May 13, 2020 Issue, Page 4 of 8

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Page 4 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Wednesday, May 13, 2020 Trump’s blame game with China can’t Opinion Page “ElkCituNews disguise his massive COVID-19 failures Serving Western Oklahoma since 1901 Let’s salute By Trudy Rubin, The Philadelphia Inquirer For critical weeks in Feb- is dangerous. Dr. Anthony Fauci, along with a stream legislators are proposing publics from France to Italy Jaws lifting China’s sover- to Vietnam and Malaysia - of leading epidemiologists, eign immunity so Ameri- that opens the door to global the ingenuity ruary and early March Presi- dent Donald Trump claimed COVID-19 would magically have stressed that the virus originated in nature, not in a laboratory. (China and Rus- cans can sue Beijing over pushback if Trump were COVID-19 deaths, or can- willing to lead it. This is the celing principal or interest moment to strengthen West- of American disappear by itself or with payments on Treasury bills ern and Asian alliances to sia have spread rumors that warmer weather. began as a U.S. bioweapon, purchased by China. deal with China on broader That didn’t work. So, but a democracy should not Did no one stop to think issues such as the South Chi- with the death toll at more be playing this authoritarian that, if the U.S. unilaterally nurses than 75,000 and rising, the president needs a new magic formula to deflect public at- game.) As for claims that the out- break might have stemmed rules that China is not im- mune to lawsuits, Beijing could do the same to us na Sea, Taiwan and 5G. Instead, by unilaterally ginning up anti-China hys- tention from his slow and from an accident at the Wu- with untold consequences? teria in the USA, Trump en- By Angela Sailor, The Heritage Foundation courages Beijing’s recipro- chaotic response. And to han lab (which studied bat Or that, by repudiating U.S. Americans can’t seem to agree about much these days, blur the blame for the tens of viruses), the administration debt held by Beijing, Wash- cal xenophobia, without any but one thing crosses all political persuasions: gratitude thousands of new deaths that has presented no evidence. ington would destroy the strategy to contain it. Clearly for our health care professionals, especially in a time of will stem from reopening the U.S. intelligence agencies, gold-standard reputation of his much touted “friendship” pandemic. country without a national along with those of its clos- U.S. Treasury bills? with Xi Jinping didn’t help So it is particularly fitting, as we struggle with the chal- testing strategy. est allies, the United King- This is what happens when him with COVID-19. lenges of COVID-19, to pause and observe National Nurs- The miraculous formula? dom, Canada, Australia and foreign policy is made on the Nor will Trump’s blame- Blame a sneak attack by New Zealand - the so-called fly with an eye towards elec- game with China inoculate es Week, which fell May 6-12. China for causing all those Five Eyes - reportedly think tions, not results. him from responsibility for ‘The ingenuity and contributions of American nurses in deaths. this “highly unlikely.” Indeed, Beijing’s failings failing to confront the virus health care and technology have long been a beacon of “This is really the worst Yet, if the goal is truly expedited the tragic spread in the crucial weeks of Janu- light. Nurses believe, in the words of President George attack we’ve ever had,” to force China to cough up of the coronavirus, most like- Trump said last week. “This more information about the ly because, in an authoritar- ary through early March. H.W. Bush, that “No problem of human making is too There are too many tweets great to be overcome by human ingenuity, human energy is worse than Pearl Harbor. virus’s origin, the best way ian regime, Wuhan officials This is worse than the World would be to present its lead- were reluctant to report bad and speeches on the record and the untiring hope of the human spirit.” Trade Center. It could have news upward to their bosses ers with a united front of revealing how he blew off This past few days, we salute American nurses for the been stopped in China ... and concerned nations - led by in Beijing. How much the the danger, too many reports significant and notable inventions they have made to im- it wasn’t.” Washington - demanding overseas spread could have of advisers and intel briefers prove the health care of our nation and the world. And as the rhetoric soars, answers. been checked with a faster struggling to get him to take On this 38th anniversary of National Nurses Week, we demand financial reparations Despite its attempts at face response is unknown. the virus