A conversation that didn't happen, but should have.

[The Original Tree]

White House Staffer: Mr. President, HHS has just completed a study, code-named "Crimson Contagion," on the country's preparedness regarding a potential viral outbreak. It highlights "just how underfunded, underprepared and uncoordinated the federal government would be for a life-or-death battle with a virus for which no treatment existed."

Trump: Go on.

WH Staffer: Sir, among other things, like bureaucratic snags, the study found the country does "not have the means to quickly manufacture more essential medical equipment, supplies or medicines, including antiviral medications, needles, syringes, N95 respirators and ventilators."

Trump: I see.

WH Staffer: The study makes some dire predictions, sir. It lays out scenarios in which millions of people could potentially be infected. What would you like to do about it, sir?

Trump: We should see about replacing the people I fired from the NSC who were put in place by the Obama admin to help coordinate the nation's response. Also, plans need to be made for a way to increase our capacity to manufacture protective clothing, masks, and to make sure we have enough accurate test kits that can be made available quickly. Let's get moving on that and report back to me in two weeks on what progress has been made.
............................................................................................................................................
The more realistic conversation.

WH Official: Mr. President, your golf clubs are packed, sir. Will you be playing 18 or 36 holes?

Trump: Good, good. 36. I'm supposed to be meeting with staff about some stupid report but I just don't have time. I hear the weather is going to be great in Florida this weekend.
..................................................................................................................
Before Virus Outbreak, a Cascade of Warnings Went Unheeded

WASHINGTON — The outbreak of the respiratory virus began in China and was quickly spread around the world by air travelers, who ran high fevers. In the United States, it was first detected in Chicago, and 47 days later, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic. By then it was too late: 110 million Americans were expected to become ill, leading to 7.7 million hospitalized and 586,000 dead.

That scenario, code-named “Crimson Contagion” and imagining an influenza pandemic, was simulated by the Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services in a series of exercises that ran from last January to August.

The simulation’s sobering results — contained in a draft report dated October 2019 that has not previously been reported — drove home just how underfunded, underprepared and uncoordinated the federal government would be for a life-or-death battle with a virus for which no treatment existed.
Before Virus Outbreak, a Cascade of Warnings Went Unheeded
.................................................................................................................................................
Here's the Golfer-in-Chief, the guy responsible for keeping the country safe, prioritizing his time.

HEIL SCHIFFLER!

Meanwhile the Hysteria Campaign The Democrats and their media allies launched has NOBODY talking about Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, and is showing everyone what America would look like if we elected a communist.

 

[Lysistrata]

Trump was prepared, immediately performed his signature move of closing the border.

That wasn't only not nearly enough, your reply does not address the myriad of ways Trump has bungled the response. Everything from down playing the risks to misinforming the public to not anticipating the need for equipment despite being given the advantage of using the events in China as a warning.

Look at USA, then look at Europe, then look at USA again.

And then try to be honest when you say that Trump bungled the response. It can't be done, even you know you are TDSer and a liar.

The governors of the various states are largely responsible for taking containment and remedial measures. trump, as usual, has lagged far behind.

 

[debbiedowner]

Honestly, do you sincerely hope to bury the incompetence and inaction of this president with the "be specific" deflection that his supporters constantly invoke?
So I'll be specific, the warning flags and seriousness about implementing control of this virus should have started with Trump flying home from Davos on January 22nd and try to re-assemble the NSC response team that he had disbanded. Government agencies, Governors, business leaders should have all been on conference calls. Enabling the states to respond should have started right then. The action we didn't see until March 13th could have been rolling almost two month earlier.

But it was more important to campaign and shadow the Democrats running against him at his pep rallies than it was to do his job.

Here you go. A timeline for you.
'Not Concerned at All': A Timeline of Trump's Coronavirus Dismissals

That specific enough for you?

Yes, I love it. Most posters are too bitch to post specifics.

Based on your response, we would have had less than 200 fatalities at this point?

