It really doesn’t matter where the COVID-19 coronavirus came from. Wherever COVID or any infectious disease comes from, it is our government’s duty to protect us from it.
Protecting Americans from domestic and foreign harm has been a top priority of government since its inception. Three of the six principles cited in the Preamble to the Constitution focus on that – common defense, domestic tranquility, and general welfare. The first two focus upon foreign military and terrorist threats and domestic insurrection and violence. The third, general welfare, includes protecting us from the spread of infectious disease.
Such protection was institutionalized at the federal level by the National Quarantine Act of 1878. It required medical inspection of immigrants to prevent the importation of infectious disease. That mission has been retained and expanded through the Public Health Service formed in 1912, the Federal Security Agency (1939), the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (1953), and the Department of Health and Human Services (1980).
Following the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, preventive health systems were strengthened over the years. Thus, we were substantially protected from global outbreaks of SARS in 2002 (8 cases, no deaths), MERS in 2012 (2 cases, no deaths), and Ebola in 2014 (4 cases, no deaths).
Then came COVID-19 with these results: The U.S., with the world’s best health care system, has experienced the most cases, 9.2 million, and the most deaths, 234,201, of any country (all numbers as of Oct. 29). China, with five times our population, had only 4,739 deaths. India, with four times our population, had 121,131 deaths.
Our preventive systems were in place, so how could this be?
At the state level, protecting citizens from infectious diseases was institutionalized with the creation of the Mississippi State Board of Health in 1877. Its operational duties were transitioned to its State Department of Health in 1982.
Mississippi has experienced 118,587 cases, the nation’s third highest incidence rate. Mississippi has suffered 3,310 deaths, the nation’s seventh highest death rate and more deaths than Australia, Japan, Greece, and 182 other countries.
How could this be?
Nowhere is government more responsible for protecting citizens than nursing homes, which house our most vulnerable and dependent seniors. And, nowhere better illustrates the failure of government to control the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Nursing homes have become ground zero for the pandemic in the U.S. with about 40% of the deaths, despite having only 7% of the cases,” the Mississippi Center For Investigative Reporting reported. In Mississippi, nursing homes have had 40% of deaths with just 6% of total cases.
Not all nursing homes. Those few whose leaders were early adopters of 100% testing, masks, social distancing, and stringent sanitary procedures protected most residents.
The numbers – the horrible death numbers in particular – tell the grim story of ineffective to just bad leadership, of state and federal government leaders who failed to implement early and, then, sustain the steps needed to protect Americans from COVID-19.
With cases surging, many more thousands of deaths loom. The onus for excessive COVID-19 deaths falls on our leaders, President Donald Trump and Governor Tate Reeves.
“For each one shall bear his own load” – Galatians 6:5.
Crawford is a syndicated columnist from Jackson.
57 comments:
This whole thing is a fucking joke. What the shit will people do when we are confronted with an actual problem that may actually cause a large dent or even end of mankind?
It appears the solution for you is to move to China or India. I encourage you to do it.
God bless Tate Reeves and President Trump. They have managed to keep America open and safe. Some people are just taking risks and paying the price
It is remarkable that partisan politics paints blame for a novel disease not being immediately understood and instantly cured on leadership as if any human should be prescient. Those who pontificate and assign fault, even to the point of blaming deaths on response to a plague, even in the comfort of hindsight, betray bias by failing to provide anything other than blame. Humans are not, and never will be, despite the arrogant references to 'science', invincible or omniscient. To make omniscience the standard for reference indicates the author believes himself/herself to have that ability.
This is so much nonsense it is hard to decide on where to start.
We will know, with some precision, how to handle COVID and like minded viruses, in a few years. When it is over. To presume that you know it now, and can blame Trump and Reeves, is lunacy.
Where is your blame for the biggest offenders, where deaths exceeded all expectations, in New York and New York City (Cuomo)?
Testing is indeed part of the solution. How did the Democrats get that right? Trump massively incentivized the private sector in a way Democrats could not imagine. When Abbott developed a $5 antigen test, within minutes all 150 million test were scooped up by the government and distributed to the states. What Democrat had that in their plan? Why didn't they tell us about that ahed of time?