seriously. honor and salute the quintessential leadership of renowned from Beijing. mask largesse, and its im- That is why the United If this pandemic was Let me be clear: I believe pressive revival from CO- States should be leading an “Pearl Harbor,” it was the Clarissa “Clara” Harlowe Barton, founder of the American China made serious errors VID-19, the Chinese regime international full court press U.S. president who failed Red Cross. in its initial handling of has angered many countries for more information. to mobilize the nation to Clara Barton, the “Lady in Charge,” advanced the prac- COVID-19 and should be with its lack of transparency. True, Beijing has angrily test, trace and isolate when tice of nursing during the Civil War, and led care for Union pressed to come clean by They are looking in vain for rejected the idea of an inter- it would have saved thou- hospitals. We also honor unsung heroes such as Bessie the United States in concert U.S. leadership to confront national inquiry into the CO- sands oflives - and who still Griffin, Adda May Allen, Anita Dorr and Sharon Rogone. with our allies. But the way Beijing. VID disaster — suggesting a refuses to do so. Irrespective Trump is playing his U.S.- Instead, Trump has chosen boycott of Australian goods Griffin, aka “Wonder Woman,” invented the electric of the blame Chinese leaders China blame game will hurt to go it alone on COVID-19, when the idea was suggested self-feeding device in the 1940s to enable paralyzed World Americans more than it will encouraging his officials and by Australian Prime Minis- bear, history won’t absolve War II veterans to eat independently. The ingenuity of Al- Beijing. GOP legislators to ramp up ter Scott Morrison, and re- Trump of responsibility for len, a nurse for Columbia Hospital in Washington, D.C., First of all, Trump’s wink financial proposals for pun- acting aggressively against those deaths. made it easier for moms, and hospitals, to feed babies. She at debunked conspiracy ishing China. Some of the Trudy Rubin is a columnist criticism from European na- created a disposable liner for baby bottles that simplified theories that COVID-19 isinitial ideas are amazingly tions. and editorial-board member a bioweapon concocted in stupid. But it is exactly this Chi- for the Philadelphia Inquir- bottle cleanings and made bottle drinking safer for babies. a Wuhan microbiology lab For example, some GOP nese overreach - alienating er. Anita Dorr was a solutionist. While working in the emergency room, she became concerned about the length COVID-19 pandemic could of time it took to gather essential medical equipment dur- ing an emergency. Instead of complaining, Dorr worked to develop a prototype for the Emergency Nursing Crisis Cart, commonly called the crash cart. The crash cart made it easier and quicker for doctors and nurses to access their medical equipment during a time of emergency. Today the crash cart is used all over the world. Even lead to fewer births, but not for the reason you think though Dorr did not receive a patent for the crash cart, she is recognized as the inventor. She also co-founded the Emergency Nurses Association. Sharon Rogone, a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit for a hospital in San Bernardino, Calif., developed a By Chris Reed, The San lies or they value their inde- nine months later have been The pattern appears to be comfortable nylon mask to protect the eyes of premature Diego Union-Tribune pendence, contraception is thoroughly debunked. Dur- repeating itself. In Novem- babies from the harsh ultraviolet lights. Her invention is One of the most famous readily available, electronic ing recent weeks of this pan- ber, the federal government and influential scholarly devices have emerged as demic, posts on sites such known as the Bili-Bonnet. Rogone’s company, Small Be- said that the U.S. fertil- works of all time is “An Es- substitutes for interpersonal as Wired and Slate are ac- ity rate continued to decline ginnings, has since created other inventions for preemies. say on the Principle of Popu- relationships and some peo- tively discouraging hookups even after the U.S. economy Florence Nightingale, the “Lady with the Lamp,” is lation,” published in 1798 by ple just aren’t looking for even though dating app use rebounded from the Great credited with revolutionizing medicine and patient care, English economist Thomas such relationships. seems to be holding steady. Recession. Last year, the elevating the status of the nursing profession. Many have Robert Malthus. The implications are im- And the admonition for so- U.S. population grew by paved the way for innovation in health care. Extraordinary His warning that popu- mense. Some are positive. cial distancing of at