Re: 'The coronavirus – Who's really at fault?' [Village News, Letter, 4/23/2020]

Yes, it seems fairly certain that China is indeed the source of the pandemic, and their actions to subvert and suppress vital information borders on the criminal; that situation may be dealt with in the future.

Yes, agreed that manufacturing of critical products should stop being outsourced to China and elsewhere; bring the industries home and pay decent wages to American workers.

No, President Donald Trump is not responsible for the pandemic; he is, however, responsible for the federal government’s response and actions in dealing with it. Responsible for the vacillations and policy reversals at every turn or tweet; the incessant TV grandstanding, spouting nonsense; telling the states “you’re on your own;” the ugly personal insults lobbed at governors and mayors trying to keep their citizens safe; the blatant profiteering on critical medical supplies by cronies; the total lack of empathy for the sick, the dead and their families; the rehashing of his “victories” in the face of national tragedy; the “me, me, me, poor me” drivel we’ve come to experience on a daily basis. His response has not been well-reasoned and responsible, by any measure.

The writer credits Trump for “assembling the brightest minds in business and medicine to develop and execute sound solutions to the pandemic.” So now in charge of the HHS Corona Virus Task Force is Brian Harrison, whose sterling credentials largely consist of being a Texas labradoodle breeder. If his experience of inseminating dogs gives him a “leg up” on the latest in epidemiology research, apparently, it’s good enough for Trump.

Meanwhile, the accurately named Dr. Rick Bright, a brilliant vaccine expert, was ousted as the head of HHS for having the temerity to contradict – based on real science – Trump’s espousal of the dangerous and unproven use of a malaria drug to treat the virus. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the one bright light in all this mess is sidelined and humiliated for daring to speak the truth to the “very stable genius.”

Just yesterday, Trump spewed forth more nonsense about disinfectants and ultraviolet light, suggesting that maybe disinfectant could be injected? Well, that sounds like a plan, if you’re enthusiastic about death. Perhaps Trump will put “Jared” in charge of a cure – what could it hurt?

This feckless and criminal administration is a disgrace; propped up and enabled by spineless sycophants and Congressional toadies, Trump runs roughshod over the Constitution and the rest of us are left to deal with the rank incompetence and the dangers posed to our very existence as a nation.

Yes, I am grateful to the task force, to the people who, against all odds, are doing their jobs in this dreadful time, trying to find a way forward, a vaccine and ultimately a cure; those doing the dangerous work of treating and healing, often at risk to their own lives and the lives of loved ones. But we might be further along the road to a recovery if real leadership was involved.

Georgiana Silvestro