Failed Donald Trump response to coronavirus is incompetence!
Opinion echo published in the Reno Gazette Journal, by William McCurdy II, the Nevada State Democratic Party chair.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick (Nevada alert)!
Avoid close contact with people who are sick (Nevada alert)!
As Nevadans struggle through worst public health crises of our lifetime, we’re also bearing the brunt of a man-made disaster.
In fact, the consequences of an unprepared, erratic Trumpzi president are already being felt in hospitals across the state — and they will continue to be tallied in a rising death toll and surging damage to our economy.
(Maine Writer says: #Trump_genocide!)
As the economy craters and record-breaking numbers of Americans suddenly find themselves out of work, an every-state-for-itself frenzy will only wreak further devastation.
In our greatest moments of crisis, Americans have always looked for national leadership to rally us together as a country. Instead, this White House would rather we face this pandemic divided and scrambling to survive.
This isn’t the time for petty, teritorial politics. An overwhelming disaster demands national cooperation and solidarity.
Nevada is a majority-minority state made up of a vibrant African American community, a nearly one-third Latinx population and one of the fastest-growing Asian American Pacific Islander populations in the country. Nationwide, Brown and Black Americans have been disproportionately affected by the effects of this virus, meaning Nevada’s diverse communities are the ones bearing the brunt of the economic crisis and facing an increased mortality rate.
Yet despite warnings from his own advisers, pleas from state leaders and a devastating reality on the ground, Donald Trump has failed to mobilize quickly the resources Nevadans desperately need from the federal government. Instead, his chaotic response is leaving us to fend for ourselves.
Months ago, as U.S. intelligence agencies warned of a looming pandemic, Trump assured us that the situation was “very well under control.” As cases mounted and other countries sprang into action, he continued wasting precious time downplaying the crisis.
Then, as the pandemic reached Nevada, Gov. Steve Sisolak requested urgently needed personal protective equipment. Weeks later, the administration had delivered just a quarter of what was needed.
When SEIU Local 1107 surveyed the 9,000 health care workers; it represents at 11 hospitals across Nevada, 72% said they didn’t have enough equipment and cleaning materials to do their jobs safely.
We’ve heard the same story across the country. As doctors and nurses strain to keep up in overcrowded facilities, communities are desperate for gloves, masks, gowns and other basic supplies.
The administration’s response? You’re on your own.
“We’re not a shipping clerk,” Trump told reporters last month.
His son-in-law, Jared Kushner, echoed that chilling disinterest in distributing the administration’s emergency supplies: “It’s supposed to be our stockpile.”
That cold-blooded approach to public health isn’t just hurting those on the front lines. A severe lack of testing kits is leaving most of us in the dark about our personal status as well as the caseload in our communities.
Yet, after repeated requests for more tests, the administration told Gov. Sisolak that Nevada was stuck on an “indefinite backlog” with no timeline for delivery.
In the midst of a fight that has enveloped every aspect of our lives, Trump is sending us into battle unarmed and with one arm tied behind our back. That failure has forced Nevada to take matters into our own hands.
Under the governor’s decisive leadership, the state has raised funds, collected equipment and made strides toward developing our own testing systems.
There’s no question that Nevadans have made extraordinary progress in a short amount of time. These are major achievements that will save lives. But we can’t fully face this challenge on our own.
Yet despite warnings from his own advisers, pleas from state leaders and a devastating reality on the ground, Donald Trump has failed to mobilize quickly the resources Nevadans desperately need from the federal government. Instead, his chaotic response is leaving us to fend for ourselves.
Months ago, as U.S. intelligence agencies warned of a looming pandemic, Trump assured us that the situation was “very well under control.” As cases mounted and other countries sprang into action, he continued wasting precious time downplaying the crisis.
Then, as the pandemic reached Nevada, Gov. Steve Sisolak requested urgently needed personal protective equipment. Weeks later, the administration had delivered just a quarter of what was needed.
When SEIU Local 1107 surveyed the 9,000 health care workers; it represents at 11 hospitals across Nevada, 72% said they didn’t have enough equipment and cleaning materials to do their jobs safely.
We’ve heard the same story across the country. As doctors and nurses strain to keep up in overcrowded facilities, communities are desperate for gloves, masks, gowns and other basic supplies.
The administration’s response? You’re on your own.
“We’re not a shipping clerk,” Trump told reporters last month.
His son-in-law, Jared Kushner, echoed that chilling disinterest in distributing the administration’s emergency supplies: “It’s supposed to be our stockpile.”
That cold-blooded approach to public health isn’t just hurting those on the front lines. A severe lack of testing kits is leaving most of us in the dark about our personal status as well as the caseload in our communities.
Yet, after repeated requests for more tests, the administration told Gov. Sisolak that Nevada was stuck on an “indefinite backlog” with no timeline for delivery.
In the midst of a fight that has enveloped every aspect of our lives, Trump is sending us into battle unarmed and with one arm tied behind our back. That failure has forced Nevada to take matters into our own hands.
Under the governor’s decisive leadership, the state has raised funds, collected equipment and made strides toward developing our own testing systems.
There’s no question that Nevadans have made extraordinary progress in a short amount of time. These are major achievements that will save lives. But we can’t fully face this challenge on our own.
As the economy craters and record-breaking numbers of Americans suddenly find themselves out of work, an every-state-for-itself frenzy will only wreak further devastation.
In our greatest moments of crisis, Americans have always looked for national leadership to rally us together as a country. Instead, this White House would rather we face this pandemic divided and scrambling to survive.
This isn’t the time for petty, teritorial politics. An overwhelming disaster demands national cooperation and solidarity.
Even as we keep our distance from each other, it’s never been more important for us to stand together.
That’s doubly true for those in positions of power.
Labels: Reno Gazette Journal, William McCurdy III
posted by Juliana L'Heureux | 5:48 PM
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