There are a lot of people providing much good evidence to demonstrate the United States is failing in efforts to contain the coronavirus. This column from @paulkrugman is persuasive.

Utah is a microcosm of that poor performance. 1/ #utpol https://twitter.com/paulkrugman/status/1275197059398762497

Utah's Coronavirus Task Force is better than the Trump Administration response. But it's still failing. State leaders have rushed to re-open the economy without waiting for the transmission rate to decrease and without deferring to epidemiologist recommendations. 2/

There have been warnings about the need to social distance and wear face masks. But they have been undermined by the Governor moving the color code down from orange to yellow to green in much of the state. The clear message that sends to Utahns? Risk is decreasing! 3/

In fact, risk is NOT decreasing. The numbers of people who have contracted the virus have increased significantly since Memorial Day. Yet our state elected leaders have not, apparently will not, acknowledge that increased risk. So we'll continue to see numbers climb. Why? 4/

We all know our behavior changes when we perceive increased risk. Moving from orange to yellow to green shouts, "your risk is decreasing." But with transmission numbers increasing, that's simply not true. More people with COVID means greater risk to those who are not infected. 5/

In light of Utah's significant increase in COVID positive testing numbers, the @GovHerbert administration is doing the wrong thing from both a public health and an economic rebuilding perspective when it tells Utahns that their risk is decreasing. So why is he saying that? 6/

There are a number of reasons. Krugman identifies the left/right political divide. Engaging in reasonable, responsible behavior such as social distancing and mask wearing has become a cultural and political right/left division. It's hard for the Guv to swim against that tide. 7/

To their credit, @GovHerbert and his administration have not been as openly disdainful of mask wearing, social distancing, and a commitment to being guided by science, facts, and public health recommendations as @realDonaldTrump. But that's not particularly commendable. 8/

And the reality is that in a mostly Republican state like Utah, directly or indirectly disagreeing with Dear Leader is risky. Elected Republicans are loathe to do it. An example in in the COVID context is this story from March. https://bit.ly/3hQtCwU  9/

Which leads to the next aspect of figuring out what is going on. The actions of the Task Force are closely tied to the Guv's endorsed candidate to succeed him, @SpencerJCox, his Lt. Gov. The GOP primary is next week and the LG is locked in a tight race to get the nomination. 10/

With @SpencerJCox heading up Utah's Coronavirus Task Force, the reluctance of @GovHerbert or his Lt. Gov. to talk about or take meaningful actions to address the last three weeks of worsening test results throughout Utah becomes more understandable. But it is not excusable. 11/

Let's say it directly: putting the LG in charge of Utah's Coronavirus Task Force was a bad move because it made the decisions and recommendations of the Task Force more subject to political factors than if someone not running for Governor were heading it up. 12/

Those political pressures are the same ones that influence Donald Trump: the need to convince people he's doing a good enough job so he can get their vote. But the actions of elected leaders must be dictated by what is good policy even when it hurts politically. 13/

And the decisions of public officials should be guided by reason, science, and data. When we reject public health expertise and a commitment to the long term welfare of all Utahns, we are failing as public servants. 14/14