Was "Warp" the Democrats vision of getting to a vaccine? Hell no.
Soon we will hear how the Democrats had a plan to prevent Hitler from starting WWII and it was all the Republicans fault.
Wrong. The onus for excessive COVID-19 deaths falls on the American people who have enjoyed so many freedoms for so long that they feel they can continue to do as they have always done regardless of risk or consequences. There is an old adage that you can't legislate morality. Well, add another one; you can't legislate common sense and good judgment.
What’s the solution bill? What should have been done or done differently? Why do you believe death totals released by China and question everything done by your country and state? Apparently every other country is doing everything right but you fail to mention what it is they are doing differently?
Exactly right.
Do you need Trump or Reeves (or Biden) to wipe your nose or help you cross the street? Try a little common sense.
I normally don't read this guy's columns and now I know why. Anytime you see blame for a worldwide pandemic laid at the feet of two people, you know you are not dealing with a reporter with any objectivity or sense. With all due respect, the way the left is portraying this type of data is deceptive and not based on any type of reality.
It's like people forget the USA is the THIRD most populous country in the world. The next two are China and India in that order. We are also much more advanced and equipped to accurately test, trace, and report our data. It is expected that we would rank in the top 3 of cases and deaths. From a mortality standpoint, we are actually way down the list below such advanced countries as the UK, France, and Belgium. The fourth most populated country, Indonesia, fanks 5th on that list. The USA, 14th.
So, why isn't China leading in deaths and cases then, sir? Well, surveillance data shows that as far back as late Sept and early Oct. Wuhan hospitals began to see numerous amounts of traffic. China probably didn't even start reporting their deaths until much later. Second, over 21 million phone numbers disappeared between Dec and Feb in China. Did 21 million die from the Rona? We'll never know. But, we know China used its military to shut down whole cities, leaving citizens to die in their homes. To think they had less than 235,000 deaths from COVID is an exercise in stupidity. I'm sure our communist comrades are transparent.
But, India. But, India is late to the game, and it's not far off to say they are still an emerging 2nd world country entering the 1st world in many parts of their country, so medical treatment is lost on the masses of poor and afflicted that exist there. If they ever get where they can accurately track and test, they will surpass the USA by a wide margin.
Nursing home? Really, he went there with Tate and Trump. Somewhere in MA, NY, NJ, and MI the relatives of the dead are screaming, Bill your an idiot and democratic apologist. Does MS rank higher than many states? Yes. But, overall nursing homes and assisted living centers account for 42% of all COVID deaths.
Each day we are seeing more cases, yet the facts show here in the USA if you are younger than 70 your chances of survival are 99.5% and those over 70 actually have around a 99% chance of survival. Even one death is too many, but that is not going to happen. Lockdowns create more problems than the cure. It is time to universally lay the blame where it belongs, China.
And, let's also be clear, Democratic-led states have done everything possible to make sure we experience the most pain and suffering possible by extending lockdowns and hurting the economy. Study after study shows kids should be in school, that spread rates are extremely low to nil in schools. That is we protect the vulnerable, the rest of those who are young or healthy can live their lives, work, shop, and play.
Writers like this delight in the rise of cases and the daily death rate to be used as a weapon to bludgeon leaders they don't like. They mislead and twist facts to fit their agenda. Yet, the rest of us want to live despite the virus because we know that cowering in fear will not save us from anything and only ends up costing us more than our lives in the end.
"China, with five times our population, had only 4,739 deaths. India, with four times our population, had 121,131 deaths."
.....and with that one quote, you lost all credibility.
Just recovered from the "China Virus" and I would call it a very mild case of the flu, and openly state, that as a country, with these blanket lockdowns/shutdowns, WE have allowed a huge mistake. Protect the vulnerable, and let's get back to work.
Opening statement is incorrect on many different levels. It follows that the rest of his logic would also be tainted.
Most agree with Bill, you guys will find out this week. Democrats are going for the clean sweep. If you want Mississippi to have a voice think before you vote.
