As an educator, I am always looking for the moment when I can speak to teach mdash; mdash; those current affairs that can clarify and strengthen the principles I taught.Except for epidemic, nothing can better focus on people's attention on truly important things.
For the United States, the 2019 COVID-19 is particularly profound.One of the important lessons is that the virus propagation does not require passports; in fact, its eyes have no national boundaries or nationalism.In our closely combined world, infectious diseases that originate from a country can spread to the world.
The spread of disease is one of the negative impacts of globalization.No matter when such a cross -border crisis occurs, global cooperation should be adopted, just like dealing with climate change.Like viruses, a large amount of greenhouse gas discharge is severely damaged, and through global warming and related extreme weather events, it brings huge losses to countries around the world.
In terms of destroying global cooperation and government roles, no U.S. government has done more than the Trump administration.However, in the face of crisis such as epidemic diseases or hurricanes, we ask the government for help because we know that such incidents need to act collectively.We cannot act alone or rely on the private field.In many cases, the maximized company will treat the crisis as an opportunity to lift the price, and the rise in mask prices has proven this.
Unfortunately, since the administration of US President Reagan, American mantra has always been the government that cannot solve our problems, and the government is the problem.Taking this credentials is really a dead end, but Trump has been farther on this road than any American political leader in memory.
The core institution of the United States to deal with crisis crisis is MDash; MDash; MDASH; the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).For a long time, CDC is equipped with professional, knowledgeable, and well -trained professionals.For Trump's unknown politicians, these experts have given him great trouble, because whenever he tries to make facts to serve his own interests, experts will expose and refute him.
Faith may help us cope with the death caused by epidemic diseases, but it cannot replace medical and scientific knowledge.Willpower and prayer have no effect on controlling the darkness of the Middle Ages.Fortunately, human beings have made significant progress in scientific since then.When the coronary virus appears, scientists can quickly analyze, test, track mutations, and begin to develop vaccines.Although there are many things to be understood on this new type of coronary virus and its impact on humans, but if there is no science, we will only listen to the heavens and be in a panic.
Scientific research requires funds.However, compared to Trump and Republicans of Parliament, the amount of generous tax cuts for our richest companies in 2017, in recent years, most of the largest scientific progress has only spent little money.In fact, our scientific investment compared with the recent losses that this epidemic may have caused by the recent epidemic, it is simply a small witch, let alone the value of the stock market.
Nevertheless, as Linda Bilmes of Kennedy College of Harvard University pointed out, the Trump administration proposed to reduce CDC funds every year, reduced 10%in 2018 and 19%in 2019.Earlier this year, Trump called for the worst time point that he could imagine to reduce 20%of the newly emerged infectious diseases and human and animal -animal disease projects.Coronatte viruses such as animals and coronary virus that are transmitted to humans and animals are pathogens and other pathogens.
In 2018, he dissolved the Global Health and Safety and Biological Defense Council of the National Security Council.
No surprise, it turns out that the government has insufficient preparations for the response to the epidemic.Although the crown disease has reached the degree of popularity a few weeks ago, the US's insufficient detection capacity (even compared with poor countries like South Korea), procedures and procedures for overseas travelers who may be infected are not perfect.
This poor response reminds us again that one point prevention is better than very good treatment.However, Trump should only require more currency easing policies and tax cuts (usually for the rich) to have more economic threats. It seems that the stock market will be promoted again.
Compared with 2017, this mediocreian solution is even more impossible to work now. At that time, tax cutting created a short -term economic sweetness, and this sweetness has disappeared in 2020.In the face of many American companies facing the interruption of supply chain, it is difficult to imagine that they suddenly decided to invest in major investment just because of 50 basis points at 50 interest rate cuts.
To make matters worse, this epidemic may bring greater economic losses to the United States, especially if this virus cannot be controlled.In the absence of paid sick leave, the infected employees have not been able to enter, and they will go to work anyway.Due to lack of sufficient medical insurance, they will be reluctant to seek testing and treatment to avoid being buried by huge medical expenses.The number of vulnerable groups in the United States should not be underestimated.During Trump's administration, the incidence and mortality continued to rise, and about 37 million people often faced the problem of food and clothing.
If panic follows, all these risks will increase.In order to prevent this situation, public trust must be obtained, especially those who are responsible for providing information and cope with the public.However, for many years, Trump and the Republican Party have been broadcasting unwanted seeds on the government, scientific and media, and at the same time let go of the social media giants such as Facebook for profits, so that they will intentionally allow their platforms to be used to spreadFalse information.Ironically, the awkward response of the Trump administration will further weaken people's trust in the government.
The United States should have been preparing for the risks of epidemic and climate change a few years ago.Only by governance based on a sound scientific basis can we protect us from the harm of this crisis.Now that these two threats are approaching, we hope that there are enough dedicated officials and scientists in the government to protect us, so that we can avoid Trump's harm to their incompetence.
(Author Joseph E. Stiglitz is the Nobel Prize winner of Economics, Professor of Columbia University and Chief Economist at Roosevelt Institute. He has recently published people, power and profits: PEPLE, PEPLE,Power, and Progressive Capitalism for An Age of Discontent)
When the coronary virus appears, scientists can quickly analyze, test, track mutations, and start the development of vaccines.Although there are many things to be understood on this new coronary virus and its impact on humans, but if there is no science, we will only listen to the heavens and be in a panic.
