Great Concern in the United States

The lack of action by the White House adds to the already limited capacity of a health care system based on private insurance and absence of social protection measures.

The $2 billion stimulus plan passed by the Senate, historic in scope, is undoubtedly a positive step toward addressing the economic paralysis facing the country because of COVID-19. Yet it fails to mask the vulnerability of a health and social protection system that is so poor, that according to the World Health Organization, it could turn the superpower into the worst affected region in the pandemic.

Neither warnings from different agencies nor analyses released by the media have been enough to quash the arrogance with which Donald Trump has faced the problem, until just a few days ago. For weeks, while alarm bells were increasing all over Europe, the White House remained impassive, allowing the disease to progress to the point of the current worrisome reality. Statistics showing the spread are skyrocketing, and New York City is one step away from disaster.

Since he became president, Trump has demonstrated an inability to accept reality, pay attention to the experts, or listen to the scientific community. This pandemic has been no exception. The extremely limited response capacity of a health care system based on private insurance, which leaves tens of millions of people without coverage, is well known, as is the U.S. labor market’s almost complete lack of protection. But presidential demagoguery dodged these facts, until the reality of an unstoppable increase in contagion and an inadequate response mechanism set in, all of which scientists had predicted.

Trump still insists today that the solution, i.e., the economic cost of confining the population and limiting activity to essential services, could be worse than the disease. It’s an opinion formed with the same casual attitude that has characterized his leadership, to the delight of a part of his base, which, in this case, reveals a lack of sensitivity for victims and their families. This is a morally indefensible declaration of principles, given that the scope of this pandemic is becoming clearer each day and the fact that deaths in the United States could exceed all expectations.