Discussion about this post

User's avatar
alison's avatar

I am a person who works at a health department. I agree with all these points -- as do many in my office. But we are so hamstrung by the lack of any power or ability to do things. For political reasons, we cannot provide any support essential workers. For political reasons, we cannot keep the schools closed. For political reasons, we cannot contradict the CDC.

I read this whole article and I feel ashamed and sad to be part of this fucked-up response - but the only other option is not being part of this response, so.

Expand full comment
Martin's avatar

OK, I haven't read the article yet. But when the coronavirus first appeared, I wrote on Facebook that it was "almost perfectly designed to exploit the ways America is messed up". Like you, I had a list of five. I look forward to reading your article to see whether we have the same list.

- Large number of people without health insurance, who will avoid the healthcare system.

- A culture that emphasizes individual rights over the common good will have trouble getting people to comply with the rules to curb the spread of a disease that transmits from people without symptoms.

- healthcare culture of focusing on cure rather than prevention.

- uncoordinated government structure - federal vs states and divisions between different government departments. I thought there was little hope, for example, of proper management of borders given the differing priorities of different government departments.

- a President who never leads by example or by asking people for sacrifice.

Expand full comment
180 more comments...

No posts