Suspicions verified. Bill Crawford is a effing idiot. He is the reason socialists and communists were able to take over their respective countries.
this guy isn't a reporter or "columnnist". he's a has been, washed up, bitter former government beurocrat. all he knows how to do is take shots at republicans, without ever giving any real solution alternatives. he's from meridian, and has been a laughing stock for decades. he just doesn't realize it.
So Bill Crawford thinks Communist Chinas govt controlled and reported COVID death numbers are to be believed? Fool
i was going to comment, but November 1, 2020 at 8:55 AM said everything that needed to be said.
If you are old, sick or scared ... stay in the basement. I would tell you a covid joke but there's a 99.6% chance you wouldn't get it. Why did the CDC stop counting flu cases this year? Hmmmmmmm. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out.
Wear masks, gloves, and goggles and social distance. this is our only common sense defense until we get a vaccine.
This isn't (wasn't) a pandemic. It's a MARKETING SCHEME. The products being marketed, include vaccines, tests, assorted disinfectants and janitorial supplies, tracking, and (as Killary phrased it) "Dignified Isolation" (you might want to google the scandals coming out of Australia's quarantine hotels. These are/were for-profit, grossly corrupt, and DEADLY)
All of these products, are being offered by private concerns, for PROFIT. All of those concerns have INVESTORS. Many of those recruited (aka "allowed to participate":) as investors, are persons or entities possessing extreme wealth and/or extreme power. Some are politicians. Some are Internet titans.
Then, there are the shills, stooges, and quislings, recruited to help PROMOTE the virus. I'd call Fauci and Cuomo stooges (or Capos). Cuomo's sending Covid-19 patients INTO nursing homes, was a stroke of genius. What better way to INFLATE THE FATALITY NUMBERS, and thus the "urgency" of the "crisis"?
Mr. Minor seems to be shilling for the Covid Industry. A certain governor seems to be a classic quisling.
None of the “measures” to fight SARS-COV-2 pontificated by our esteemed journalist community (whom have never actually done anything in life themselves outside of bitch for a living) have any scientific data completely backing the claim to reduce the spread. The only things that will be effective against the virus will be therapeutics and vaccines developed by the great American pharmaceutical companies while in competition with each other. Outside of that, there is nothing we can do to stop the spread of such a contagious virus which thankfully has low lethality. We will all most likely get it eventually, shutting down the economy will only leave everyone broke and sick.
November 1, 2020 at 9:23 AM; most Americans don't agree with bill, and it is the democrats that will find out this week. but if you mean most democrats agree with bill, then you would be correct.
more people die every year from medical mistakes by doctors than will have died this year from the wu-flu.
more people die every year from smoking related illnesses than will have died this year from the wu-flu.
to blame Trump or Reeves for people dying of the wu-flu, takes a special kind of ignorance, and intellectual dishonesty. this is a new virus, no one had any antibodies for it, and until everyone comes into contact with it, and at some point in time everyone will, there won't be much herd immunity. the normal flu kills fewer people each year because it's been around for a long time, and people have built up antibodies. maybe not to every strain of the flu, but we already have some level of built-up defense when we do come into contact with whatever strain of the flu is going around.
you want to blame specific people for wu-flu deaths? then blame democrat governors who decided it was a good idea to force nursing homes and elder care facilities to take wu-flu positive patients.
10:36 here, again. Apparently, I've gotten my Bills mixed-up. In my last paragraph, I meant Bill CRAWFORD: not Bill Minor. Who-the-hell is Bill Crawford?
Bill Crawford left the GOP in 1994 via a letter he mailed to Republican headquarters. I don’t recall anyone ever inviting him to rejoin. This opinion column of his is a true example why he has not been asked back. Complete RINO.
Whether you agree with his politics or not, he's right. The numbers don't lie. Funny as heck to see one guy post, "Well, China's probably not right on their numbers,,, but, but,...." Well, Bubba, does your Conspiracy Theory World tell you that all these exhausted doctors, nurses, undertakers and grave diggers are in some big ole "secret" "world wide" conspiracy??? Because those overwhelmed hospitals, grieving families, rows of burials, and lonely horrible deaths of our elderly and vulnerable are REAL.
