By Frank Spotorno With Dan Murphy
On Jan. 15, a delegation from China, led by Vice Premiere Liu He, visited the White House to sign a trade agreement deal with President Donald Trump. At that meeting, Vice Premiere He did not mention the fact that his country was dealing with a virus outbreak that would endanger the U.S. and billions of people across the globe.
More than 50 days after that meeting, the U.S. finally became aware of the dangers of the Coronavirus and began taking action. Most believe the actions of our president and our country were too little and too late.
But what about the actions of the Chinese government, and their lies and misinformation regarding COVID-19? As the rest of the world works together, shares information and tries to come up with a cure and a way to stay safe, the Chinese government has shown itself to be a bad actor on the world stage.
Are we really supposed to believe that only 82,000 Chinese people got the Coronavirus, when China shut down the entire City of Wuhan, which has a population of 15 million – more than the size of New York City? New York State already has 45,000 COVID-19 cases, which will double over the next few days. China likely has a million cases, and thousands more than they have reported are dead.
My dispute is not with the Chinese people, who I know and respect to be good, hard-working, family-oriented people. My problem is with the Chinese Communist Party, the CCP, which should be taken to task for not sharing important information with the global community on COVID-19.
For almost 30 years, I have been calling on our American corporations to “Bring Our Jobs Home” and to reopen the thousands of American factories that were emptied, and the 5 million jobs that went with them to China.
Not only do we need the manufacturing jobs for Americans, but we need the factories to start making the medical supplies and items that we are currently running short on – like masks, gloves, ventilators and prescription medicines.
With the economic slowdown and upcoming recession that we now see in our country, our American corporations are once again asking for a bailout from Congress and our president. Our banks got the bailout in 2008, and now Boeing, the airlines, cruise companies and more want the same bailout.
I agree with U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, who said, “To any multinational corporations that come to Congress asking for taxpayer $$$, you better come prepared to explain how you will move supply chains and jobs back to America if you want my vote.”
The message is simple: If you want taxpayer money, bring jobs back to the United States. And for the many Americans who have already lost their jobs, or will lose their jobs as the COVID-19 spread continues, the best remedy would be a new job.
The time had come to bring our jobs back to the USA years before this virus. Now it makes more sense than ever, and especially if some of the same corporations that made billions shipping their jobs and factories overseas now want a taxpayer bailout.
We need the jobs back home if America will every recover economically from COVID-19. And the Chinese Communist Party should realize that if it wants to be the major economic, technological and military power in the world, it cannot lie to the world about a virus that may kill millions.
We also need to bring our jobs home for national security reasons. We have all watched with pride as some American companies have stepped up to make masks, gloves, respirator, and generic medicines. Many small American businesses have also done the same, and are making the needed medical supplies for our doctors, nurses, staff and first responders. I’m also proud to see us making hand sanitizer, and whatever else we can, in New York State and across the country.
But we do have many “supply side issues” that need to be resolved to make sure we are better prepared for the next virus. Many generic drugs require chemicals that are only made in China. India, a more friendly American ally, recently ordered all medicines to stay in the country. Almost all antibiotics and penicillin are made in China or India. That must change.
Let us use this moment in our history to fix the weakness in our medical supply chain, which is a danger to our public health. This is not a Democratic or Republican issue, this is an American issue. And this is not about the Chinese people. Do not punish the Chinese-Americans in our country. The virus is not their fault.
There is still a “can do” attitude in this country. We have seen it in the volunteers and businessmen and women who have stepped up to help and serve our country. Let’s keep this spirit going and expand on it, so we can give Americans jobs and protect them and ensure they have the medicines and supplies they need. It’s very simple: Make it in the USA again.
Frank Spotorno is founder of Bring Our Jobs Home and was a candidate for Congress in New York City. He lives in Yonkers.
