United States

False Coronavirus Claims about New Zealand

On August 17th, 2020, Trump made a false coronavirus claim about the “big surge in New Zealand, you know it’s terrible. We don’t want that.” New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern pointed out that Trump’s statement was “patently false … I think anyone who’s following COVID and its transmission globally will quite easily see that New Zealand’s nine cases in a day does not compare to the United States’ tens of thousands, and in fact does not compare to most countries in the world.” The United States coronavirus per capita death rate is 12 times worse than New Zealand’s.

It is What it Is

In an interview August 4th, D. Trump responded to a question about the spread of the coronavirus in the US by saying, “It is What it Is.”  The question is what should it be? According to Worldometers, the US ranks 206th in per capita death rates despite Trump’s claims that the US is doing better than the world. Trump also claims the US does the most testing in the world, but on a per capita basis the USA ranks 18th in the world, not first. The European Union, Canada, Australia and New Zealand continue to deny right of entry to US citizens for safety reasons.

Bahamas Lifts Ban on USA Flights

On July 31, 2020 the Bahamas announced that US citizens can visit the Bahamas provided that they quarantine for 14 days at an approved locations, obtain a Bahamas health visa and have a negative COVID-19 PCR test result from an accredited lab that was taken within 10 days of arrival.

Black Lives Matter – What it’s Really About

REMINDER: context is everything! In the context of our current sociopolitical circumstances, when you say “black lives matter,” you’re expressing a belief that all lives matter. When you say “all lives matter,” you’re expressing a belief that black lives don’t. Whether or not you consciously believe it, that is what you’re expressing.

I know that out of context this makes no sense but you have to understand that in our current situation (the last 400 years or so) it’s true, and if you don’t understand yet, please keep trying! Lives do depend on it! I want what everyone wants: to use the phrase “all lives matter” and for it to actually be true, and breathe that collective, contended sigh of relief. We’re not there yet.

Thank you to a good friend for the gentle reminder that this conversation isn’t over and really hasn’t even begun. – Drew N.

USA Losing the Coronavirus Battle

USA Losing the Coronavirus Battle, June 30 2020

On July 1, 2020 the European Union reopened travel to its member nations by allowing arrivals from Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, S Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay. The United States did not make the list.

USA Suffers Serious Coronavirus Setback

On June 26th, 2020, the United States saw the resurgence of the coronavirus reach record levels never seen before. Florida had over 8.900 cases in a single day and the country had over 47,000 new cases in one day. Texas and Florida began reimposing restrictions that reverse the opening of their states. Arizona and California are also hard hit and will need to impose restrictions too. Meanwhile Pence said to the press today that “we have flattened the curve” and today Trump said, “We’re having some very good numbers coming out in terms of the comeback, the comeback of our nation and I think it’s going very rapidly and it’s going to be very good.”  Seriously? This is blatant dereliction of duty by the Trump administration.

For comparison, New Zealand has eliminated the coronavirus and packed stadiums watch rugby with no social distancing required.

More Than Any Other President?

“It’s amazing what I’ve done. The most, by far, of any President” – D Trump

• 120,00 dead
• between 30 – 40 million unemployed
• debt increased by $5.2 trillion
• 10 biggest Dow point drops in history
• Highest trade deficit in history
• Manufacturing at a 10 year low
• Small farm bankruptcies up 24%

Check out what Jacinda Ardern’s government has done for New Zealand in just two years by comparison.

Best Coronavirus Responses

Best Coronavirus Responses – Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Honorable mention goes to Germany, Iceland, the Emirates, Greece and Argentina.

Despite claims by D Trump that the USA is doing better than everyone, as of June 17, 2020 the US ranks 28th in per capita testing, not first, and 9th in per capita death rates, not lowest.

Black Lives Matter

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser in response to D. Trump created Black Lives Matter Plaza and said,  “My police department will always protect DC and all who are in it whether I agree with them (such as those exercising their First Amendment Right) or those I don’t (namely, @realdonaldtrump). While he hides behind his fence afraid/alone, I stand w/ people peacefully exercising their First Amendment Right after the murder of #GeorgeFloyd & hundreds of years of institutional racism There are no vicious dogs & ominous weapons. There is just a scared man.”

Black Lives Matter protests have spread throughout the world, including the UK, Germany, Israel, Japan, France, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Korea, Mexico, Iran, Senegal, Jamaica and Thailand.

NFL apology by Commissioner Roger Goodell – “We, the NFL, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black People. We, the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the NFL, believe Black Lives Matter.”

Quarterback Drew Brees responded to criticism from D Trump – “Through my ongoing conversations with friends, teammates, and leaders in the black community, I realize this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been. We can no longer use the flag to turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our black communities.”

Places to Visit

Where Can Americans Travel?

As of July 15, 2020, US Citizens can visit the following countries without any restrictions: Albania, Dominican Republic, Kosovo, Maldives, Mexico, North Macedonia, Serbia, Tunisia and Turkey.

US Citizens can visit the following countries with a negative coronavirus test: Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Cambodia, Croatia, Ecuador, Egypt, French Polynesia, Jamaica, Perto Rico, Rwanda, St Barts, St Luca, St Maarten, St Vincent & Grenadines, Tanzania, Turks & Caicos, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates – Dubai only. Entry to the United Kingdom requires a 14 day quarantine.

Within the United States, travel restrictions have been imposed by many states hoping to restrict the spread of coronavirus from outbreaks in the southern states and California.

Best Time to Visit the United States

The weather in the United States varies greatly. Southern states are hot in summer and comfortable in winter. Northern states experience extreme cold in winter. The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans moderate the winter temperatures. Tourists find California and Florida to be attractive destinations in winter. Skiers prefer the Rocky Mountains and Cascade ranges at that time of year. In the summer the national parks such as the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and the Glacier Park are popular. Las Vegas is perfect in spring and fall, but with its air conditioned inter-connected buildings, it is popular year round. New York is exciting regardless of the weather. Meanwhile Hawaii is roughly the same temperature all year long, so anytime is the best time to visit Hawaii.

United States – Visa Requirements

Travel visa requirements to the United States are not straight forward, because travel bans issued in 2017 have been challenged in the courts. So, visa requirements are very confusing. The US Department of State web site indicates countries that are eligible for their Visa Waiver Program. The web site also has the Nonimmigrant Visa Application online application form for those requiring a visa or check your specific country at VisaHQ. For a list of exempt countries, visit Project Visa.

US Healthcare

People who travel to the United States from other countries are well aware of the higher cost of healthcare in the United States. Costs for doctors, medical facilities and prescription drugs are all significantly higher in the United States. On average, costs are twice as high in the US when compared to other developed nations. Insurance companies immediately increase their rates for any vacation that includes time spent in the US. So, if you travel to the United States, you need to purchase additional medical coverage.

Studies consistently rank the United States healthcare system poorly. In addition to high costs, poor coverage is a problem. According to PBS, 38 million people in the US have inadequate coverage and 44 million people have no coverage at all. That means 1 person out of 4 in the United States is at risk of financial ruin from unexpected health problems.

In 2017 the Commonwealth Fund assessed the healthcare systems for 11 developed countries and rated the United States last. The countries with better healthcare included the UK, Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, Canada and France. Meanwhile Bloomberg posted a 2018 study on the efficiency of healthcare systems for 56 different countries. The United States ranks tied for next to last place.

Don’t confuse a poor healthcare system with the quality of care found at individual US hospitals though. The Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins Hospital consistently rank as the best hospitals in the world. The issue is that many people in the United States don’t have access to quality healthcare. Make sure to top up your medical insurance if you travel in the United States.

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