If these are not masks that Apple somehow magically have come up with independently of all other sources, Apple should get out of the queue of HC institutions and countries across the planet desperately clamoring for such masks on the global market. 20 million masks to Apple means some others needy in another country probably would go short of masks. (that is how brutal the global market for masks is right now)
Having the masks on hand, Apple should donate the masks to the US federal pooled resources so they can be distributed to those needing them most, and get out of the business of virtue signaling.
Sourcing 20M masks and designing/shipping a new face shield is now defined as "virtue signalling"?
Sourcing 20M masks for a company that has absolutely no direct use of the masks when the supply situation is CRITICAL for health care personell across the planet - effectively removing that supply from the market is reckless at best. It is clearly used for virtue signaling by Apple.
The only honorable action by Apple is immediately giving up their stock and return it for distribution between HC professionals where they are needed the most – also outside the US.
Apple's business is sourcing materials and getting manufacturers to make products. Steve Jobs historically got Corning to take something they created decades earlier with no perceived market value to Corning and put it into production in a timeframe so short that the iPhone he demoed on stage in January wasn't made of what would be trademarked as Gorilla Glass and the CEO of Corning didn't think was possible to ramp up production for a June launch. Apple—even if you hate them—you have to admit that they are the best at being able to get textiles makers, plastic molders, countless other types of vendors to ship components to manufacturers who can ramp up production based on Apple's direction to make masks produced. For all you know these masks are being created with materials and on assembly lines that would otherwise be used for Apple products. What I don't understand is how someone can be so callous and cruel as to be upset when someone helps others as to only look for some alternative reasoning and try their damndest to make it seem like a bad thing to help others.
Because they ROB THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST by removing this stock of masks from the market for their own fucked up virtue signaling distribution!
And no, it is not produced by Apple factories and / or materials.
Add to that. On EVERY UK government presser last week, the journalists brought stories of HC personell not having PPE because it could not be sourced on the international market as American corporations were snatching up large quantities. Entire COUNTRIES are in short supply while Apple sits on 20 million masks that would save lives all over Europe. Now even with the UK PM in ICU.
Excuse me, but your ideology is showing...
Is that a problem for you?
When it comes to HC, the US is the odd man out with a system that is completely bizarre. The rest of the world has figured this out a long time ago.
Trying to pin this entirely on America, and especially Apple, is bullshit. Medical teams throughout the world, including the U.S., are short PPE, ventilators, Pharmaceuticals, and other supplies. Most of that is due to the world relying on China for production of those things, or putting all of our eggs in China's basket, and all the while it was China that was buying up those PPE stocks around the world to save itself in the Hubei Province.
That's the nature of pandemics, especially when almost all countries waited too long to respond. I mean, what the fuck, up until about a two week ago, Brexit UK's plan was herd immunity. Then, Brexit UK figured out that plan was absolutely untenable.
I'm guessing that Brexit means "going it alone", or "fuck it, we give up", but now that one of its chief architects of Brexit is infected with the Coronavirus, it's easy for your media to paint Americans as the villains. The U.S. knew about the epidemic in China at least by January 3rd, and did nothing about it for almost a month, and even then, our Administration, and many states, bungled the response, over, and over, again.
So chill, we're all in this together.
The problem of not enough PPE and ventilators in hospitals is not THE problem, rather it is a symptom of the problem:
The U.S. saw this coming and did nothing: It marginalized the impact, did not prepare tests, did not educate the public, nor did it supply the populace with the protective supplies they needed (masks, gloves, sanitizing products, etc.) to keep themselves safe and healthy. So now they are flooding the healthcare system.
As for making healthcare products in China: That is done simply because China does it better, cheaper and faster -- so capitalism demands that it be done there as the most efficient producers. The problem now is the right wing's cold war against China has interfered with that arrangement and blocked us from accepting their products -- we were warned not to do that, but did it anyway. It's not China who is the problem here.
This is the same answer that I would give on anything that is mission critical or National Security related; you don't want to be locked into buying from an adversary, yet, here we are.
Did you not understand that Chinese diaspora and Chinese Companies operating around the world bought up 2 billion masks, 2 1/2 months of production in China, stripping other countries of their PPE supplies during China's first epidemic wave? What does that tell you about bringing mission critical industries back into our own countries?
China is, in fact part of the problem. Now China is running a huge propaganda campaign purporting to show the world how to tame this pandemic. Don't buy it.
I would note that this should be a wakeup call about Huawei as well, but of course, you don't understand National Security, so you won't see this. The evidence is examples Zoom and Tik Tok capturing date and sending it to or thru China.
"As of now, the epicenter of the health crisis has moved to Italy. The death toll in several European countries exceeds that of China. Meanwhile, the U.S. government estimates America might lose as many as 200,000 people. As we languish, China has started a hard propaganda campaign to peddle the narrative of a triumphant nation, which, guided by the people’s leader Xi Jinping, has triumphed over the virus, helped buy time for the rest of the world through its valiant fight, demonstrated the superiority of its political system, and is now graciously willing to help everybody in need.
The jury is still out on the level of damage China’s economy will suffer from this crisis. In Europe’s case, we can only speculate how much economic turndown and uncreative destruction we will witness. Our woes might prolong and deepen China’s predicament. But politically, one outcome of the last two months is already obvious: More than ever before, China will be playing offense and Europe defense. Some elements of our European predicament are self-inflicted. It was European selfishness and lack of solidarity that granted China the opportunity to present itself as “friend and brother” to those left to fend for themselves, at least initially, by their European partners. Tellingly, Paris and Berlin found it important to stress that together they had sent more face masks to Italy than China had. Had China played its cards modestly, it could have collected a wealth of goodwill beyond reproach. But China pushed too aggressively. It peddled lies about the origin of the virus. It boasted too much about its provision of what, in some cases, turned out to be faulty masks. It created credibility problems with the reliability of its own case figures. Collaboratively, the Chinese Party-state and Huawei tried to exploit the situation economically in several countries, notably in the Netherlands but also in Germany and the U.S.
China effectively did all it needed to convince reluctant leaders, both at Downing Street and in Berlin’s Chancellery, that they had to push back against Chinese arrogance. China skepticism has already been spreading throughout Europe over the last year and a half. But the level of resolve with which political leaders attended to changing sentiment from the business community and from civil society was not very high. I expect this will change.
In short: Over the past two months, China has lost Europe."
Sorry, I just don't buy into the right wing attempts at creating a cold war with China in order to distract from their own corruption.
China is no more our "adversary" than Google is an "adversary" of Apple -- or vice-versa.
Amazing how these free marketers react when the free market works against them.
You need to stop with "right wing attempts at creating a cold war with China in order to distract from their own corruptions" given that China is actually a threat to democracies and is actually a known human rights violator. None of that is in dispute, contrary to your statements.
This coming from a Scoop Jackson Democrat.
You might want to look up Henry "Scoop" Jackson;
from his wikipedia;
"His political beliefs were characterized by support of civil rights, human rights, and safeguarding the environment, but with an equally strong commitment to oppose totalitarianism in general, and communism in particular.[2] The political philosophies and positions of Scoop Jackson have been cited as an influence on a number of key figures associated with neoconservatism, including Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle, both of whom previously served as aides to the Senator.[1]"
Why would I stop? It's the truth. The right is running a propaganda campaign against China.
It started with Trump and his protectionism which he justified as a national defense since China has been in the process of displacing us as the world's leading economy. But, after he got Wall Street access to their markets he's mostly quieted down. But the right wing crazies have continued their smear campaign.
50 years ago China WAS a national security threat. But Nixon wisely ended that and since then they have been a competitor -- and gotten so good at it that they have been beating us at our own game: capitalism. There IS a difference between a threat and a competitor! A BIG difference. But, the right sees every competitor as an enemy -- even Democrats.
They are, but that doesn't mean you need to go jump in bed with China because of propaganda by the GOP because of current financial interests by those in power are pushing for a divide with China. There are a lot of questionable actions from China that need to be considered, just as there are plenty of questionable actions from Democrats, even if they are current far from the greatest evil influence in the US. It would be like making a blatant statement that hydroxychloroquine shouldn't be tested for fighting COVID-19 simply because Trump and his friends are invested in having it sold as a cure all. It's right to question it's effectiveness and danger, but we shouldn't discount it without testing it either.
If these are not masks that Apple somehow magically have come up with independently of all other sources, Apple should get out of the queue of HC institutions and countries across the planet desperately clamoring for such masks on the global market. 20 million masks to Apple means some others needy in another country probably would go short of masks. (that is how brutal the global market for masks is right now)
Having the masks on hand, Apple should donate the masks to the US federal pooled resources so they can be distributed to those needing them most, and get out of the business of virtue signaling.
Sourcing 20M masks and designing/shipping a new face shield is now defined as "virtue signalling"?
Sourcing 20M masks for a company that has absolutely no direct use of the masks when the supply situation is CRITICAL for health care personell across the planet - effectively removing that supply from the market is reckless at best. It is clearly used for virtue signaling by Apple.
The only honorable action by Apple is immediately giving up their stock and return it for distribution between HC professionals where they are needed the most – also outside the US.
Ignorance on parade. Apple and its supply partners certainly have business use cases for masks in their production facilities. Apple was able to get these partners in the supply chain to give them the masks, so that they could indeed give them to healthcare workers.
Your irrational need to hate on Apple is a neurosis, and is clouding your judgement here. The Procuring and donating these masks is an infinitely good thing. Get fucking real.
Apple did not produce jack shit yet. They announced the intention to produce SHIELDS, which is perfectly fine.
FTFA: "Apple has already delivered its first shipment of the face shields to Kaiser hospital facilities in the Santa Clara Valley in the last week, and has already received "positive" feedback from doctors, according to Cook. "
There you pretty much described the issue in a nutshell: Apple is removing 20M masks from a very supply constrained market and redistributing them to a hospital that hardly need any of them right now. Meanwhile people and health care personell in Europe are dying in the thousands every day partly for lack of personal protective equipment as it cannot be sourced in the market.
Distributing these maske to their immediate backyard is nothing but virtue signaling.
The part you quoted was about the face shields Apple manufactured going to Santa Clara Valley, not facemasks. Regardless, you have no idea where in their supply chain they're sourcing them from or where they're going specifically. You seem awfully sure they were somehow on the open market and Apple somehow swooped in ahead of those who need it. It doesn't sound to me like any of this is an accurate take on what happened. Nobody believes you.