LOOK at how bad those statistics are. Or, get somebody who passed 4th grade math to interpret it for you.
Bubba, 99.6% of ALL Americans survived World War II. We ain't done real well, Cletus.
Wednesday morning, reality will have slapped the Covidiots in the face, and we'll be facing a nightmare, politically, as a result of ignorance and arrogance.
And Tater CLEARLY raised the white flag of surrender after getting his ego stroked at the White House. What a pathetic suckup and wimp he is.
We'll be lucky if we and Texas and Georgia don't have Democratic Senators, then.
Thanks, Covidiots!!! When the taxes skyrocket, you get fined for "misgendering" someone, and gun control is passed to ban ARs, thank a Covidiot!
"Most agree with Bill, you guys will find out this week. Democrats are going for the clean sweep. If you want Mississippi to have a voice think before you vote."
I'd rather have Covid than whatever is causing you to have this kind of brain rot.
There is a reason why the United States is in the top 5 for per-capita deaths in the world, and why particular states like Mississippi are way above average even considering the poor overall performance of the nation as a whole. That is because "leaders" like Trump and Reeves did their best to minimize the perceived impact of the pandemic even as it was killing off the most vulnerable people. They made a conscious decision that people who are over the age of 70 or have underlying health conditions were completely expendable and didn't deserve any protections.
Of course they understood the ignorance of the average American and played up the "all or nothing" approach to mitigation. Selective, targeted restrictions on the most risky activities along with a consistent message encouraging people to limit their time out of the house to a minimum and wear a mask when they did would have helped a lot.
COVID wasn't anywhere near as bad as it could have been. What is scary is how it shows how irresponsibly American will react in the future should a more potent virus start spreading. Apparently anything under a 50% mortality rate is perfectly acceptable since it wouldn't be as bad as the Black Death in the middle ages.
Anonymous said...
This isn't (wasn't) a pandemic. It's a MARKETING SCHEME. The products being marketed, include vaccines, tests, assorted disinfectants and janitorial supplies, tracking, and (as Killary phrased it) "Dignified Isolation" (you might want to google the scandals coming out of Australia's quarantine hotels. These are/were for-profit, grossly corrupt, and DEADLY)
———————-
TYPING in CAPS doesn’t make you LOOK SMART
There are two things I know about bill now. 1. He’s a partisan idiot. 2. He’s gonna vote for Dementia Joe.
It continues to be irritating that so many of you want to politicize a highly contagious, disabling and deadly virus.
Here's your hint as to why a united defense across political lines is important. It works. SEE CANADA!
IF we hadn't acted like flat earthers and been United as our name suggests, we'd be like Canada.
But, no, you wanted to stick you heads in the sand, get buckets instead of fire hoses , and look where you've gotten us!
Some of you have extremely low reading comprehension scores and some of you are so politically paranoid, you read words that aren't there.
And, some of you don't know the difference between legitimate newspapers and tabloids.
You've aided and abetted our foreign enemies with your unwillingness to accept science or math and willingness to believe far fetched myths that even Tucker Carlson just apologized for furthering,KF. You've made our economy harder to recover rather than easier ( see Canada) and you
Only a democrat would expect the government to be responsible for their safety during a plague.
Let this be your last warning to turn off netflix and PREPARE!
So apparently this writer thinks that man can control nature. Just as man can control global warming. Man DOES NOT CONTROL NATURE, nor will he ever control it. Our leaders made decisions based on the best evidence presented at the time. Everyone in the world can do a lot of second-guessing after an incident, but NO HUMAN has the ability to read the future as so many critics think leaders do.
While 90% of critics bemoan what happened and brood on the past, it is the other 10% who are using their brains to develop solutions to future challenges that are the ones who should be encouraged. It's a great example of this election too -- those who continue to only complain about the past vs those determined to find solutions and a better future.
actually China probably does have less deaths than us. they force their citizens to wear masks and be tested for covid19. little flare up and they test millions.
we should have followed the japan model. avoid crowds and small spaces. protect the vulnerable. instead we listened to the corrupt CDC which denied it was airborne until recently...
