think -- BocaHoo91 04/13/2020 11:22PM

The virus was going to reach our shores. It officially did on 1/19. -- Blah 04/13/2020 11:33PM

Once the virus reached Europe, the pandemic was inevitable. That said ... -- Blah 04/13/2020 10:06PM

I’m not trying to sound like a trumpie but why do you -- Hoojack 04/13/2020 10:34PM

Again, I said the pandemic was inevitable when it reached Europe. -- Blah 04/13/2020 10:53PM

Maybe I’m just jaded to the point where I don’t actually believe trump’s -- Hoojack 04/13/2020 11:09PM

I get what you're trying to say. No leader wants to shut down ... -- Blah 04/13/2020 11:18PM

Speaking of negligent....pot...meet kettle. ** -- psychobilly 04/13/2020 10:24PM

At least you're admitting Trump is negligent. ** -- Blah 04/13/2020 10:26PM

It is true. Once multiple NBA players started testing positive, it kicked -- Faz d. Hoo 04/13/2020 9:57PM

Seething ** -- psychobilly 04/13/2020 9:34PM

No, that’s what Hoieesith does ** -- HokieSeethe 04/13/2020 9:54PM

Fauci admitted today he made the mistake of not realizing how bad this was. -- LAHOOters 04/13/2020 9:26PM

Fauci made mistakes, but he changed his stance in late January. -- Blah 04/13/2020 9:44PM

So Fauci is a partisan hack? You should probably listen to his take on your -- Hoodafan 04/13/2020 9:15PM

That’s another stupid post ** -- 111Balz 04/13/2020 10:10PM

Do you ever add anything of value to this board? Dr Fauci's are linked in -- Hoodafan 04/13/2020 10:35PM

I watched the interview live, you fool -- 111Balz 04/14/2020 07:45AM

Neat. ** -- Hooddihsm 04/13/2020 9:18PM

Or you could stay ignorant. ** -- Hoodafan 04/13/2020 9:58PM

Lol... Trump fan calling people ignorant! ** -- Hooooooooooooooo 04/13/2020 10:24PM

How many? Seems Dr. Fauci said Trump followed through on his -- Hokieesith 04/13/2020 9:14PM

What should he have done earlier? ** -- moohoofus 04/13/2020 9:13PM

Push NYC (and to a lesser extent, other metros) to shut down earlier -- Faz d. Hoo 04/13/2020 9:31PM

Shouldn’t Cuomo been responsible for that? ** -- moohoofus 04/13/2020 9:45PM

Someone had to be the adult in the room -- Faz d. Hoo 04/13/2020 9:55PM

I would say DiBlasio primarily but Cuomo didn't cover himself in glory IMHO ** -- southdenverhoo 04/13/2020 9:54PM

Lol. ** -- hoothat 04/13/2020 9:04PM

Which part? ** -- Hooddihsm 04/13/2020 9:06PM

You calling anyone else a partisan hack. ** -- hoothat 04/13/2020 9:08PM

Yawn ** -- Hooddihsm 04/13/2020 9:11PM

Check it out. -- Hokieesith 04/13/2020 9:18PM

Noooooo! Bbbut Trump tweeted! ** -- Hoodafan 04/13/2020 10:04PM

Dr. Fauci didn't say that, but I'm sure you knew that. ** -- hoothat 04/13/2020 9:13PM

Lol. ** -- CyberHoo78 04/13/2020 9:11PM

Nooooooooooooooo!!!!! ** -- Hokieesith 04/13/2020 8:33PM

Finally, you're correct. -- CyberHoo78 04/13/2020 8:35PM

Hokiesithperv has a way of sticking his perverted foot in his filthy mouth ** -- HiwasseeHoo 04/13/2020 9:02PM

Back away. ** -- moohoofus 04/13/2020 9:47PM

Well, I guess it’s good the ABC store is open. At least we know the board -- Hokieesith 04/13/2020 9:12PM

Even a blind 🐿 finds a 🥜 occasionally ** -- TomGlansAski 04/13/2020 8:37PM