If these are not masks that Apple somehow magically have come up with independently of all other sources, Apple should get out of the queue of HC institutions and countries across the planet desperately clamoring for such masks on the global market. 20 million masks to Apple means some others needy in another country probably would go short of masks. (that is how brutal the global market for masks is right now)
Having the masks on hand, Apple should donate the masks to the US federal pooled resources so they can be distributed to those needing them most, and get out of the business of virtue signaling.
Sourcing 20M masks and designing/shipping a new face shield is now defined as "virtue signalling"?
Sourcing 20M masks for a company that has absolutely no direct use of the masks when the supply situation is CRITICAL for health care personell across the planet - effectively removing that supply from the market is reckless at best. It is clearly used for virtue signaling by Apple.
The only honorable action by Apple is immediately giving up their stock and return it for distribution between HC professionals where they are needed the most – also outside the US.
Apple's business is sourcing materials and getting manufacturers to make products. Steve Jobs historically got Corning to take something they created decades earlier with no perceived market value to Corning and put it into production in a timeframe so short that the iPhone he demoed on stage in January wasn't made of what would be trademarked as Gorilla Glass and the CEO of Corning didn't think was possible to ramp up production for a June launch. Apple—even if you hate them—you have to admit that they are the best at being able to get textiles makers, plastic molders, countless other types of vendors to ship components to manufacturers who can ramp up production based on Apple's direction to make masks produced. For all you know these masks are being created with materials and on assembly lines that would otherwise be used for Apple products. What I don't understand is how someone can be so callous and cruel as to be upset when someone helps others as to only look for some alternative reasoning and try their damndest to make it seem like a bad thing to help others.
Because they ROB THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST by removing this stock of masks from the market for their own fucked up virtue signaling distribution!
And no, it is not produced by Apple factories and / or materials.
Add to that. On EVERY UK government presser last week, the journalists brought stories of HC personell not having PPE because it could not be sourced on the international market as American corporations were snatching up large quantities. Entire COUNTRIES are in short supply while Apple sits on 20 million masks that would save lives all over Europe. Now even with the UK PM in ICU.
Excuse me, but your ideology is showing...
Is that a problem for you?
When it comes to HC, the US is the odd man out with a system that is completely bizarre. The rest of the world has figured this out a long time ago.
Trying to pin this entirely on America, and especially Apple, is bullshit. Medical teams throughout the world, including the U.S., are short PPE, ventilators, Pharmaceuticals, and other supplies. Most of that is due to the world relying on China for production of those things, or putting all of our eggs in China's basket, and all the while it was China that was buying up those PPE stocks around the world to save itself in the Hubei Province.
That's the nature of pandemics, especially when almost all countries waited too long to respond. I mean, what the fuck, up until about a two week ago, Brexit UK's plan was herd immunity. Then, Brexit UK figured out that plan was absolutely untenable.
I'm guessing that Brexit means "going it alone", or "fuck it, we give up", but now that one of its chief architects of Brexit is infected with the Coronavirus, it's easy for your media to paint Americans as the villains. The U.S. knew about the epidemic in China at least by January 3rd, and did nothing about it for almost a month, and even then, our Administration, and many states, bungled the response, over, and over, again.
So chill, we're all in this together.
The problem of not enough PPE and ventilators in hospitals is not THE problem, rather it is a symptom of the problem:
The U.S. saw this coming and did nothing: It marginalized the impact, did not prepare tests, did not educate the public, nor did it supply the populace with the protective supplies they needed (masks, gloves, sanitizing products, etc.) to keep themselves safe and healthy. So now they are flooding the healthcare system.
As for making healthcare products in China: That is done simply because China does it better, cheaper and faster -- so capitalism demands that it be done there as the most efficient producers. The problem now is the right wing's cold war against China has interfered with that arrangement and blocked us from accepting their products -- we were warned not to do that, but did it anyway. It's not China who is the problem here.
This is the same answer that I would give on anything that is mission critical or National Security related; you don't want to be locked into buying from an adversary, yet, here we are.
Did you not understand that Chinese diaspora and Chinese Companies operating around the world bought up 2 billion masks, 2 1/2 months of production in China, stripping other countries of their PPE supplies during China's first epidemic wave? What does that tell you about bringing mission critical industries back into our own countries?
China is, in fact part of the problem. Now China is running a huge propaganda campaign purporting to show the world how to tame this pandemic. Don't buy it.
I would note that this should be a wakeup call about Huawei as well, but of course, you don't understand National Security, so you won't see this. The evidence is examples Zoom and Tik Tok capturing date and sending it to or thru China.
"As of now, the epicenter of the health crisis has moved to Italy. The death toll in several European countries exceeds that of China. Meanwhile, the U.S. government estimates America might lose as many as 200,000 people. As we languish, China has started a hard propaganda campaign to peddle the narrative of a triumphant nation, which, guided by the people’s leader Xi Jinping, has triumphed over the virus, helped buy time for the rest of the world through its valiant fight, demonstrated the superiority of its political system, and is now graciously willing to help everybody in need.
The jury is still out on the level of damage China’s economy will suffer from this crisis. In Europe’s case, we can only speculate how much economic turndown and uncreative destruction we will witness. Our woes might prolong and deepen China’s predicament. But politically, one outcome of the last two months is already obvious: More than ever before, China will be playing offense and Europe defense. Some elements of our European predicament are self-inflicted. It was European selfishness and lack of solidarity that granted China the opportunity to present itself as “friend and brother” to those left to fend for themselves, at least initially, by their European partners. Tellingly, Paris and Berlin found it important to stress that together they had sent more face masks to Italy than China had. Had China played its cards modestly, it could have collected a wealth of goodwill beyond reproach. But China pushed too aggressively. It peddled lies about the origin of the virus. It boasted too much about its provision of what, in some cases, turned out to be faulty masks. It created credibility problems with the reliability of its own case figures. Collaboratively, the Chinese Party-state and Huawei tried to exploit the situation economically in several countries, notably in the Netherlands but also in Germany and the U.S.
China effectively did all it needed to convince reluctant leaders, both at Downing Street and in Berlin’s Chancellery, that they had to push back against Chinese arrogance. China skepticism has already been spreading throughout Europe over the last year and a half. But the level of resolve with which political leaders attended to changing sentiment from the business community and from civil society was not very high. I expect this will change.
In short: Over the past two months, China has lost Europe."
Sorry, I just don't buy into the right wing attempts at creating a cold war with China in order to distract from their own corruption.
China is no more our "adversary" than Google is an "adversary" of Apple -- or vice-versa.
Amazing how these free marketers react when the free market works against them.
You need to stop with "right wing attempts at creating a cold war with China in order to distract from their own corruptions" given that China is actually a threat to democracies and is actually a known human rights violator. None of that is in dispute, contrary to your statements.
This coming from a Scoop Jackson Democrat.
You might want to look up Henry "Scoop" Jackson;
from his wikipedia;
"His political beliefs were characterized by support of civil rights, human rights, and safeguarding the environment, but with an equally strong commitment to oppose totalitarianism in general, and communism in particular.[2] The political philosophies and positions of Scoop Jackson have been cited as an influence on a number of key figures associated with neoconservatism, including Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle, both of whom previously served as aides to the Senator.[1]"
Why would I stop? It's the truth. The right is running a propaganda campaign against China.
It started with Trump and his protectionism which he justified as a national defense since China has been in the process of displacing us as the world's leading economy. But, after he got Wall Street access to their markets he's mostly quieted down. But the right wing crazies have continued their smear campaign.
50 years ago China WAS a national security threat. But Nixon wisely ended that and since then they have been a competitor -- and gotten so good at it that they have been beating us at our own game: capitalism. There IS a difference between a threat and a competitor! A BIG difference. But, the right sees every competitor as an enemy -- even Democrats.
They are, but that doesn't mean you need to go jump in bed with China because of propaganda by the GOP because of current financial interests by those in power are pushing for a divide with China. There are a lot of questionable actions from China that need to be considered, just as there are plenty of questionable actions from Democrats, even if they are current far from the greatest evil influence in the US. It would be like making a blatant statement that hydroxychloroquine shouldn't be tested for fighting COVID-19 simply because Trump and his friends are invested in having it sold as a cure all. It's right to question it's effectiveness and danger, but we shouldn't discount it without testing it either.
You are right. I agree that China is far from perfect and I believe that they are a formidable competitor. Obama felt the same way -- which is why he formed the TPP. It was specifically designed to align Pacific interests with ours instead of China's. And, while seriously flawed with industry influence, it was the smart way to go. But Trump scrapped that model and went with the old tariff/protectionist model that failed 40 years ago -- and once again, it failed. But, unfortunately, the right wing juggernaught has morphed his effort into an all out cold war with China complete with smear campaign and wild eyed propaganda. That will not solve anything and will, in fact, only serve to isolate us further as China has a lot more to offer the rest of the world than Trump's America does.
If these are not masks that Apple somehow magically have come up with independently of all other sources, Apple should get out of the queue of HC institutions and countries across the planet desperately clamoring for such masks on the global market. 20 million masks to Apple means some others needy in another country probably would go short of masks. (that is how brutal the global market for masks is right now)
Having the masks on hand, Apple should donate the masks to the US federal pooled resources so they can be distributed to those needing them most, and get out of the business of virtue signaling.
Sourcing 20M masks and designing/shipping a new face shield is now defined as "virtue signalling"?
Sourcing 20M masks for a company that has absolutely no direct use of the masks when the supply situation is CRITICAL for health care personell across the planet - effectively removing that supply from the market is reckless at best. It is clearly used for virtue signaling by Apple.
The only honorable action by Apple is immediately giving up their stock and return it for distribution between HC professionals where they are needed the most – also outside the US.
Apple's business is sourcing materials and getting manufacturers to make products. Steve Jobs historically got Corning to take something they created decades earlier with no perceived market value to Corning and put it into production in a timeframe so short that the iPhone he demoed on stage in January wasn't made of what would be trademarked as Gorilla Glass and the CEO of Corning didn't think was possible to ramp up production for a June launch. Apple—even if you hate them—you have to admit that they are the best at being able to get textiles makers, plastic molders, countless other types of vendors to ship components to manufacturers who can ramp up production based on Apple's direction to make masks produced. For all you know these masks are being created with materials and on assembly lines that would otherwise be used for Apple products. What I don't understand is how someone can be so callous and cruel as to be upset when someone helps others as to only look for some alternative reasoning and try their damndest to make it seem like a bad thing to help others.