I just don't get it, most of you come from "Poor Now Yonder" it's amazing how you can forget where you came from, without social programs most of you would be working at a furniture plant if you were lucky. Most just leave.
If Trump and Tater Tot are so damn backward then why are the French, Germans, Brits, Kiwis, and Australians all protesting the restrictions and pushing back hard against their progressive enlightened utopian (draconian) governments?
Oh, you mean CNN, Reddit, Twitter and Facebook didn't let you see any of that, did they?
I blame Trump and Reeves for NOT turning Mississippi into a bigger swamp of poverty and misery than it already is. crawford is an idiot.
Can we start a collection to cancel these columns? KF, please post the price.
Any Lib you hear spouting this crap ask them 2 question. 1) What would have been an acceptable number of deaths ? 2) If only that many had died would you be voting for Trump ? Hmmm Thought So !
Amen @1:50
We are still free right now while so many are not. And the so called "progressives" not only want to submit to tyranny, they want to subject the rest of us.... Meanwhile, we are the envy of the entire planet because dyring the lockdowns and civil unrest we can by guns, ammo, food, gasoline, and go vote!
What does this site give revelence to Bill Crawford?
@ folks responding to 9:23 it's looking like a Landslide...the vote is already in with the exception of the 117k in Texas there isn't much left to contest. Let's remember the majority rules.
Think. Think. Think.
I’m in for $50 to never see these stupid columns again.
Reading this bullshit as a young person who chose to stay in MS amplifies my guilt in knowing I made the wrong decision.
I was largely encouraged by the number of reasonable responses in this thread. I thought I was going to be able to say 'all', but then I reached 9:23 am and even worse, 12:26 pm. Still, by and large, good responses and I'm proud to be in MS. I'm thankful for Trump's leadership (especially compared to the alternatives).
Virus is gonna virus. There is no magic pill to make you safe forever. Masks don't work. Lockdowns are worse. Let's get back to work.
As for Tuesday, maybe the polls are right and Trump loses big. Even so, we'll be ok. I'll still vote for him. And the Lord is still in charge.
Just love the hate, panic and chaos I'm reading on this site. Please, keep it up. Wonderful to hear the arrogance of those who feel they have any control over death. Like people saying we have control over the weather/climate. By the way 8:09 I've been to both India and China, on the taxpayers dime by the way, and they are way worse then we could ever dream of being. Please all, have a nice day and hope you stay safe from whatever it is that scares you. Bye
You Trump people are really scary. Really, really scared. And ignorant.
No President could have stopped the virus from coming to America. It is a worldwide virus. It was politicized by Democrats from the very beginning when they attacked the President for limiting flights from Wuhan, and then Europe. Look at the data, lockdown countries have fared no better than open countries. It’s science.
Applaud your courage Bill in writing the plain truth. So many Trump idiots are Covidiots thanks to Fox News.
It not too late, we can correct the Great American Error tomorrow!
Bill Crawford once held a big ADMIN position at MDA..... He was a fat waste of carbon then.
To Jacksun, "Can we start a collection to cancel these columns? KF, please post the price." and "I’m in for $50 to never see these stupid columns again." Remember, where else can you come to and bitch like a little girl for near free?
It goes with the territory. Mr. Trump trades in exaggeration and will take credit for the sun rising every day so why not take the blame as well? It's a two way street. When the virus is over Mr. Trump will take the biggest victory lap in history. Let him and his stooge bear some blame.
I think people are so cute when they morph words into insults. They are so precious. Bless their hearts.
The only people that bear any blame covid 19 are the chicoms and Charles Lieber. Since it is doubtful we will ever arrest any of the responsible chicoms, they should prosecute Charles Lieber for teaching our secrets at the wuhan lab and also any of his Mossad handlers they can get their hands on.
https://nypost.com/2020/01/28/harvard-professor-charged-for-lying-about-1-5m-chinese-research-scheme/
Always blame the government, eh Mr Crawford? More government is always your answer.. :facepalm
No personal responsibility?
This from a guy who sits on the board and helps administer one of Mississippi's major hospitals, one that owns various facilities including long term care facilities where the China virus spread like wildfire.
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