COVID Update November 21: The US vs. Europe. What’s different about this wave.

I spoke to the head of one of the national European health systems this week.

Here are 7 key differences. 1/

I was doing an interview with the @StarTribune in Oct when I was asked a tough question.

“Andy, you say the US can be down to near 0 cases in 6 weeks like other countries in the world.”

“Yes”

“Doesn’t Europe’s spike prove you wrong?”

“No. They’re going to show us how again.”2

I added that these waves may be inevitable, but in the meantime— May to October, we lost 4x the lives they did. 3/

I said fighting a new wave from zero is like battling a wild dog. Starting from where we were was like fighting off a pack of dogs.

You use different weapons. From zero you can test, contact trace & isolate. From where we sit, you have 2 choices— retreat or mass death. 4/

What I didn’t say, but should have thought to say, is that when the time came for a second wave, European countries can be counted on to do the tough effective thing. Our country cannot. 5/

For one— we aren’t fighting this as a country. We’re fighting a global phenomenon provincially. We’re chasing digital with analog. 6/

Many of our governors don’t have the political courage. A governor called me this week to legit brag that he did something I called & begged him to do 8 weeks ago.

Because they are taking so much shit. From their legislatures. And the public. And 0 Fed support. ( #barbonds) 7/ https://twitter.com/aslavitt/status/1329575372355153925

Some governors are doing it right despite everything.

Here are 2 states, close to the same size.8/ https://twitter.com/aslavitt/status/1330178507582939136

1. Politics: I asked this person (not a health minister but Chair of a country’s national system— we have no equivalent) how it was going.

The answer: terribly. People are exhausted. Disappointed to be back at this. A little less compliant. 9/

Is wearing masks a political statement? I asked.

He thought I had lost my mind. How is that a political statement? Some don’t because they don’t believe it works. Many do but complain. But it’s not a political statement. How could it be he wanted to know. 10/

I told him here, it’s not a public health argument, but a statement of what kind of American you are, it’s identity.

Wow. I had heard that— he told me— that sounds impossible. We don’t have that problem.

That’s difference number 1. 11/

2. Financial support: In Germany, bar owners are paid to stay closed. Artists are paid a fee. Social support is much better everywhere. These aren’t all wealthy countries. Much less so than the U.S. 12/

“We’re all in this together & we have your backs” is the general message in Europe.

Ours is “hey, good luck.”

And “PS. You’re sick, you work. Dead or alive, we’re collecting debts: rent, college loans, etc. so tick-fucking-tock.”13/

3. Government compact: When it comes time for the government to ask people to sacrifice, people trust more & say yes. Probably because the government shows it cares.

Possibly because 30% of the population isn’t fantasizing in the basement about a coup/revolution. 14/

So when the government says “stay home unless...”, people don’t love it. But they get it.

And when cases start to rise, hospitals start to fill, people listen & it drops quickly. But in the U.S...we read contra arguments about how hospitals have PLENTY of capacity. 15/

In the US, there are people who call you alarmist for suggesting cases & deaths should be avoided.

Those assholes exist all over the world. But the difference from what I can see is our politicians are scared of them. Bow to them. Differ to them. 16/

4. Honesty: CDC officials are replaced about as fast as election officials for the sin of honesty. I have a record of a Trump propoganda official banning ppl from speaking to the media for using the phrase “but things could change” at the end of presenting a rosy scenario. 17/

5. Cohesion— European politicians are asking citizens to do it for “one another.” I played recordings of several speeches.

How quaint. For one another. Like that shit would fly here. Good one. We do things for number 1 here. MY liberty. MY rights. MY freedom. 18/

What kind of country would you have if people didn’t only do things for themselves? I mean, besides one where more people are alive. And not starving. Or homeless. 19/

6. Coordination— Not only are the European counties supporting their people. But the EU is providing stimulus & relief. I know we have a “federalist” system. But they’re not even a country! Why coordinate policies & help each other. 20/

Meanwhile I live next to North and South Dakovid and I expect refugees to start spilling over the border any time now. I realize getting elected governor of South Dakota doesn’t sound like a lot. But turns out, it’s an easy way as any to kill people
21/

7. Budget garbage. I’ve been hearing for 40 years the greatest threat to our country is THE BUDGET DEFICIT. And high taxes could kill us. And too small a military. So we must stop SPENDING SO MUCH $$$ DOMESTICALLY!

Turns out? No. Not our biggest threat after all. 22/

Turns out

Low and behold massive corporate & estate tax cuts couldn’t prevent the pandemic. But cutting 55,000 public health workers was a problem. Cutting our strategic stockpile of PPE which the GOPAnon Congress did and not giving people health care— BIGGER PROBLEM. 23/

And NOW— we had to spend $3 trillion in a matter of months because of everything we didn’t do. See in Europe they have health care & a public health care system. And somehow we let people demonize it.

Rich people pay taxes there.

A pandemic shines a light on what kind of choices we’ve made and are still making. And even in a pandemic the things we are unwilling to change. We can do this in less than 6 weeks any time we want. /end

Going to stop you right there. Lo and behold. Lo and behold. Lo and behold.

It wasn’t autocorrect ‘s fault just me and my lo-ly grammar.