Because they ROB THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST by removing this stock of masks from the market for their own fucked up virtue signaling distribution!
And no, it is not produced by Apple factories and / or materials.
Add to that. On EVERY UK government presser last week, the journalists brought stories of HC personell not having PPE because it could not be sourced on the international market as American corporations were snatching up large quantities. Entire COUNTRIES are in short supply while Apple sits on 20 million masks that would save lives all over Europe. Now even with the UK PM in ICU.
Excuse me, but your ideology is showing...
Is that a problem for you?
When it comes to HC, the US is the odd man out with a system that is completely bizarre. The rest of the world has figured this out a long time ago.
Trying to pin this entirely on America, and especially Apple, is bullshit. Medical teams throughout the world, including the U.S., are short PPE, ventilators, Pharmaceuticals, and other supplies. Most of that is due to the world relying on China for production of those things, or putting all of our eggs in China's basket, and all the while it was China that was buying up those PPE stocks around the world to save itself in the Hubei Province.
That's the nature of pandemics, especially when almost all countries waited too long to respond. I mean, what the fuck, up until about a two week ago, Brexit UK's plan was herd immunity. Then, Brexit UK figured out that plan was absolutely untenable.
I'm guessing that Brexit means "going it alone", or "fuck it, we give up", but now that one of its chief architects of Brexit is infected with the Coronavirus, it's easy for your media to paint Americans as the villains. The U.S. knew about the epidemic in China at least by January 3rd, and did nothing about it for almost a month, and even then, our Administration, and many states, bungled the response, over, and over, again.
So chill, we're all in this together.
The problem of not enough PPE and ventilators in hospitals is not THE problem, rather it is a symptom of the problem:
The U.S. saw this coming and did nothing: It marginalized the impact, did not prepare tests, did not educate the public, nor did it supply the populace with the protective supplies they needed (masks, gloves, sanitizing products, etc.) to keep themselves safe and healthy. So now they are flooding the healthcare system.
As for making healthcare products in China: That is done simply because China does it better, cheaper and faster -- so capitalism demands that it be done there as the most efficient producers. The problem now is the right wing's cold war against China has interfered with that arrangement and blocked us from accepting their products -- we were warned not to do that, but did it anyway. It's not China who is the problem here.
This is the same answer that I would give on anything that is mission critical or National Security related; you don't want to be locked into buying from an adversary, yet, here we are.
Did you not understand that Chinese diaspora and Chinese Companies operating around the world bought up 2 billion masks, 2 1/2 months of production in China, stripping other countries of their PPE supplies during China's first epidemic wave? What does that tell you about bringing mission critical industries back into our own countries?
China is, in fact part of the problem. Now China is running a huge propaganda campaign purporting to show the world how to tame this pandemic. Don't buy it.
I would note that this should be a wakeup call about Huawei as well, but of course, you don't understand National Security, so you won't see this. The evidence is examples Zoom and Tik Tok capturing date and sending it to or thru China.
"As of now, the epicenter of the health crisis has moved to Italy. The death toll in several European countries exceeds that of China. Meanwhile, the U.S. government estimates America might lose as many as 200,000 people. As we languish, China has started a hard propaganda campaign to peddle the narrative of a triumphant nation, which, guided by the people’s leader Xi Jinping, has triumphed over the virus, helped buy time for the rest of the world through its valiant fight, demonstrated the superiority of its political system, and is now graciously willing to help everybody in need.
The jury is still out on the level of damage China’s economy will suffer from this crisis. In Europe’s case, we can only speculate how much economic turndown and uncreative destruction we will witness. Our woes might prolong and deepen China’s predicament. But politically, one outcome of the last two months is already obvious: More than ever before, China will be playing offense and Europe defense. Some elements of our European predicament are self-inflicted. It was European selfishness and lack of solidarity that granted China the opportunity to present itself as “friend and brother” to those left to fend for themselves, at least initially, by their European partners. Tellingly, Paris and Berlin found it important to stress that together they had sent more face masks to Italy than China had. Had China played its cards modestly, it could have collected a wealth of goodwill beyond reproach. But China pushed too aggressively. It peddled lies about the origin of the virus. It boasted too much about its provision of what, in some cases, turned out to be faulty masks. It created credibility problems with the reliability of its own case figures. Collaboratively, the Chinese Party-state and Huawei tried to exploit the situation economically in several countries, notably in the Netherlands but also in Germany and the U.S.
China effectively did all it needed to convince reluctant leaders, both at Downing Street and in Berlin’s Chancellery, that they had to push back against Chinese arrogance. China skepticism has already been spreading throughout Europe over the last year and a half. But the level of resolve with which political leaders attended to changing sentiment from the business community and from civil society was not very high. I expect this will change.
In short: Over the past two months, China has lost Europe."
Sorry, I just don't buy into the right wing attempts at creating a cold war with China in order to distract from their own corruption.
China is no more our "adversary" than Google is an "adversary" of Apple -- or vice-versa.
Amazing how these free marketers react when the free market works against them.
You need to stop with "right wing attempts at creating a cold war with China in order to distract from their own corruptions" given that China is actually a threat to democracies and is actually a known human rights violator. None of that is in dispute, contrary to your statements.
This coming from a Scoop Jackson Democrat.
You might want to look up Henry "Scoop" Jackson;
from his wikipedia;
"His political beliefs were characterized by support of civil rights, human rights, and safeguarding the environment, but with an equally strong commitment to oppose totalitarianism in general, and communism in particular.[2] The political philosophies and positions of Scoop Jackson have been cited as an influence on a number of key figures associated with neoconservatism, including Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle, both of whom previously served as aides to the Senator.[1]"
Why would I stop? It's the truth. The right is running a propaganda campaign against China.
It started with Trump and his protectionism which he justified as a national defense since China has been in the process of displacing us as the world's leading economy. But, after he got Wall Street access to their markets he's mostly quieted down. But the right wing crazies have continued their smear campaign.
50 years ago China WAS a national security threat. But Nixon wisely ended that and since then they have been a competitor -- and gotten so good at it that they have been beating us at our own game: capitalism. There IS a difference between a threat and a competitor! A BIG difference. But, the right sees every competitor as an enemy -- even Democrats.
They are, but that doesn't mean you need to go jump in bed with China because of propaganda by the GOP because of current financial interests by those in power are pushing for a divide with China. There are a lot of questionable actions from China that need to be considered, just as there are plenty of questionable actions from Democrats, even if they are current far from the greatest evil influence in the US. It would be like making a blatant statement that hydroxychloroquine shouldn't be tested for fighting COVID-19 simply because Trump and his friends are invested in having it sold as a cure all. It's right to question it's effectiveness and danger, but we shouldn't discount it without testing it either.
You are right. I agree that China is far from perfect and I believe that they are a formidable competitor. Obama felt the same way -- which is why he formed the TPP. It was specifically designed to align Pacific interests with ours instead of China's. And, while seriously flawed with industry influence, it was the smart way to go. But Trump scrapped that model and went with the old tariff/protectionist model that failed 40 years ago -- and once again, it failed. But, unfortunately, the right wing juggernaught has morphed his effort into an all out cold war with China complete with smear campaign and wild eyed propaganda. That will not solve anything and will, in fact, only serve to isolate us further as China has a lot more to offer the rest of the world than Trump's America does.
I also believe that the TPP ( which is now the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP, which was signed in March 2018), would have been a firewall to Chinese political, economic and military expansion, especially in the Indo-Pacific and Africa. Many on the Left were against the TPP due to labor and legal issues, but overall, the CPTPP has been beneficial as an option to escalating Chinese influence operations, which is widespread. Your continued use of "right wing" obscures the fact that both political parties in the U.S., along with the EU, and nations in the Indo-Pacific, are all concerned about Chinese expansionism, especially military.
Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party are absolutely the reason for the expansion of the New Cold War, given the heavy authoritarianism that Xi Jinping has brought to China Since he became "President for Life".
If these are not masks that Apple somehow magically have come up with independently of all other sources, Apple should get out of the queue of HC institutions and countries across the planet desperately clamoring for such masks on the global market. 20 million masks to Apple means some others needy in another country probably would go short of masks. (that is how brutal the global market for masks is right now)
Having the masks on hand, Apple should donate the masks to the US federal pooled resources so they can be distributed to those needing them most, and get out of the business of virtue signaling.
Sourcing 20M masks and designing/shipping a new face shield is now defined as "virtue signalling"?
Sourcing 20M masks for a company that has absolutely no direct use of the masks when the supply situation is CRITICAL for health care personell across the planet - effectively removing that supply from the market is reckless at best. It is clearly used for virtue signaling by Apple.
The only honorable action by Apple is immediately giving up their stock and return it for distribution between HC professionals where they are needed the most – also outside the US.
Apple's business is sourcing materials and getting manufacturers to make products. Steve Jobs historically got Corning to take something they created decades earlier with no perceived market value to Corning and put it into production in a timeframe so short that the iPhone he demoed on stage in January wasn't made of what would be trademarked as Gorilla Glass and the CEO of Corning didn't think was possible to ramp up production for a June launch. Apple—even if you hate them—you have to admit that they are the best at being able to get textiles makers, plastic molders, countless other types of vendors to ship components to manufacturers who can ramp up production based on Apple's direction to make masks produced. For all you know these masks are being created with materials and on assembly lines that would otherwise be used for Apple products. What I don't understand is how someone can be so callous and cruel as to be upset when someone helps others as to only look for some alternative reasoning and try their damndest to make it seem like a bad thing to help others.
Because they ROB THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST by removing this stock of masks from the market for their own fucked up virtue signaling distribution!
And no, it is not produced by Apple factories and / or materials.
Add to that. On EVERY UK government presser last week, the journalists brought stories of HC personell not having PPE because it could not be sourced on the international market as American corporations were snatching up large quantities. Entire COUNTRIES are in short supply while Apple sits on 20 million masks that would save lives all over Europe. Now even with the UK PM in ICU.
Excuse me, but your ideology is showing...
Is that a problem for you?
When it comes to HC, the US is the odd man out with a system that is completely bizarre. The rest of the world has figured this out a long time ago.
Trying to pin this entirely on America, and especially Apple, is bullshit. Medical teams throughout the world, including the U.S., are short PPE, ventilators, Pharmaceuticals, and other supplies. Most of that is due to the world relying on China for production of those things, or putting all of our eggs in China's basket, and all the while it was China that was buying up those PPE stocks around the world to save itself in the Hubei Province.