Maybe, maybe not. I doubt it but the point is we would have been better prepared to handle the public health angle and perhaps mitigate economic impact. I'm not holding Trump responsible for the virus. Global travel and movement would make that almost impossible. But I will hold him responsible for the absolute disaster that the response has been and his dismantling and funding cuts to the very programs that could have helped.

No cuts were made, come on man.

Cite the budgets for the entities you are concerned about and their budget cuts.

Start with the CDC. How much was the CDC budget cut? Just list a number.

Even if CDC was cut, so what? Again, their site has more references to diversity than the Corona. They need to let ALL communists and diversity hires go.

Diversity should appear nowhere in the agenda, only diseases. It is not the Communist Diversity Cult...

There were no cuts. These people are just straight up lying.

Budget | Funding | CDC

The pandemic response team was let go in 2018 by the administration they tracked viruses and pandemics around the world.

 

[debbiedowner]

White House Staffer: Mr. President, HHS has just completed a study, code-named "Crimson Contagion," on the country's preparedness regarding a potential viral outbreak. It highlights "just how underfunded, underprepared and uncoordinated the federal government would be for a life-or-death battle with a virus for which no treatment existed."

Trump: Go on.

WH Staffer: Sir, among other things, like bureaucratic snags, the study found the country does "not have the means to quickly manufacture more essential medical equipment, supplies or medicines, including antiviral medications, needles, syringes, N95 respirators and ventilators."

Trump: I see.

WH Staffer: The study makes some dire predictions, sir. It lays out scenarios in which millions of people could potentially be infected. What would you like to do about it, sir?

Trump: We should see about replacing the people I fired from the NSC who were put in place by the Obama admin to help coordinate the nation's response. Also, plans need to be made for a way to increase our capacity to manufacture protective clothing, masks, and to make sure we have enough accurate test kits that can be made available quickly. Let's get moving on that and report back to me in two weeks on what progress has been made.
............................................................................................................................................
The more realistic conversation.

WH Official: Mr. President, your golf clubs are packed, sir. Will you be playing 18 or 36 holes?

Trump: Good, good. 36. I'm supposed to be meeting with staff about some stupid report but I just don't have time. I hear the weather is going to be great in Florida this weekend.
..................................................................................................................
Before Virus Outbreak, a Cascade of Warnings Went Unheeded

WASHINGTON — The outbreak of the respiratory virus began in China and was quickly spread around the world by air travelers, who ran high fevers. In the United States, it was first detected in Chicago, and 47 days later, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic. By then it was too late: 110 million Americans were expected to become ill, leading to 7.7 million hospitalized and 586,000 dead.

That scenario, code-named “Crimson Contagion” and imagining an influenza pandemic, was simulated by the Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services in a series of exercises that ran from last January to August.

The simulation’s sobering results — contained in a draft report dated October 2019 that has not previously been reported — drove home just how underfunded, underprepared and uncoordinated the federal government would be for a life-or-death battle with a virus for which no treatment existed.
Before Virus Outbreak, a Cascade of Warnings Went Unheeded
.................................................................................................................................................
Here's the Golfer-in-Chief, the guy responsible for keeping the country safe, prioritizing his time.

HEIL SCHIFFLER!

Meanwhile the Hysteria Campaign The Democrats and their media allies launched has NOBODY talking about Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, and is showing everyone what America would look like if we elected a communist.

Must be that diabolical campaign worked since hannity and carlson are starting to follow.

 

[debbiedowner]

So much for all the countries with open borders.

Coronavirus Update (Live): 254,801 Cases and 10,447 Deaths from COVID-19 Virus Outbreak - Worldometer

 

[MeBelle]

Berg, list your actions and dates if you were POTUS. Be specific.

Honestly, do you sincerely hope to bury the incompetence and inaction of this president with the "be specific" deflection that his supporters constantly invoke?
So I'll be specific, the warning flags and seriousness about implementing control of this virus should have started with Trump flying home from Davos on January 22nd and try to re-assemble the NSC response team that he had disbanded. Government agencies, Governors, business leaders should have all been on conference calls. Enabling the states to respond should have started right then. The action we didn't see until March 13th could have been rolling almost two month earlier.

