Email from Robert Reich, 10 May 2020

On 10 May, I received an email from Robert Reich. It appraises the state of our country in May 2020. I will quote the entire email here in a series of posts because it is completely factual and offers entirely quantitative evidence for its conclusions. I invite reactions from readers.

 

Dear Tom,

No other nation has endured as much death from Covid-19 nor nearly as a high a death rate as has the United States.

With 4.25% of the world population, America has the tragic distinction of accounting for about 30% of pandemic deaths so far.

And it is the only advanced nation where the death rate is still climbing. Three thousand deaths per day are anticipated by June 1st.

No other nation has loosened lockdowns and other social-distancing measures while deaths are increasing, as the US is now doing.

No other advanced nation was as unprepared for the pandemic as was the US.

We now know Donald Trump and his administration were told by public health experts in mid-January that immediate action was required to stop the spread of Covid-19. But according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, “there was a lot of pushback.” Trump didn’t act until March 16th.

More tomorrow.