That's the nature of pandemics, especially when almost all countries waited too long to respond. I mean, what the fuck, up until about a two week ago, Brexit UK's plan was herd immunity. Then, Brexit UK figured out that plan was absolutely untenable.
I'm guessing that Brexit means "going it alone", or "fuck it, we give up", but now that one of its chief architects of Brexit is infected with the Coronavirus, it's easy for your media to paint Americans as the villains. The U.S. knew about the epidemic in China at least by January 3rd, and did nothing about it for almost a month, and even then, our Administration, and many states, bungled the response, over, and over, again.
So chill, we're all in this together.
The problem of not enough PPE and ventilators in hospitals is not THE problem, rather it is a symptom of the problem:
The U.S. saw this coming and did nothing: It marginalized the impact, did not prepare tests, did not educate the public, nor did it supply the populace with the protective supplies they needed (masks, gloves, sanitizing products, etc.) to keep themselves safe and healthy. So now they are flooding the healthcare system.
As for making healthcare products in China: That is done simply because China does it better, cheaper and faster -- so capitalism demands that it be done there as the most efficient producers. The problem now is the right wing's cold war against China has interfered with that arrangement and blocked us from accepting their products -- we were warned not to do that, but did it anyway. It's not China who is the problem here.
This is the same answer that I would give on anything that is mission critical or National Security related; you don't want to be locked into buying from an adversary, yet, here we are.
Did you not understand that Chinese diaspora and Chinese Companies operating around the world bought up 2 billion masks, 2 1/2 months of production in China, stripping other countries of their PPE supplies during China's first epidemic wave? What does that tell you about bringing mission critical industries back into our own countries?
China is, in fact part of the problem. Now China is running a huge propaganda campaign purporting to show the world how to tame this pandemic. Don't buy it.
I would note that this should be a wakeup call about Huawei as well, but of course, you don't understand National Security, so you won't see this. The evidence is examples Zoom and Tik Tok capturing date and sending it to or thru China.
"As of now, the epicenter of the health crisis has moved to Italy. The death toll in several European countries exceeds that of China. Meanwhile, the U.S. government estimates America might lose as many as 200,000 people. As we languish, China has started a hard propaganda campaign to peddle the narrative of a triumphant nation, which, guided by the people’s leader Xi Jinping, has triumphed over the virus, helped buy time for the rest of the world through its valiant fight, demonstrated the superiority of its political system, and is now graciously willing to help everybody in need.
The jury is still out on the level of damage China’s economy will suffer from this crisis. In Europe’s case, we can only speculate how much economic turndown and uncreative destruction we will witness. Our woes might prolong and deepen China’s predicament. But politically, one outcome of the last two months is already obvious: More than ever before, China will be playing offense and Europe defense. Some elements of our European predicament are self-inflicted. It was European selfishness and lack of solidarity that granted China the opportunity to present itself as “friend and brother” to those left to fend for themselves, at least initially, by their European partners. Tellingly, Paris and Berlin found it important to stress that together they had sent more face masks to Italy than China had. Had China played its cards modestly, it could have collected a wealth of goodwill beyond reproach. But China pushed too aggressively. It peddled lies about the origin of the virus. It boasted too much about its provision of what, in some cases, turned out to be faulty masks. It created credibility problems with the reliability of its own case figures. Collaboratively, the Chinese Party-state and Huawei tried to exploit the situation economically in several countries, notably in the Netherlands but also in Germany and the U.S.
China effectively did all it needed to convince reluctant leaders, both at Downing Street and in Berlin’s Chancellery, that they had to push back against Chinese arrogance. China skepticism has already been spreading throughout Europe over the last year and a half. But the level of resolve with which political leaders attended to changing sentiment from the business community and from civil society was not very high. I expect this will change.
In short: Over the past two months, China has lost Europe."
Sorry, I just don't buy into the right wing attempts at creating a cold war with China in order to distract from their own corruption.
China is no more our "adversary" than Google is an "adversary" of Apple -- or vice-versa.
Amazing how these free marketers react when the free market works against them.
You need to stop with "right wing attempts at creating a cold war with China in order to distract from their own corruptions" given that China is actually a threat to democracies and is actually a known human rights violator. None of that is in dispute, contrary to your statements.
This coming from a Scoop Jackson Democrat.
You might want to look up Henry "Scoop" Jackson;
from his wikipedia;
"His political beliefs were characterized by support of civil rights, human rights, and safeguarding the environment, but with an equally strong commitment to oppose totalitarianism in general, and communism in particular.[2] The political philosophies and positions of Scoop Jackson have been cited as an influence on a number of key figures associated with neoconservatism, including Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle, both of whom previously served as aides to the Senator.[1]"
Why would I stop? It's the truth. The right is running a propaganda campaign against China.
It started with Trump and his protectionism which he justified as a national defense since China has been in the process of displacing us as the world's leading economy. But, after he got Wall Street access to their markets he's mostly quieted down. But the right wing crazies have continued their smear campaign.
50 years ago China WAS a national security threat. But Nixon wisely ended that and since then they have been a competitor -- and gotten so good at it that they have been beating us at our own game: capitalism. There IS a difference between a threat and a competitor! A BIG difference. But, the right sees every competitor as an enemy -- even Democrats.
They are, but that doesn't mean you need to go jump in bed with China because of propaganda by the GOP because of current financial interests by those in power are pushing for a divide with China. There are a lot of questionable actions from China that need to be considered, just as there are plenty of questionable actions from Democrats, even if they are current far from the greatest evil influence in the US. It would be like making a blatant statement that hydroxychloroquine shouldn't be tested for fighting COVID-19 simply because Trump and his friends are invested in having it sold as a cure all. It's right to question it's effectiveness and danger, but we shouldn't discount it without testing it either.
You are right. I agree that China is far from perfect and I believe that they are a formidable competitor. Obama felt the same way -- which is why he formed the TPP. It was specifically designed to align Pacific interests with ours instead of China's. And, while seriously flawed with industry influence, it was the smart way to go. But Trump scrapped that model and went with the old tariff/protectionist model that failed 40 years ago -- and once again, it failed. But, unfortunately, the right wing juggernaught has morphed his effort into an all out cold war with China complete with smear campaign and wild eyed propaganda. That will not solve anything and will, in fact, only serve to isolate us further as China has a lot more to offer the rest of the world than Trump's America does.
.....
Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party are absolutely the reason for the expansion of the New Cold War, given the heavy authoritarianism that Xi Jinping has brought to China Since he became "President for Life".
Hardly. Actually a cold war is that LAST thing that China wants. Yes, we had concerns. But it is right wing extremists and Trump who are attempting to make it a cold war -- under which we all lose.
If these are not masks that Apple somehow magically have come up with independently of all other sources, Apple should get out of the queue of HC institutions and countries across the planet desperately clamoring for such masks on the global market. 20 million masks to Apple means some others needy in another country probably would go short of masks. (that is how brutal the global market for masks is right now)
Having the masks on hand, Apple should donate the masks to the US federal pooled resources so they can be distributed to those needing them most, and get out of the business of virtue signaling.
Sourcing 20M masks and designing/shipping a new face shield is now defined as "virtue signalling"?
Sourcing 20M masks for a company that has absolutely no direct use of the masks when the supply situation is CRITICAL for health care personell across the planet - effectively removing that supply from the market is reckless at best. It is clearly used for virtue signaling by Apple.
The only honorable action by Apple is immediately giving up their stock and return it for distribution between HC professionals where they are needed the most – also outside the US.
Apple's business is sourcing materials and getting manufacturers to make products. Steve Jobs historically got Corning to take something they created decades earlier with no perceived market value to Corning and put it into production in a timeframe so short that the iPhone he demoed on stage in January wasn't made of what would be trademarked as Gorilla Glass and the CEO of Corning didn't think was possible to ramp up production for a June launch. Apple—even if you hate them—you have to admit that they are the best at being able to get textiles makers, plastic molders, countless other types of vendors to ship components to manufacturers who can ramp up production based on Apple's direction to make masks produced. For all you know these masks are being created with materials and on assembly lines that would otherwise be used for Apple products. What I don't understand is how someone can be so callous and cruel as to be upset when someone helps others as to only look for some alternative reasoning and try their damndest to make it seem like a bad thing to help others.
Because they ROB THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST by removing this stock of masks from the market for their own fucked up virtue signaling distribution!
And no, it is not produced by Apple factories and / or materials.
Add to that. On EVERY UK government presser last week, the journalists brought stories of HC personell not having PPE because it could not be sourced on the international market as American corporations were snatching up large quantities. Entire COUNTRIES are in short supply while Apple sits on 20 million masks that would save lives all over Europe. Now even with the UK PM in ICU.
Excuse me, but your ideology is showing...
Is that a problem for you?
When it comes to HC, the US is the odd man out with a system that is completely bizarre. The rest of the world has figured this out a long time ago.
Trying to pin this entirely on America, and especially Apple, is bullshit. Medical teams throughout the world, including the U.S., are short PPE, ventilators, Pharmaceuticals, and other supplies. Most of that is due to the world relying on China for production of those things, or putting all of our eggs in China's basket, and all the while it was China that was buying up those PPE stocks around the world to save itself in the Hubei Province.
That's the nature of pandemics, especially when almost all countries waited too long to respond. I mean, what the fuck, up until about a two week ago, Brexit UK's plan was herd immunity. Then, Brexit UK figured out that plan was absolutely untenable.
I'm guessing that Brexit means "going it alone", or "fuck it, we give up", but now that one of its chief architects of Brexit is infected with the Coronavirus, it's easy for your media to paint Americans as the villains. The U.S. knew about the epidemic in China at least by January 3rd, and did nothing about it for almost a month, and even then, our Administration, and many states, bungled the response, over, and over, again.
So chill, we're all in this together.
The problem of not enough PPE and ventilators in hospitals is not THE problem, rather it is a symptom of the problem:
The U.S. saw this coming and did nothing: It marginalized the impact, did not prepare tests, did not educate the public, nor did it supply the populace with the protective supplies they needed (masks, gloves, sanitizing products, etc.) to keep themselves safe and healthy. So now they are flooding the healthcare system.
As for making healthcare products in China: That is done simply because China does it better, cheaper and faster -- so capitalism demands that it be done there as the most efficient producers. The problem now is the right wing's cold war against China has interfered with that arrangement and blocked us from accepting their products -- we were warned not to do that, but did it anyway. It's not China who is the problem here.