But it was more important to campaign and shadow the Democrats running against him at his pep rallies than it was to do his job.

Here you go. A timeline for you.
'Not Concerned at All': A Timeline of Trump's Coronavirus Dismissals

That specific enough for you?

Yes, I love it. Most posters are too bitch to post specifics.

Based on your response, we would have had less than 200 fatalities at this point?

Maybe, maybe not. I doubt it but the point is we would have been better prepared to handle the public health angle and perhaps mitigate economic impact. I'm not holding Trump responsible for the virus. Global travel and movement would make that almost impossible. But I will hold him responsible for the absolute disaster that the response has been and his dismantling and funding cuts to the very programs that could have helped.

No cuts were made, come on man.

Cite the budgets for the entities you are concerned about and their budget cuts.

Start with the CDC. How much was the CDC budget cut? Just list a number.

Oh Lordy...I think we've covered this multiple times in other threads...but into the abyss we jump once more....

I'll forgo the Snopes article which has the final word on this and try another tack.
Trump administration budget cuts could become a major problem as coronavirus spreads

Please, tell the public...How Trump could have made 'cuts' when the House of Representatives haven't sent the President a budget for at least ten years???

 

[jknowgood]

White House Staffer: Mr. President, HHS has just completed a study, code-named "Crimson Contagion," on the country's preparedness regarding a potential viral outbreak. It highlights "just how underfunded, underprepared and uncoordinated the federal government would be for a life-or-death battle with a virus for which no treatment existed."

Trump: Go on.

WH Staffer: Sir, among other things, like bureaucratic snags, the study found the country does "not have the means to quickly manufacture more essential medical equipment, supplies or medicines, including antiviral medications, needles, syringes, N95 respirators and ventilators."

Trump: I see.

WH Staffer: The study makes some dire predictions, sir. It lays out scenarios in which millions of people could potentially be infected. What would you like to do about it, sir?

Trump: We should see about replacing the people I fired from the NSC who were put in place by the Obama admin to help coordinate the nation's response. Also, plans need to be made for a way to increase our capacity to manufacture protective clothing, masks, and to make sure we have enough accurate test kits that can be made available quickly. Let's get moving on that and report back to me in two weeks on what progress has been made.
............................................................................................................................................
The more realistic conversation.

WH Official: Mr. President, your golf clubs are packed, sir. Will you be playing 18 or 36 holes?

Trump: Good, good. 36. I'm supposed to be meeting with staff about some stupid report but I just don't have time. I hear the weather is going to be great in Florida this weekend.
..................................................................................................................
Before Virus Outbreak, a Cascade of Warnings Went Unheeded

WASHINGTON — The outbreak of the respiratory virus began in China and was quickly spread around the world by air travelers, who ran high fevers. In the United States, it was first detected in Chicago, and 47 days later, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic. By then it was too late: 110 million Americans were expected to become ill, leading to 7.7 million hospitalized and 586,000 dead.

That scenario, code-named “Crimson Contagion” and imagining an influenza pandemic, was simulated by the Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services in a series of exercises that ran from last January to August.

The simulation’s sobering results — contained in a draft report dated October 2019 that has not previously been reported — drove home just how underfunded, underprepared and uncoordinated the federal government would be for a life-or-death battle with a virus for which no treatment existed.
Before Virus Outbreak, a Cascade of Warnings Went Unheeded
.................................................................................................................................................
Here's the Golfer-in-Chief, the guy responsible for keeping the country safe, prioritizing his time.

No matter what Trump does, you're still going to cry.

 

[MeBelle]

The pandemic response team was let go in 2018 by the administration they tracked viruses and pandemics around the world.

Lie.

 

[MeBelle]

Trump was prepared, immediately performed his signature move of closing the border.