least 6 lation would increase far A smaller population means feet to keep from spreading the smallest amount in more examples include Linda Richards, the first nurse to earn a than a century - since the faster than food production less global warming and the virus makes intimacy, nursing diploma in the United States, and James Derham, in normal circumstances _ more available housing. In especially with strangers or last pandemic in 1918. Now, aslave who worked as a nurse to purchase his freedom and leading to mass poverty and depopulated towns in rural if you’re immuno-compro- with immigration declining later became the first African American physician. degradation - helped pave Japan, the government has mised, seem dangerous. in the Trump era, previous Alll of these front-line defenders put their lives to pro- the way for eugenics, popu- taken to giving away homes. But the biggest reason to assumptions that the U.S. vide healing and comfort for countless Americans, just as lation control, birth control, But some of the implica- assume the pandemic will population would grow by environmentalism and more. tions are scary - starting lower the birth rate around 25 million by 2030 seem today’s nurses do. It also inspired Charles Dar- with the viability of govern- the world is not fears about questionable at best. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics cites registered nurs- win’s research into evolu- ment pensions, Social Secu- the risk of transmitting the Yet 2019 may seem like ing as among the top occupations for job growth through tion, deeply influenced so- rity and Medicare and large coronavirus through sex. It’s a fecund year in retrospect. 2026. The Bureau of Labor began projecting the need for ciology and created, more or swaths of the economy (es- economic insecurity. The an additional 203,700 new RNs in 2016. The demand will less, the field of demograph- pecially health care) - when USS. fertility rate plunged in Americans in their 20s who grow each year through 2026 with the creation of new po- ics. there are nearly as many re- the 1930s during the Great watched their parents be- But 222 years later, outside tirees as workers. Depression and in the 1970s ing buffeted or worse by the sitions, and the retirement of nurses. of the continent of Africa, Great Recession have now Now the novel corona- when extreme inflation fu- Nursing students who are preparing to graduate deserve Malthus’ warning no longer virus pandemic, which has eled a recession and wide- seen 30 million jobs disap- honor and recognition. As new graduates enter the nurs- seems relevant. The vast in- already caused more than spread public fear. pear - often their own or ing profession, they will immediately witness how their crease in global wealth over a quarter-million deaths More recently, during the their friends’ - in the U.S. in veteran peers balance the responsibilities of handling the the last 70 years has sharply around the world, could Great Recession, nearly 2.3 just six weeks. obstacles of a pandemic, providing extraordinary care for reduced food shortages. make this looming econom- million fewer babies were In a world where young And in most wealthy na- ic problem much worse - by born in the United States people have experienced so patients and advocating for the needs of their profession. tions, women aren’t having contributing to fewer babies from 2008 to 2013 than much uncertainty and tur- Americans can enjoy peace of mind knowing that new the average of 2.1 children being born. would have been born with and veteran nurses are steadfast and committed. Like Clara that would keep population The idea that having aquar- previous fertility rates, ac- moil, seem having children may like a luxury - or a Barton, they too declare to face danger, but never fear it. from declining independent antine would lead to more cording to a 2014 University And like soldiers in battle who stand and fight, they will of immigration. There are sex has been floated glibly of New Hampshire study. gamble. a lot of reasons why fewer on social media, but there is The same study noted that Chris Reed is deputy edi- stand and care for those in need. Today, more than ever, tor of the editorial and opin- children are being born, in- little evidence to back it up. for years after the Great De- let’s thank our selfless, hard-working nurses. cluding some people don’t Claims that a massive power pression, birth rates did not ion section at the San Diego Angela Sailor is vice president of the Edwin J. Feulner want kids, some people are outage in the Northeast in increase even as economic Union-Tribune. Institute at The Heritage Foundation (heritage.org). waiting longer to start fami- 1965 led to a baby boom anxieties decreased.