# The US Response to the Pandemic Has Been An Unmitigated Disaster **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 4, 2020, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282 "2020-07-04T14:53:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/1 "2020-07-04T14:53:27Z")
There is no more room for excuses or blame-shifting. Navarro is now saying that this is some kind of weaponized virus, which is utter bullshit and another attempt to shift the blame to China. Even if that weren’t an obvious lie, like every other fucking statement from this bullshit administration, how would he explain how every other wealthy country is doing better than us? Trump is back to using “kung flu” in an attempt to shift blame. Racist bullshit, and China got it under control (as did Canada, all of Europe, Japan, Korea, …). I read that Florida’s daily new cases is more than the sum of China, etc., that have 2.3 billion people. Unmitigated disaster. Fuck the Trump administration for fucking this up so badly. Fuck the Republican governors who soft-pedaled mask wearing and opened too soon. Fuck Peter Navarro for trying again to shift the blame to China. Fuck Trump for encouraging opening up when we weren’t ready, for playing down the virus, for claiming that it will go away, for encouraging people to inject cleaners in their system, etc., etc. Fuck Pence for soft-pedaling this and claiming in mid-June that there’s no second wave coming (technically true, since we never got past the first wave) Fuck everyone of you fuckers who refuse to wear a mask in a store, church, or other enclosed place. If you want to open up and get your asshole president reelected and get your job back and have the freedom to sneeze on people again, your first step is to get the pandemic under control. It’s so fucking easy – just wear a mask inside or when you can’t socially distance!!! Wear a fucking mask over your fucking nose and mouth when inside a fucking public place or when you can’t social distance! Just do it, you assholes! We shut down for months here in the Northeast and now you’re going to fuck it all up and make us shut down again. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/2 "2020-07-04T15:06:06Z")
Agreed, though I don’t know where this thread will go as to disagree with your op would pretty much indicate a detachment from reality. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/3 "2020-07-04T15:09:38Z")
Well, at this point, what else can they do except blame the dog for eating their homework? Anyway, there are far more important issues to deal with, like protecting Confederate monuments. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/4 "2020-07-04T15:53:44Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Agreed, though I don’t know where this thread will go as to disagree with your op would pretty much indicate a detachment from reality. We still have **Magiver** on this board blaming China and defending our response. I don’t think I’ve come across anyone on this board admitting that they don’t wear masks inside, but I be they’re out there. Maskholes. But, yeah, this is more of a rant. **El\_Kabong** , I really wish he would defend living Americans rather than dead traitors, but here we are. Anyone defending the US response as if it weren’t a total disaster is pitted. Anyone still blaming China, even though every other wealthy country has this under control is pitted. Anyway busy July 4th, so I may not be replying much. This was just really bothering me. Wear a fucking mask. It’s not a political statement. Trump, tell people to wear a fucking mask – maybe you’ll get reelected! ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/5 "2020-07-04T16:08:39Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Wear a fucking mask. It’s not a political statement. Trump, tell people to wear a fucking mask – maybe you’ll get reelected! Nope. It’s too late for that. If he changes his tune and sells out his knob slobberers they’ll abandon him in droves because at this point they have invested so much in resisting that they can’t turn back. But Trump would never do that anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/6 "2020-07-04T16:28:09Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > Nope. It’s too late for that. If he changes his tune and sells out his knob slobberers they’ll abandon him in droves because at this point they have invested so much in resisting that they can’t turn back. You think? I think that the Trumpers would claim that they have ALWAYS worn masks. Reality has no meaning for them. Memory like a goldfish. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/7 "2020-07-04T16:28:10Z")
It’s stunning that the president won’t do that simple thing to save American lives, and no one is surprised by that. Utterly amazing. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/8 "2020-07-04T16:31:25Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > > [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > > > Nope. It’s too late for that. If he changes his tune and sells out his knob slobberers they’ll abandon him in droves because at this point they have invested so much in resisting that they can’t turn back. > > You think? I think that the Trumpers would claim that they have ALWAYS worn masks. Reality has no meaning for them. **Memory like a goldfish.** Brains, too. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/9 "2020-07-04T16:31:30Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Wear a fucking mask. It’s not a political statement. Trump, tell people to wear a fucking mask – maybe you’ll get reelected! If one MUST make a pro-Trump political statement, however, at least wear a white hood, OK? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/10 "2020-07-04T16:34:32Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > read that Florida’s daily new cases is more than the sum of China, etc., that have 2.3 billion people. China has a lot of people but that’s about one billion too high. The thing on social media now is Trumpists saying they have some kind of disability that makes it dangerous for them to wear masks. It’s funny how here in Canada I have literally never heard of a single person making such a claim. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/11 "2020-07-04T16:44:12Z")