That wasn't only not nearly enough, your reply does not address the myriad of ways Trump has bungled the response. Everything from down playing the risks to misinforming the public to not anticipating the need for equipment despite being given the advantage of using the events in China as a warning.

What’s your solution?

*crickets*

 

[jknowgood]

Berg, list your actions and dates if you were POTUS. Be specific.

Honestly, do you sincerely hope to bury the incompetence and inaction of this president with the "be specific" deflection that his supporters constantly invoke?
So I'll be specific, the warning flags and seriousness about implementing control of this virus should have started with Trump flying home from Davos on January 22nd and try to re-assemble the NSC response team that he had disbanded. Government agencies, Governors, business leaders should have all been on conference calls. Enabling the states to respond should have started right then. The action we didn't see until March 13th could have been rolling almost two month earlier.

But it was more important to campaign and shadow the Democrats running against him at his pep rallies than it was to do his job.

Here you go. A timeline for you.
'Not Concerned at All': A Timeline of Trump's Coronavirus Dismissals

That specific enough for you?

In January he stopped travel from China, you called him racist. He has handled this crisis very well. Even your girl Omar says so.

 

[JackOfNoTrades]

Berg, list your actions and dates if you were POTUS. Be specific.

Honestly, do you sincerely hope to bury the incompetence and inaction of this president with the "be specific" deflection that his supporters constantly invoke?
So I'll be specific, the warning flags and seriousness about implementing control of this virus should have started with Trump flying home from Davos on January 22nd and try to re-assemble the NSC response team that he had disbanded. Government agencies, Governors, business leaders should have all been on conference calls. Enabling the states to respond should have started right then. The action we didn't see until March 13th could have been rolling almost two month earlier.

But it was more important to campaign and shadow the Democrats running against him at his pep rallies than it was to do his job.

Here you go. A timeline for you.
'Not Concerned at All': A Timeline of Trump's Coronavirus Dismissals

That specific enough for you?

In January he stopped travel from China, you called him racist. He has handled this crisis very well. Even your girl Omar says so.

Stop tossing red herrings out. The fish smell is starting to make me gag. Closing off travel was appropriate (I've said this in other threads). It's closing the barn door after the horses have already left and it wasn't rooted in concern for the public health, but it was appropriate. It would be very difficult to slow the spread of a virus in our connected world of travel...even with the false sense of security the belief in xenophobia gives some people.

No, my issue with Trump is that it was more important to deny, dismiss, deflect, and campaign than it was to actually, you know, be a leader.

 

[jknowgood]

Trumpleton's, honestly, in your wildest imagination can you see Trump spending his time as he should..........meeting with competent staff to proactively organize the nation's response.........instead of making plans for rallies, playing golf, and sending out mean tweets.

He is holding daily briefings with his experts, of course you will still complain.

 

[JackOfNoTrades]

Trumpleton's, honestly, in your wildest imagination can you see Trump spending his time as he should..........meeting with competent staff to proactively organize the nation's response.........instead of making plans for rallies, playing golf, and sending out mean tweets.

He is holding daily briefings with his experts, of course you will still complain.

Starting on March 13th...exactly two days after his disaster of an address to the nation and the stock market tanking the next day.
Can you tell me, what was the excuse for inaction between January 22nd and March 13th? (besides the requisite knee-jerk travel ban).

 

[jknowgood]

Trumpleton's, honestly, in your wildest imagination can you see Trump spending his time as he should..........meeting with competent staff to proactively organize the nation's response.........instead of making plans for rallies, playing golf, and sending out mean tweets.

He is holding daily briefings with his experts, of course you will still complain.

Starting on March 13th...exactly two days after his disaster of an address to the nation and the stock market tanking the next day.
Can you tell me, what was the excuse for inaction between January 22nd and March 13th? (besides the requisite knee-jerk travel ban).

If Trump personally made the vaccine himself, you would still say he didn't do the right thing. Like I said your girl Omar said Trump has done a great job on this crisis.

 

[whitehall]

Another conversation that should have happened but didn't ....Hillary: "I'll send troops to Benghazi right away".

