America is bracing for the onslaught of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Local and state governments have initiated coronavirus preparations. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced agreement on a bipartisan plan to help Americans affected by this pandemic. Sadly, President Donald Trump never spoke to Ms. Pelosi during these negotiations.
Through March 13, only about 16,500 Americans were tested for the disease, while South Korea can conduct 15,000 tests per day. When pressed to explain the lack of testing, Mr. Trump said, “I don’t take responsibility at all.” No leadership.
In May 2018, the Trump administration disbanded the White House office responsible for early detection and protection against pandemics like COVID-19. When asked about this, Mr. Trump said, “I don’t know anything about it.” No leadership.
In a devastating March 13 piece in The Atlantic, lifelong Republican Peter Wehner documented how the administration delayed and blocked efforts by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prepare for this pandemic.
Before the end of the president’s disastrous March 11 address to the nation, U.S. stock market futures started dropping like a rock tossed from Mount Everest.
In turbulent times, leadership matters. I hope and pray this pandemic will not be as grave as some predict. The next few weeks will be crucial, but Americans need some questions answered right now.
1. Who closed the White House pandemic office, and why?
2. Why was the U.S. government so terribly unprepared for COVID-19 testing?
KARL KLINE
O’Hara
Note from KBJ: President Trump is doing a great job, Karl. Where are you getting your information? Oh, wait. You're getting it from Trump hater Peter Wehner.
