Both Political Parties Have Huge Problems

[Flexacon]

Well, you have a point about the Western European connection (and the brilliant Turks involved) but here is how I would respond:
The US is involved in all three of those, not Belgium, not Germany. As for J&J, that one feels heavily American to me, with that European unit being part of J&J since the 1960s and so much of the effort on that vaccine unfolding at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston.

Maybe we can agree the Johnson vaccine can be shared 50/50.

With regards to vaccine innovation however, the UK, Russia and even  India get a thumbs up too.

Stepping into politics. The EU royally fucked up on vaccine funding and the US excelled in this area. This is something Trump isn't getting enough credit for. Operation warp speed has been a huge success. Also remember he wanted to start vaccinating even earlier, and IIRC he actually wanted to buy the rights to the pfizer vaccine. Both moves would have paid off handsomely for him and the US.

That's how I see the US right now though. It's more about funding/buying innovation(in a lot of cases it isn't in the US) in the hopes of it paying of later. The US does this better than everyone else.

[mphgrove]

Maybe we can agree the Johnson vaccine can be shared 50/50.

With regards to vaccine innovation however, the UK, Russia and even  India get a thumbs up too.

Stepping into politics. The EU royally fucked up on vaccine funding and the US excelled in this area. This is something Trump isn't getting enough credit for. Operation warp speed has been a huge success. Also remember he wanted to start vaccinating even earlier, and IIRC he actually wanted to buy the rights to the pfizer vaccine. Both moves would have paid off handsomely for him and the US.

That's how I see the US right now though. It's more about funding/buying innovation(in a lot of cases it isn't in the US) in the hopes of it paying of later. The US does this better than everyone else.

One aspect of this, which is rarely recognized either within the US or outside, is that the American consumer and taxpayer is basically subsidizing world health care research and development, via our ridiculously high health care costs and the taxes we pay. I have no real problem with this as we have the funds, but it bears being recognized. This is one of many factors which impact our health care costs though, there are many others as well.

This relates directly to your comment on EU funding deficiency. The EU cannot really tax. And European governments bargain down what they pay for health care, in a way which the US does not do.

[mental_masturbator]

Democrats: The progressive world view is NOT in line with the way most Americans see things. Will Democrats be able to keep their progressive excesses in check? If not, they will hit a brick wall.

Republicans: They convey that they want to be the “working man’s” party.But they can’t help themselves from going straight to the other side (look at the US Senate at this very moment). Their actions are straight out of the playbook of corporate America. The contradiction eventually will to be too big to paper over.

There is no significant difference between these two parties.  Both are completely subservient to the wealthy and corporations.  What passes for rhetoric these days may sound different, but rest assured that on policy matters they are in agreement.

[SOMEPARTS]

I have no real problem with this as we have the funds

No, just no... Really, really dumb.