Wearing a mask would reduce the oxygen reaching their brains. Which are already on life support. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/12 "2020-07-04T17:27:03Z")
To be fair we have to all say fuck you to the BLM protestors, as the virus does not care if a cause is just or not, it just exploits opportunities and is apolitical and a-racial. There is plenty of blame to go around. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/13 "2020-07-04T17:36:14Z")
The disaster isn’t ‘unmitigated’. There’s been some mitigation, especially in New York. It’s just that our overall mitigation efforts have been largely piss-poor and guided by politics, rather than the science. And it’s been largely driven by individual cities and states, rather than coordinated at the federal level. Basically, we can’t even do mitigation right, even when we try. Be nice if we had leadership that was merely incompetent rather than disastrous. > [@kanicbird](#): > > To be fair we have to all say fuck you to the BLM protestors, as the virus does not care if a cause is just or not, it just exploits opportunities and is apolitical and a-racial. There is plenty of blame to go around. And case in point right here. The data, rather than political jabs, show that at least in [New York](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/01/nyregion/nyc-coronavirus-protests.html), [Minnesota](https://www.wired.com/story/what-minnesotas-protests-are-revealing-about-covid-19-spread/), [Seattle](https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/protests-in-seattle-and-elsewhere-dont-appear-to-be-driving-virus-surge-researchers-say/), and elsewhere, community spread hasn’t been driven by protests, where you saw protestors mostly wearing masks and being as safe as possible. Rather, the spread of disease is more strongly correlated with states allowing businesses to open and people generally behaving like idiots by frequenting bars, clubs, and restaurants. It’s almost like _gasp_ following best practices, like people in other countries, actually works! It’s a double fuck you to the Trump administration and everybody else. They were able to largely stay safe (except for those few pesky police officers inciting or initiating violence) and make strides towards creating a just society while the “we need to save the economy” nutjobs have the worst of both worlds - increasing infection AND their economies are taking another hit. The two go hand in hand. The economy cannot be saved until/unless the virus is contained. It’s not a tradeoff at all. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/14 "2020-07-04T17:48:32Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > I don’t think I’ve come across anyone on this board admitting that they don’t wear masks inside, but I be they’re out there. Maskholes. _Sheepishly raises hand_ Not to make a political statement… Practically nobody here masks up. Of course, this is the fossilized heart of Trumplandia, so it isn’t surprising. However, I did finally find (and purchase) a bunch of masks yesterday! ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/15 "2020-07-04T18:01:46Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > China has a lot of people but that’s about one billion too high. Right, I was referring to my previous list (note the “etc.”), which included Japan, Korea, all the EU, Canada, Indonesia, and Australia. The total population of the countries listed in that stat added up to 2.3 billion, and they had fewer new daily cases than Florida. > [@kanicbird](#): > > To be fair we have to all say fuck you to the BLM protestors, as the virus does not care if a cause is just or not, it just exploits opportunities and is apolitical and a-racial. There is plenty of blame to go around. Yeah, why don’t you provide a fucking cite that those protests led to a spike. NY had tons of BLM protesters in all five boroughs (maybe not Staten Island) and they’ve been doing better than ever. They were generally masked and tried to separate (until the cops kettled them in). ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/16 "2020-07-04T18:02:30Z")
If you’re in an area that really doesn’t have it, it’s probably fine. Here in NJ? NYC? NO excuse. ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/17 "2020-07-04T18:50:05Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > We still have **Magiver** on this board blaming China and defending our response. Well sure, but **Magiver** is an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/18 "2020-07-04T18:53:03Z")
I almost responded to one of his idiotic posts in the QZ, but figured it wasn’t worth the effort. He really doesn’t seem like an idiot, but he sure posts some dumb stuff in defense of Trump and the COVID response. And, other right wing crap. Does he contribute to CS or elsewhere in some positive way? ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/19 "2020-07-04T18:55:04Z")
He takes some truly hilarious positions, which I think counts. I think he’s offered some occasional technical advice that was useful, but he provides such batshit insanity with such certainty that it’s hard to tell. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282/20 "2020-07-04T19:09:55Z")
There were lots of dipshits who voted for Trump out of “FU!” or “LOLZ” or some other equally invalid reason. “What’s the worst that can happen?” Short of WW3, they’ve been answered. So far. Important, that. The first wave isn’t even over yet. So we’ll see how it goes from here, and in November we’ll find out just exactly how fucking stupid Americans are, or aren’t. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-response-to-the-pandemic-has-been-an-unmitigated-disaster/914282.md?page=2)