This is the same answer that I would give on anything that is mission critical or National Security related; you don't want to be locked into buying from an adversary, yet, here we are.
Did you not understand that Chinese diaspora and Chinese Companies operating around the world bought up 2 billion masks, 2 1/2 months of production in China, stripping other countries of their PPE supplies during China's first epidemic wave? What does that tell you about bringing mission critical industries back into our own countries?
China is, in fact part of the problem. Now China is running a huge propaganda campaign purporting to show the world how to tame this pandemic. Don't buy it.
I would note that this should be a wakeup call about Huawei as well, but of course, you don't understand National Security, so you won't see this. The evidence is examples Zoom and Tik Tok capturing date and sending it to or thru China.
"As of now, the epicenter of the health crisis has moved to Italy. The death toll in several European countries exceeds that of China. Meanwhile, the U.S. government estimates America might lose as many as 200,000 people. As we languish, China has started a hard propaganda campaign to peddle the narrative of a triumphant nation, which, guided by the people’s leader Xi Jinping, has triumphed over the virus, helped buy time for the rest of the world through its valiant fight, demonstrated the superiority of its political system, and is now graciously willing to help everybody in need.
The jury is still out on the level of damage China’s economy will suffer from this crisis. In Europe’s case, we can only speculate how much economic turndown and uncreative destruction we will witness. Our woes might prolong and deepen China’s predicament. But politically, one outcome of the last two months is already obvious: More than ever before, China will be playing offense and Europe defense. Some elements of our European predicament are self-inflicted. It was European selfishness and lack of solidarity that granted China the opportunity to present itself as “friend and brother” to those left to fend for themselves, at least initially, by their European partners. Tellingly, Paris and Berlin found it important to stress that together they had sent more face masks to Italy than China had. Had China played its cards modestly, it could have collected a wealth of goodwill beyond reproach. But China pushed too aggressively. It peddled lies about the origin of the virus. It boasted too much about its provision of what, in some cases, turned out to be faulty masks. It created credibility problems with the reliability of its own case figures. Collaboratively, the Chinese Party-state and Huawei tried to exploit the situation economically in several countries, notably in the Netherlands but also in Germany and the U.S.
China effectively did all it needed to convince reluctant leaders, both at Downing Street and in Berlin’s Chancellery, that they had to push back against Chinese arrogance. China skepticism has already been spreading throughout Europe over the last year and a half. But the level of resolve with which political leaders attended to changing sentiment from the business community and from civil society was not very high. I expect this will change.
In short: Over the past two months, China has lost Europe."
Sorry, I just don't buy into the right wing attempts at creating a cold war with China in order to distract from their own corruption.
China is no more our "adversary" than Google is an "adversary" of Apple -- or vice-versa.
Amazing how these free marketers react when the free market works against them.
You need to stop with "right wing attempts at creating a cold war with China in order to distract from their own corruptions" given that China is actually a threat to democracies and is actually a known human rights violator. None of that is in dispute, contrary to your statements.
This coming from a Scoop Jackson Democrat.
You might want to look up Henry "Scoop" Jackson;
from his wikipedia;
"His political beliefs were characterized by support of civil rights, human rights, and safeguarding the environment, but with an equally strong commitment to oppose totalitarianism in general, and communism in particular.[2] The political philosophies and positions of Scoop Jackson have been cited as an influence on a number of key figures associated with neoconservatism, including Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle, both of whom previously served as aides to the Senator.[1]"
Why would I stop? It's the truth. The right is running a propaganda campaign against China.
It started with Trump and his protectionism which he justified as a national defense since China has been in the process of displacing us as the world's leading economy. But, after he got Wall Street access to their markets he's mostly quieted down. But the right wing crazies have continued their smear campaign.
50 years ago China WAS a national security threat. But Nixon wisely ended that and since then they have been a competitor -- and gotten so good at it that they have been beating us at our own game: capitalism. There IS a difference between a threat and a competitor! A BIG difference. But, the right sees every competitor as an enemy -- even Democrats.
They are, but that doesn't mean you need to go jump in bed with China because of propaganda by the GOP because of current financial interests by those in power are pushing for a divide with China. There are a lot of questionable actions from China that need to be considered, just as there are plenty of questionable actions from Democrats, even if they are current far from the greatest evil influence in the US. It would be like making a blatant statement that hydroxychloroquine shouldn't be tested for fighting COVID-19 simply because Trump and his friends are invested in having it sold as a cure all. It's right to question it's effectiveness and danger, but we shouldn't discount it without testing it either.
You are right. I agree that China is far from perfect and I believe that they are a formidable competitor. Obama felt the same way -- which is why he formed the TPP. It was specifically designed to align Pacific interests with ours instead of China's. And, while seriously flawed with industry influence, it was the smart way to go. But Trump scrapped that model and went with the old tariff/protectionist model that failed 40 years ago -- and once again, it failed. But, unfortunately, the right wing juggernaught has morphed his effort into an all out cold war with China complete with smear campaign and wild eyed propaganda. That will not solve anything and will, in fact, only serve to isolate us further as China has a lot more to offer the rest of the world than Trump's America does.
.....
Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party are absolutely the reason for the expansion of the New Cold War, given the heavy authoritarianism that Xi Jinping has brought to China Since he became "President for Life".
Hardly. Actually a cold war is that LAST thing that China wants. Yes, we had concerns. But it is right wing extremists and Trump who are attempting to make it a cold war -- under which we all lose.
If these are not masks that Apple somehow magically have come up with independently of all other sources, Apple should get out of the queue of HC institutions and countries across the planet desperately clamoring for such masks on the global market. 20 million masks to Apple means some others needy in another country probably would go short of masks. (that is how brutal the global market for masks is right now)
Having the masks on hand, Apple should donate the masks to the US federal pooled resources so they can be distributed to those needing them most, and get out of the business of virtue signaling.
Sourcing 20M masks and designing/shipping a new face shield is now defined as "virtue signalling"?
Sourcing 20M masks for a company that has absolutely no direct use of the masks when the supply situation is CRITICAL for health care personell across the planet - effectively removing that supply from the market is reckless at best. It is clearly used for virtue signaling by Apple.
The only honorable action by Apple is immediately giving up their stock and return it for distribution between HC professionals where they are needed the most – also outside the US.
Apple's business is sourcing materials and getting manufacturers to make products. Steve Jobs historically got Corning to take something they created decades earlier with no perceived market value to Corning and put it into production in a timeframe so short that the iPhone he demoed on stage in January wasn't made of what would be trademarked as Gorilla Glass and the CEO of Corning didn't think was possible to ramp up production for a June launch. Apple—even if you hate them—you have to admit that they are the best at being able to get textiles makers, plastic molders, countless other types of vendors to ship components to manufacturers who can ramp up production based on Apple's direction to make masks produced. For all you know these masks are being created with materials and on assembly lines that would otherwise be used for Apple products. What I don't understand is how someone can be so callous and cruel as to be upset when someone helps others as to only look for some alternative reasoning and try their damndest to make it seem like a bad thing to help others.
Because they ROB THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST by removing this stock of masks from the market for their own fucked up virtue signaling distribution!
And no, it is not produced by Apple factories and / or materials.
Add to that. On EVERY UK government presser last week, the journalists brought stories of HC personell not having PPE because it could not be sourced on the international market as American corporations were snatching up large quantities. Entire COUNTRIES are in short supply while Apple sits on 20 million masks that would save lives all over Europe. Now even with the UK PM in ICU.
Excuse me, but your ideology is showing...
Is that a problem for you?
When it comes to HC, the US is the odd man out with a system that is completely bizarre. The rest of the world has figured this out a long time ago.
Trying to pin this entirely on America, and especially Apple, is bullshit. Medical teams throughout the world, including the U.S., are short PPE, ventilators, Pharmaceuticals, and other supplies. Most of that is due to the world relying on China for production of those things, or putting all of our eggs in China's basket, and all the while it was China that was buying up those PPE stocks around the world to save itself in the Hubei Province.
That's the nature of pandemics, especially when almost all countries waited too long to respond. I mean, what the fuck, up until about a two week ago, Brexit UK's plan was herd immunity. Then, Brexit UK figured out that plan was absolutely untenable.
I'm guessing that Brexit means "going it alone", or "fuck it, we give up", but now that one of its chief architects of Brexit is infected with the Coronavirus, it's easy for your media to paint Americans as the villains. The U.S. knew about the epidemic in China at least by January 3rd, and did nothing about it for almost a month, and even then, our Administration, and many states, bungled the response, over, and over, again.
So chill, we're all in this together.
The problem of not enough PPE and ventilators in hospitals is not THE problem, rather it is a symptom of the problem:
The U.S. saw this coming and did nothing: It marginalized the impact, did not prepare tests, did not educate the public, nor did it supply the populace with the protective supplies they needed (masks, gloves, sanitizing products, etc.) to keep themselves safe and healthy. So now they are flooding the healthcare system.
As for making healthcare products in China: That is done simply because China does it better, cheaper and faster -- so capitalism demands that it be done there as the most efficient producers. The problem now is the right wing's cold war against China has interfered with that arrangement and blocked us from accepting their products -- we were warned not to do that, but did it anyway. It's not China who is the problem here.
This is the same answer that I would give on anything that is mission critical or National Security related; you don't want to be locked into buying from an adversary, yet, here we are.
Did you not understand that Chinese diaspora and Chinese Companies operating around the world bought up 2 billion masks, 2 1/2 months of production in China, stripping other countries of their PPE supplies during China's first epidemic wave? What does that tell you about bringing mission critical industries back into our own countries?
China is, in fact part of the problem. Now China is running a huge propaganda campaign purporting to show the world how to tame this pandemic. Don't buy it.
I would note that this should be a wakeup call about Huawei as well, but of course, you don't understand National Security, so you won't see this. The evidence is examples Zoom and Tik Tok capturing date and sending it to or thru China.
"As of now, the epicenter of the health crisis has moved to Italy. The death toll in several European countries exceeds that of China. Meanwhile, the U.S. government estimates America might lose as many as 200,000 people. As we languish, China has started a hard propaganda campaign to peddle the narrative of a triumphant nation, which, guided by the people’s leader Xi Jinping, has triumphed over the virus, helped buy time for the rest of the world through its valiant fight, demonstrated the superiority of its political system, and is now graciously willing to help everybody in need.
