https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/trump-disbanded-nsc-pandemic-unit-experts-praised-69594177
This article is pretty neutral in tone, and lays out a good description of what and some possible why’s of the dismantling of the pandemic team in 2018.
For one, it had less to do with the CDC as far as I could tell. It was a NSC team. I was confusing the two. Maybe others were clearer on that point.
Congress has a bipartisan bill in the works to make such a team permanent. I am pretty sure that we could have gotten a head start with a team in place. A matter of misplaced priorities for reasons still unclear.
IMHO
Tidewater News and Opinion Forum 
You have to wonder, even if the NSC board was in place and made recommendations in December/January, would the white house have followed their advice.
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True, there was an assumption the advice from experts in the field would be listened to and acted upon, but there is little evidence to support such a conclusion in this administration.
Heck, they turned down test kits because “they” could do it better and faster…….
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RE: “would the white house have followed their advice?”
Why wouldn’t they? After all, the White House acted on CDC advice to restrict travel from China back in January.
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The travel restrictions took effect February 2. We already had cases in the US. China had announced to WHO about the virus epidemic in December.
Trump said in a news interview March that he closed the borders. Not true. Just some restrictions with lots of exceptions.
https://www.factcheck.org/2020/03/the-facts-on-trumps-travel-restrictions/
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RE: “The travel restrictions took effect February 2.”
I stand corrected. Thanks.
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I am glad to have this article, as it makes some factual detail available for discussion of this topic.
After reading it I don’t see much need for a permanent pandemic response team in the White House or the NSC. Sure, castles in the air are nice, but we don’t need castles for everything.
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Yeah, why have a standing military, just call in some part-timers when we’re attacked…
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That is one opinion.
Most people in the world health business would say that the threat from a pandemic is far more dangerous than any terrorist attack or enemy invasion.
We have a $750 billion DOD for the latter. A small team with a budget in the millions was prudent under Obama and, in my opinion, would have been prudent now.
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RE: “We have a $750 billion DOD for the latter.”
Part of which pays for extensive planning and readiness capabilities for dealing with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense threats. Apart from that, we have an entire federal agency, the CDC, that exists for the sole purpose of responding to public health emergencies.
As a result, I see it as a judgement call whether the White House needs a standing team devoted to this one task.
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Well then I submit that it was the wrong call.
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Trump claims to know nothing about the decision to dismantle the National Security Council’s pandemic team. That is either a lie or just more evidence that he is not capable of doing his job.
https://www.politicususa.com/2020/03/13/sherrod-brown-wh-pandemic-team.html
And when he was asked about this decision by a reporter he called it a “nasty question.” Then proceeded to disclaim any knowledge or responsibility. What a loser!
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