 

[JackOfNoTrades]

Trumpleton's, honestly, in your wildest imagination can you see Trump spending his time as he should..........meeting with competent staff to proactively organize the nation's response.........instead of making plans for rallies, playing golf, and sending out mean tweets.

He is holding daily briefings with his experts, of course you will still complain.

Starting on March 13th...exactly two days after his disaster of an address to the nation and the stock market tanking the next day.
Can you tell me, what was the excuse for inaction between January 22nd and March 13th? (besides the requisite knee-jerk travel ban).

If Trump personally made the vaccine himself, you would still say he didn't do the right thing. Like I said your girl Omar said Trump has done a great job on this crisis.

If Trump personally made the vaccine himself, I'd be concerned that it was actually a roofie.
And Omar isn't "my girl". I have my own elected representative. She's just a convenient alt-right talking point distraction.

 

[JackOfNoTrades]

Another conversation that should have happened but didn't ....Hillary: "I'll send troops to Benghazi right away".

Uhh...I think Trey "Benghazi" Gowdy attempted to have that conversation...what, like 7 times?
How'd that work out?

 

[MeBelle]

No, my issue with Trump is that it was more important to deny, dismiss, deflect, and campaign than it was to actually, you know, be a leader.

Then, that's YOUR issue, amiright?

Which didn't happen ... so you should have NO issue.

Glad I helped you understand what you were attempting to state in order to vilify OUR President.

 

[jknowgood]

Berg, list your actions and dates if you were POTUS. Be specific.

Honestly, do you sincerely hope to bury the incompetence and inaction of this president with the "be specific" deflection that his supporters constantly invoke?
So I'll be specific, the warning flags and seriousness about implementing control of this virus should have started with Trump flying home from Davos on January 22nd and try to re-assemble the NSC response team that he had disbanded. Government agencies, Governors, business leaders should have all been on conference calls. Enabling the states to respond should have started right then. The action we didn't see until March 13th could have been rolling almost two month earlier.

But it was more important to campaign and shadow the Democrats running against him at his pep rallies than it was to do his job.

Here you go. A timeline for you.
'Not Concerned at All': A Timeline of Trump's Coronavirus Dismissals

That specific enough for you?

In January he stopped travel from China, you called him racist. He has handled this crisis very well. Even your girl Omar says so.

Stop tossing red herrings out. The fish smell is starting to make me gag. Closing off travel was appropriate (I've said this in other threads). It's closing the barn door after the horses have already left and it wasn't rooted in concern for the public health, but it was appropriate. It would be very difficult to slow the spread of a virus in our connected world of travel...even with the false sense of security the belief in xenophobia gives some people.

No, my issue with Trump is that it was more important to deny, dismiss, deflect, and campaign than it was to actually, you know, be a leader.

He is being a leader. There is no vaccines and thousands less dead than when Obama had a vaccine and still was able to pinch out 18,000 deaths.

 

[berg80]

He is being a leader.

Chunks of the 63-page report could easily be cross-applied to describe the dropped balls and mixed messages related to the coronavirus response over the last three months. Consider these bullets from the executive summary: “Exercise participants lacked clarity on federal interagency partners' roles and responsibilities during an influenza pandemic response. … Confusion regarding the purpose of and target audience for national conference calls hampered coordination among state and federal response partners. … At times, HHS' Operating Divisions and Staff Divisions provided inconsistent and inaccurate response guidance and actions to healthcare and public health private sector partners. …

“HHS and DHS/FEMA’s use of disparate information management systems hampered their ability to establish and maintain a national common operating picture. Both HHS and DHS/FEMA submitted senior leader briefs to the White House National Security Council during the exercise, which caused confusion regarding the official source of senior leader briefs. … State, local, tribal, and territorial partners were unclear on the kinds of information they needed to provide … HHS’ regional staff lack clear guidance on the distribution of federal information management products to state and local partners. … Inconsistent use of terminology regarding vaccine types and stockpiles caused confusion among response partners at all levels of government.”