The jury is still out on the level of damage China’s economy will suffer from this crisis. In Europe’s case, we can only speculate how much economic turndown and uncreative destruction we will witness. Our woes might prolong and deepen China’s predicament. But politically, one outcome of the last two months is already obvious: More than ever before, China will be playing offense and Europe defense. Some elements of our European predicament are self-inflicted. It was European selfishness and lack of solidarity that granted China the opportunity to present itself as “friend and brother” to those left to fend for themselves, at least initially, by their European partners. Tellingly, Paris and Berlin found it important to stress that together they had sent more face masks to Italy than China had. Had China played its cards modestly, it could have collected a wealth of goodwill beyond reproach. But China pushed too aggressively. It peddled lies about the origin of the virus. It boasted too much about its provision of what, in some cases, turned out to be faulty masks. It created credibility problems with the reliability of its own case figures. Collaboratively, the Chinese Party-state and Huawei tried to exploit the situation economically in several countries, notably in the Netherlands but also in Germany and the U.S.
China effectively did all it needed to convince reluctant leaders, both at Downing Street and in Berlin’s Chancellery, that they had to push back against Chinese arrogance. China skepticism has already been spreading throughout Europe over the last year and a half. But the level of resolve with which political leaders attended to changing sentiment from the business community and from civil society was not very high. I expect this will change.
In short: Over the past two months, China has lost Europe."
Sorry, I just don't buy into the right wing attempts at creating a cold war with China in order to distract from their own corruption.
China is no more our "adversary" than Google is an "adversary" of Apple -- or vice-versa.
Amazing how these free marketers react when the free market works against them.
You need to stop with "right wing attempts at creating a cold war with China in order to distract from their own corruptions" given that China is actually a threat to democracies and is actually a known human rights violator. None of that is in dispute, contrary to your statements.
This coming from a Scoop Jackson Democrat.
You might want to look up Henry "Scoop" Jackson;
from his wikipedia;
"His political beliefs were characterized by support of civil rights, human rights, and safeguarding the environment, but with an equally strong commitment to oppose totalitarianism in general, and communism in particular.[2] The political philosophies and positions of Scoop Jackson have been cited as an influence on a number of key figures associated with neoconservatism, including Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle, both of whom previously served as aides to the Senator.[1]"
Why would I stop? It's the truth. The right is running a propaganda campaign against China.
It started with Trump and his protectionism which he justified as a national defense since China has been in the process of displacing us as the world's leading economy. But, after he got Wall Street access to their markets he's mostly quieted down. But the right wing crazies have continued their smear campaign.
50 years ago China WAS a national security threat. But Nixon wisely ended that and since then they have been a competitor -- and gotten so good at it that they have been beating us at our own game: capitalism. There IS a difference between a threat and a competitor! A BIG difference. But, the right sees every competitor as an enemy -- even Democrats.
They are, but that doesn't mean you need to go jump in bed with China because of propaganda by the GOP because of current financial interests by those in power are pushing for a divide with China. There are a lot of questionable actions from China that need to be considered, just as there are plenty of questionable actions from Democrats, even if they are current far from the greatest evil influence in the US. It would be like making a blatant statement that hydroxychloroquine shouldn't be tested for fighting COVID-19 simply because Trump and his friends are invested in having it sold as a cure all. It's right to question it's effectiveness and danger, but we shouldn't discount it without testing it either.
You are right. I agree that China is far from perfect and I believe that they are a formidable competitor. Obama felt the same way -- which is why he formed the TPP. It was specifically designed to align Pacific interests with ours instead of China's. And, while seriously flawed with industry influence, it was the smart way to go. But Trump scrapped that model and went with the old tariff/protectionist model that failed 40 years ago -- and once again, it failed. But, unfortunately, the right wing juggernaught has morphed his effort into an all out cold war with China complete with smear campaign and wild eyed propaganda. That will not solve anything and will, in fact, only serve to isolate us further as China has a lot more to offer the rest of the world than Trump's America does.
.....
Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party are absolutely the reason for the expansion of the New Cold War, given the heavy authoritarianism that Xi Jinping has brought to China Since he became "President for Life".
Hardly. Actually a cold war is that LAST thing that China wants. Yes, we had concerns. But it is right wing extremists and Trump who are attempting to make it a cold war -- under which we all lose.
You are out of you league, so buh bye...
LOL No! It is Trump who is out of his league. He tried to pick a fight with China and it blew up in his face. But now that his negligence, incompetence and corruption is on full display with an election coming up he has chosen to reignite that fight in order to divert blame from himself. He is a child in a man's world and you defend him.
If these are not masks that Apple somehow magically have come up with independently of all other sources, Apple should get out of the queue of HC institutions and countries across the planet desperately clamoring for such masks on the global market. 20 million masks to Apple means some others needy in another country probably would go short of masks. (that is how brutal the global market for masks is right now)
Having the masks on hand, Apple should donate the masks to the US federal pooled resources so they can be distributed to those needing them most, and get out of the business of virtue signaling.
Sourcing 20M masks and designing/shipping a new face shield is now defined as "virtue signalling"?
Sourcing 20M masks for a company that has absolutely no direct use of the masks when the supply situation is CRITICAL for health care personell across the planet - effectively removing that supply from the market is reckless at best. It is clearly used for virtue signaling by Apple.
The only honorable action by Apple is immediately giving up their stock and return it for distribution between HC professionals where they are needed the most – also outside the US.
Apple's business is sourcing materials and getting manufacturers to make products. Steve Jobs historically got Corning to take something they created decades earlier with no perceived market value to Corning and put it into production in a timeframe so short that the iPhone he demoed on stage in January wasn't made of what would be trademarked as Gorilla Glass and the CEO of Corning didn't think was possible to ramp up production for a June launch. Apple—even if you hate them—you have to admit that they are the best at being able to get textiles makers, plastic molders, countless other types of vendors to ship components to manufacturers who can ramp up production based on Apple's direction to make masks produced. For all you know these masks are being created with materials and on assembly lines that would otherwise be used for Apple products. What I don't understand is how someone can be so callous and cruel as to be upset when someone helps others as to only look for some alternative reasoning and try their damndest to make it seem like a bad thing to help others.
Because they ROB THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST by removing this stock of masks from the market for their own fucked up virtue signaling distribution!
And no, it is not produced by Apple factories and / or materials.
Add to that. On EVERY UK government presser last week, the journalists brought stories of HC personell not having PPE because it could not be sourced on the international market as American corporations were snatching up large quantities. Entire COUNTRIES are in short supply while Apple sits on 20 million masks that would save lives all over Europe. Now even with the UK PM in ICU.
Excuse me, but your ideology is showing...
Is that a problem for you?
When it comes to HC, the US is the odd man out with a system that is completely bizarre. The rest of the world has figured this out a long time ago.
Trying to pin this entirely on America, and especially Apple, is bullshit. Medical teams throughout the world, including the U.S., are short PPE, ventilators, Pharmaceuticals, and other supplies. Most of that is due to the world relying on China for production of those things, or putting all of our eggs in China's basket, and all the while it was China that was buying up those PPE stocks around the world to save itself in the Hubei Province.
That's the nature of pandemics, especially when almost all countries waited too long to respond. I mean, what the fuck, up until about a two week ago, Brexit UK's plan was herd immunity. Then, Brexit UK figured out that plan was absolutely untenable.
I'm guessing that Brexit means "going it alone", or "fuck it, we give up", but now that one of its chief architects of Brexit is infected with the Coronavirus, it's easy for your media to paint Americans as the villains. The U.S. knew about the epidemic in China at least by January 3rd, and did nothing about it for almost a month, and even then, our Administration, and many states, bungled the response, over, and over, again.
So chill, we're all in this together.
The problem of not enough PPE and ventilators in hospitals is not THE problem, rather it is a symptom of the problem:
The U.S. saw this coming and did nothing: It marginalized the impact, did not prepare tests, did not educate the public, nor did it supply the populace with the protective supplies they needed (masks, gloves, sanitizing products, etc.) to keep themselves safe and healthy. So now they are flooding the healthcare system.
As for making healthcare products in China: That is done simply because China does it better, cheaper and faster -- so capitalism demands that it be done there as the most efficient producers. The problem now is the right wing's cold war against China has interfered with that arrangement and blocked us from accepting their products -- we were warned not to do that, but did it anyway. It's not China who is the problem here.
This is the same answer that I would give on anything that is mission critical or National Security related; you don't want to be locked into buying from an adversary, yet, here we are.
Did you not understand that Chinese diaspora and Chinese Companies operating around the world bought up 2 billion masks, 2 1/2 months of production in China, stripping other countries of their PPE supplies during China's first epidemic wave? What does that tell you about bringing mission critical industries back into our own countries?
China is, in fact part of the problem. Now China is running a huge propaganda campaign purporting to show the world how to tame this pandemic. Don't buy it.
I would note that this should be a wakeup call about Huawei as well, but of course, you don't understand National Security, so you won't see this. The evidence is examples Zoom and Tik Tok capturing date and sending it to or thru China.
"As of now, the epicenter of the health crisis has moved to Italy. The death toll in several European countries exceeds that of China. Meanwhile, the U.S. government estimates America might lose as many as 200,000 people. As we languish, China has started a hard propaganda campaign to peddle the narrative of a triumphant nation, which, guided by the people’s leader Xi Jinping, has triumphed over the virus, helped buy time for the rest of the world through its valiant fight, demonstrated the superiority of its political system, and is now graciously willing to help everybody in need.
The jury is still out on the level of damage China’s economy will suffer from this crisis. In Europe’s case, we can only speculate how much economic turndown and uncreative destruction we will witness. Our woes might prolong and deepen China’s predicament. But politically, one outcome of the last two months is already obvious: More than ever before, China will be playing offense and Europe defense. Some elements of our European predicament are self-inflicted. It was European selfishness and lack of solidarity that granted China the opportunity to present itself as “friend and brother” to those left to fend for themselves, at least initially, by their European partners. Tellingly, Paris and Berlin found it important to stress that together they had sent more face masks to Italy than China had. Had China played its cards modestly, it could have collected a wealth of goodwill beyond reproach. But China pushed too aggressively. It peddled lies about the origin of the virus. It boasted too much about its provision of what, in some cases, turned out to be faulty masks. It created credibility problems with the reliability of its own case figures. Collaboratively, the Chinese Party-state and Huawei tried to exploit the situation economically in several countries, notably in the Netherlands but also in Germany and the U.S.
China effectively did all it needed to convince reluctant leaders, both at Downing Street and in Berlin’s Chancellery, that they had to push back against Chinese arrogance. China skepticism has already been spreading throughout Europe over the last year and a half. But the level of resolve with which political leaders attended to changing sentiment from the business community and from civil society was not very high. I expect this will change.
In short: Over the past two months, China has lost Europe."
Sorry, I just don't buy into the right wing attempts at creating a cold war with China in order to distract from their own corruption.
China is no more our "adversary" than Google is an "adversary" of Apple -- or vice-versa.
Amazing how these free marketers react when the free market works against them.
You need to stop with "right wing attempts at creating a cold war with China in order to distract from their own corruptions" given that China is actually a threat to democracies and is actually a known human rights violator. None of that is in dispute, contrary to your statements.
This coming from a Scoop Jackson Democrat.
You might want to look up Henry "Scoop" Jackson;
from his wikipedia;
"His political beliefs were characterized by support of civil rights, human rights, and safeguarding the environment, but with an equally strong commitment to oppose totalitarianism in general, and communism in particular.[2] The political philosophies and positions of Scoop Jackson have been cited as an influence on a number of key figures associated with neoconservatism, including Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle, both of whom previously served as aides to the Senator.[1]"
Why would I stop? It's the truth. The right is running a propaganda campaign against China.
It started with Trump and his protectionism which he justified as a national defense since China has been in the process of displacing us as the world's leading economy. But, after he got Wall Street access to their markets he's mostly quieted down. But the right wing crazies have continued their smear campaign.
50 years ago China WAS a national security threat. But Nixon wisely ended that and since then they have been a competitor -- and gotten so good at it that they have been beating us at our own game: capitalism. There IS a difference between a threat and a competitor! A BIG difference. But, the right sees every competitor as an enemy -- even Democrats.
They are, but that doesn't mean you need to go jump in bed with China because of propaganda by the GOP because of current financial interests by those in power are pushing for a divide with China. There are a lot of questionable actions from China that need to be considered, just as there are plenty of questionable actions from Democrats, even if they are current far from the greatest evil influence in the US. It would be like making a blatant statement that hydroxychloroquine shouldn't be tested for fighting COVID-19 simply because Trump and his friends are invested in having it sold as a cure all. It's right to question it's effectiveness and danger, but we shouldn't discount it without testing it either.
You are right. I agree that China is far from perfect and I believe that they are a formidable competitor. Obama felt the same way -- which is why he formed the TPP. It was specifically designed to align Pacific interests with ours instead of China's. And, while seriously flawed with industry influence, it was the smart way to go. But Trump scrapped that model and went with the old tariff/protectionist model that failed 40 years ago -- and once again, it failed. But, unfortunately, the right wing juggernaught has morphed his effort into an all out cold war with China complete with smear campaign and wild eyed propaganda. That will not solve anything and will, in fact, only serve to isolate us further as China has a lot more to offer the rest of the world than Trump's America does.
.....
Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party are absolutely the reason for the expansion of the New Cold War, given the heavy authoritarianism that Xi Jinping has brought to China Since he became "President for Life".
Hardly. Actually a cold war is that LAST thing that China wants. Yes, we had concerns. But it is right wing extremists and Trump who are attempting to make it a cold war -- under which we all lose.
You are out of you league, so buh bye...
LOL No! It is Trump who is out of his league. He tried to pick a fight with China and it blew up in his face. But now that his negligence, incompetence and corruption is on full display with an election coming up he has chosen to reignite that fight in order to divert blame from himself. He is a child in a man's world and you defend him.
One can know that Trump is corrupt and at the same time have information that demonstrates that China is a political, and military, threat to the free world.
You probably can't understand that, but I surely can, which would make you a quisling, or useful idiot, when it comes to China, wouldn't it.
If these are not masks that Apple somehow magically have come up with independently of all other sources, Apple should get out of the queue of HC institutions and countries across the planet desperately clamoring for such masks on the global market. 20 million masks to Apple means some others needy in another country probably would go short of masks. (that is how brutal the global market for masks is right now)
Having the masks on hand, Apple should donate the masks to the US federal pooled resources so they can be distributed to those needing them most, and get out of the business of virtue signaling.
Sourcing 20M masks and designing/shipping a new face shield is now defined as "virtue signalling"?
Sourcing 20M masks for a company that has absolutely no direct use of the masks when the supply situation is CRITICAL for health care personell across the planet - effectively removing that supply from the market is reckless at best. It is clearly used for virtue signaling by Apple.
The only honorable action by Apple is immediately giving up their stock and return it for distribution between HC professionals where they are needed the most – also outside the US.
Apple's business is sourcing materials and getting manufacturers to make products. Steve Jobs historically got Corning to take something they created decades earlier with no perceived market value to Corning and put it into production in a timeframe so short that the iPhone he demoed on stage in January wasn't made of what would be trademarked as Gorilla Glass and the CEO of Corning didn't think was possible to ramp up production for a June launch. Apple—even if you hate them—you have to admit that they are the best at being able to get textiles makers, plastic molders, countless other types of vendors to ship components to manufacturers who can ramp up production based on Apple's direction to make masks produced. For all you know these masks are being created with materials and on assembly lines that would otherwise be used for Apple products. What I don't understand is how someone can be so callous and cruel as to be upset when someone helps others as to only look for some alternative reasoning and try their damndest to make it seem like a bad thing to help others.
Because they ROB THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST by removing this stock of masks from the market for their own fucked up virtue signaling distribution!
And no, it is not produced by Apple factories and / or materials.
Add to that. On EVERY UK government presser last week, the journalists brought stories of HC personell not having PPE because it could not be sourced on the international market as American corporations were snatching up large quantities. Entire COUNTRIES are in short supply while Apple sits on 20 million masks that would save lives all over Europe. Now even with the UK PM in ICU.
Excuse me, but your ideology is showing...
Is that a problem for you?
When it comes to HC, the US is the odd man out with a system that is completely bizarre. The rest of the world has figured this out a long time ago.
Trying to pin this entirely on America, and especially Apple, is bullshit. Medical teams throughout the world, including the U.S., are short PPE, ventilators, Pharmaceuticals, and other supplies. Most of that is due to the world relying on China for production of those things, or putting all of our eggs in China's basket, and all the while it was China that was buying up those PPE stocks around the world to save itself in the Hubei Province.
That's the nature of pandemics, especially when almost all countries waited too long to respond. I mean, what the fuck, up until about a two week ago, Brexit UK's plan was herd immunity. Then, Brexit UK figured out that plan was absolutely untenable.
I'm guessing that Brexit means "going it alone", or "fuck it, we give up", but now that one of its chief architects of Brexit is infected with the Coronavirus, it's easy for your media to paint Americans as the villains. The U.S. knew about the epidemic in China at least by January 3rd, and did nothing about it for almost a month, and even then, our Administration, and many states, bungled the response, over, and over, again.
So chill, we're all in this together.
The problem of not enough PPE and ventilators in hospitals is not THE problem, rather it is a symptom of the problem:
The U.S. saw this coming and did nothing: It marginalized the impact, did not prepare tests, did not educate the public, nor did it supply the populace with the protective supplies they needed (masks, gloves, sanitizing products, etc.) to keep themselves safe and healthy. So now they are flooding the healthcare system.
As for making healthcare products in China: That is done simply because China does it better, cheaper and faster -- so capitalism demands that it be done there as the most efficient producers. The problem now is the right wing's cold war against China has interfered with that arrangement and blocked us from accepting their products -- we were warned not to do that, but did it anyway. It's not China who is the problem here.
This is the same answer that I would give on anything that is mission critical or National Security related; you don't want to be locked into buying from an adversary, yet, here we are.
Did you not understand that Chinese diaspora and Chinese Companies operating around the world bought up 2 billion masks, 2 1/2 months of production in China, stripping other countries of their PPE supplies during China's first epidemic wave? What does that tell you about bringing mission critical industries back into our own countries?
China is, in fact part of the problem. Now China is running a huge propaganda campaign purporting to show the world how to tame this pandemic. Don't buy it.
I would note that this should be a wakeup call about Huawei as well, but of course, you don't understand National Security, so you won't see this. The evidence is examples Zoom and Tik Tok capturing date and sending it to or thru China.
"As of now, the epicenter of the health crisis has moved to Italy. The death toll in several European countries exceeds that of China. Meanwhile, the U.S. government estimates America might lose as many as 200,000 people. As we languish, China has started a hard propaganda campaign to peddle the narrative of a triumphant nation, which, guided by the people’s leader Xi Jinping, has triumphed over the virus, helped buy time for the rest of the world through its valiant fight, demonstrated the superiority of its political system, and is now graciously willing to help everybody in need.
The jury is still out on the level of damage China’s economy will suffer from this crisis. In Europe’s case, we can only speculate how much economic turndown and uncreative destruction we will witness. Our woes might prolong and deepen China’s predicament. But politically, one outcome of the last two months is already obvious: More than ever before, China will be playing offense and Europe defense. Some elements of our European predicament are self-inflicted. It was European selfishness and lack of solidarity that granted China the opportunity to present itself as “friend and brother” to those left to fend for themselves, at least initially, by their European partners. Tellingly, Paris and Berlin found it important to stress that together they had sent more face masks to Italy than China had. Had China played its cards modestly, it could have collected a wealth of goodwill beyond reproach. But China pushed too aggressively. It peddled lies about the origin of the virus. It boasted too much about its provision of what, in some cases, turned out to be faulty masks. It created credibility problems with the reliability of its own case figures. Collaboratively, the Chinese Party-state and Huawei tried to exploit the situation economically in several countries, notably in the Netherlands but also in Germany and the U.S.
China effectively did all it needed to convince reluctant leaders, both at Downing Street and in Berlin’s Chancellery, that they had to push back against Chinese arrogance. China skepticism has already been spreading throughout Europe over the last year and a half. But the level of resolve with which political leaders attended to changing sentiment from the business community and from civil society was not very high. I expect this will change.
In short: Over the past two months, China has lost Europe."
Sorry, I just don't buy into the right wing attempts at creating a cold war with China in order to distract from their own corruption.
China is no more our "adversary" than Google is an "adversary" of Apple -- or vice-versa.
Amazing how these free marketers react when the free market works against them.
You need to stop with "right wing attempts at creating a cold war with China in order to distract from their own corruptions" given that China is actually a threat to democracies and is actually a known human rights violator. None of that is in dispute, contrary to your statements.
This coming from a Scoop Jackson Democrat.
You might want to look up Henry "Scoop" Jackson;
from his wikipedia;
"His political beliefs were characterized by support of civil rights, human rights, and safeguarding the environment, but with an equally strong commitment to oppose totalitarianism in general, and communism in particular.[2] The political philosophies and positions of Scoop Jackson have been cited as an influence on a number of key figures associated with neoconservatism, including Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle, both of whom previously served as aides to the Senator.[1]"
Why would I stop? It's the truth. The right is running a propaganda campaign against China.
It started with Trump and his protectionism which he justified as a national defense since China has been in the process of displacing us as the world's leading economy. But, after he got Wall Street access to their markets he's mostly quieted down. But the right wing crazies have continued their smear campaign.
50 years ago China WAS a national security threat. But Nixon wisely ended that and since then they have been a competitor -- and gotten so good at it that they have been beating us at our own game: capitalism. There IS a difference between a threat and a competitor! A BIG difference. But, the right sees every competitor as an enemy -- even Democrats.
They are, but that doesn't mean you need to go jump in bed with China because of propaganda by the GOP because of current financial interests by those in power are pushing for a divide with China. There are a lot of questionable actions from China that need to be considered, just as there are plenty of questionable actions from Democrats, even if they are current far from the greatest evil influence in the US. It would be like making a blatant statement that hydroxychloroquine shouldn't be tested for fighting COVID-19 simply because Trump and his friends are invested in having it sold as a cure all. It's right to question it's effectiveness and danger, but we shouldn't discount it without testing it either.
You are right. I agree that China is far from perfect and I believe that they are a formidable competitor. Obama felt the same way -- which is why he formed the TPP. It was specifically designed to align Pacific interests with ours instead of China's. And, while seriously flawed with industry influence, it was the smart way to go. But Trump scrapped that model and went with the old tariff/protectionist model that failed 40 years ago -- and once again, it failed. But, unfortunately, the right wing juggernaught has morphed his effort into an all out cold war with China complete with smear campaign and wild eyed propaganda. That will not solve anything and will, in fact, only serve to isolate us further as China has a lot more to offer the rest of the world than Trump's America does.
.....
Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party are absolutely the reason for the expansion of the New Cold War, given the heavy authoritarianism that Xi Jinping has brought to China Since he became "President for Life".
Hardly. Actually a cold war is that LAST thing that China wants. Yes, we had concerns. But it is right wing extremists and Trump who are attempting to make it a cold war -- under which we all lose.
You are out of you league, so buh bye...
LOL No! It is Trump who is out of his league. He tried to pick a fight with China and it blew up in his face. But now that his negligence, incompetence and corruption is on full display with an election coming up he has chosen to reignite that fight in order to divert blame from himself. He is a child in a man's world and you defend him.
One can know that Trump is corrupt and at the same time have information that demonstrates that China is a political, and military, threat to the free world.
You probably can't understand that, but I surely can, which would make you a quisling, or useful idiot, when it comes to China, wouldn't it.
China is a competitor. But Trump and his minions see every competitor as a threat. Even Democrats.
My amateur projections saying the number of infected will quadruple over the next 2 week (in the USA)...
I really hope I’m wrong.
You may be right and of course that would be very bad, but we as a country desperately need perspective. As of now, if the coronavirus deaths quadruple they will still be less than projected deaths for the flu. It also very likely that the death rate is strongly skewed toward a higher death rate since those who are suffering are mainly the ones being tested.
I only say these things because our panic and overreactions to the coronavirus is causing more problems than the virus itself. We need to take it seriously, but we need to have perspective and patience.
And we also need self discipline—if people were acting responsibly this outbreak would already be under control, and we’d also not be perpetually out of foods and supplies and greedy losers charging $40 for a 16oz bottle of ‘Equate’ (Walmart brand) isopropyl alcohol on eBay.
The biggest problem we’ve had as a nation is the politicized response of this administration. Even though its been forced to acknowledge the seriousness of this horrible disease, it still refuses to do whatever is required. Still playing politics even now.
to think that this isn’t as serious as medical authorities are saying it is, is willfully criminal.
It’s understood than many deaths from this are going underreported as they are being ascribed to other illnesses, such as pneumonia, which is a major result of Covad-19, and is what many people die from once they get Covid-019.
the minimum number of deaths from this, assuming everything is done properly, and all required medical equipment is readily available, which it is not, is over 100,000. Assuming things wont get too much worse than that, with known shortages of ventilators and other vital equipment, the estimate is around 240,000 deaths. The numbers soar from there with more extreme scenarios, all the way up to an unlikely 4 million. There are normally between 20,000 and 40,000 deaths from the flu every year here, with a delayed vaccine in 2017 resulting in 80,000 deaths. There is no vaccine for this, and likely wont be one for around 18 months, with medical researchers stating that that would be a miracle. I hope that time line will be shorter, but it’s not very likely. Even the US company that has a candidate that is going to testing right about now, has said that it will still take 18 months, assuming it works, something that we don't know.
We still have some southern and Midwest governors refusing to instate social distancing rules. Rules that are enforced. They say that there aren’t enough cases in their states yet to do that. Stupidity unbounded! They don't seem to understand that the best time to do that is when there are few, or even no cases. So they’ll wait for more advice from the White House, they say, before instituting these rules.
This whole response makes me sick, and not with the virus, because my wife and I are being very careful, and not going out.
Those things you are so concerned about are State responsibilities, not the Federal government.
What I find so bizarre is those who have been the biggest critics of this President are also the same ones who are demanding more of an authoritarian response from the Feds. Those two trains of thought don’t run on the same track.
The critics of Trump are regarding his competence. What people are demanding from the Federal government is more competence. If you don't see how desiring more competence from an individual in charge of a level of government in which you desire more competence is the same track then you can ignore this post and go back to Hannity Limbaugh, the OAN channel you just pulled yourself away from to read this thread.
Trump has proven more competent than any President in modern history. Certainly has been more effective than the previous two clowns put together. What his critics don’t like is he can say almost anything and get away with it.
My amateur projections saying the number of infected will quadruple over the next 2 week (in the USA)...
I really hope I’m wrong.
You may be right and of course that would be very bad, but we as a country desperately need perspective. As of now, if the coronavirus deaths quadruple they will still be less than projected deaths for the flu. It also very likely that the death rate is strongly skewed toward a higher death rate since those who are suffering are mainly the ones being tested.
I only say these things because our panic and overreactions to the coronavirus is causing more problems than the virus itself. We need to take it seriously, but we need to have perspective and patience.
And we also need self discipline—if people were acting responsibly this outbreak would already be under control, and we’d also not be perpetually out of foods and supplies and greedy losers charging $40 for a 16oz bottle of ‘Equate’ (Walmart brand) isopropyl alcohol on eBay.
The biggest problem we’ve had as a nation is the politicized response of this administration. Even though its been forced to acknowledge the seriousness of this horrible disease, it still refuses to do whatever is required. Still playing politics even now.
to think that this isn’t as serious as medical authorities are saying it is, is willfully criminal.
It’s understood than many deaths from this are going underreported as they are being ascribed to other illnesses, such as pneumonia, which is a major result of Covad-19, and is what many people die from once they get Covid-019.
the minimum number of deaths from this, assuming everything is done properly, and all required medical equipment is readily available, which it is not, is over 100,000. Assuming things wont get too much worse than that, with known shortages of ventilators and other vital equipment, the estimate is around 240,000 deaths. The numbers soar from there with more extreme scenarios, all the way up to an unlikely 4 million. There are normally between 20,000 and 40,000 deaths from the flu every year here, with a delayed vaccine in 2017 resulting in 80,000 deaths. There is no vaccine for this, and likely wont be one for around 18 months, with medical researchers stating that that would be a miracle. I hope that time line will be shorter, but it’s not very likely. Even the US company that has a candidate that is going to testing right about now, has said that it will still take 18 months, assuming it works, something that we don't know.
We still have some southern and Midwest governors refusing to instate social distancing rules. Rules that are enforced. They say that there aren’t enough cases in their states yet to do that. Stupidity unbounded! They don't seem to understand that the best time to do that is when there are few, or even no cases. So they’ll wait for more advice from the White House, they say, before instituting these rules.
This whole response makes me sick, and not with the virus, because my wife and I are being very careful, and not going out.
Those things you are so concerned about are State responsibilities, not the Federal government.
What I find so bizarre is those who have been the biggest critics of this President are also the same ones who are demanding more of an authoritarian response from the Feds. Those two trains of thought don’t run on the same track.
The critics of Trump are regarding his competence. What people are demanding from the Federal government is more competence. If you don't see how desiring more competence from an individual in charge of a level of government in which you desire more competence is the same track then you can ignore this post and go back to Hannity Limbaugh, the OAN channel you just pulled yourself away from to read this thread.
Trump has proven more competent than any President in modern history. Certainly has been more effective than the previous two clowns put together. What his critics don’t like is he can say almost anything and get away with it.
The first sentence would be hysterical if not for how bat shit crazy that sounds. The second second is axiomatically wrong unless you're talking about effectiveness in breaking the law. The third sentence is accurate and also proves that you also know that he's constantly breaking the law if he's able to "get away with almost anything." I bet he could literally shit in your mouth and you'd still beg to eat that ass.
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You are right. I agree that China is far from perfect and I believe that they are a formidable competitor. Obama felt the same way -- which is why he formed the TPP. It was specifically designed to align Pacific interests with ours instead of China's. And, while seriously flawed with industry influence, it was the smart way to go. But Trump scrapped that model and went with the old tariff/protectionist model that failed 40 years ago -- and once again, it failed. But, unfortunately, the right wing juggernaught has morphed his effort into an all out cold war with China complete with smear campaign and wild eyed propaganda. That will not solve anything and will, in fact, only serve to isolate us further as China has a lot more to offer the rest of the world than Trump's America does.
Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party are absolutely the reason for the expansion of the New Cold War, given the heavy authoritarianism that Xi Jinping has brought to China Since he became "President for Life".
Hardly. Actually a cold war is that LAST thing that China wants. Yes, we had concerns. But it is right wing extremists and Trump who are attempting to make it a cold war -- under which we all lose.
LOL No! It is Trump who is out of his league. He tried to pick a fight with China and it blew up in his face. But now that his negligence, incompetence and corruption is on full display with an election coming up he has chosen to reignite that fight in order to divert blame from himself. He is a child in a man's world and you defend him.
You probably can't understand that, but I surely can, which would make you a quisling, or useful idiot, when it comes to China, wouldn't it.
China is a competitor. But Trump and his minions see every competitor as a threat. Even Democrats.