[cardcrimson]

I expect those who have been tasked to plan for these have come up with what needs to still function in a pandemic.  Just some thoughts:

I got a good laugh out of that.  Weren't those people fired?  I've seen no indications of such a plan despite months of lead time that our government had while this was going crazy in China.

FYI, CDC's budget has actually gone up over the last few years. 
https://cdn.factcheck.org/UploadedFiles/cdc-budget.jpg
https://www.cdc.gov/about/report/cdc-funding.html
One would have thought that after SARS, Swine Flu, and MERS, somebody in the CDC would have prepared for an epidemic and not just waited for one to react.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-...emic-team/

They fired the leadership of the pandemic team.  What plans are still in place is pure speculation until someone shows me the plan.

Also, that chart is not adjusted for inflation.  As a general rule, any chart comparing $ values across years not adjusted for inflation should probably be ignored.  (Not saying the budget for CDC was cut--just that that chart isn't helpful.)

I believe that the pandemic team was authorized by Obama through executive order a month before he departed, and filled by the Trump administration. Granted Bolton reorganized the effort, resulting in the head of the organization, Tim Ziemer, to be let go. That said, Ziemer was appointed just a year before and was the only one to ever serve in the role. I could be wrong, but I can't find anyone with his title in the Obama administration. 

I did find this article from 2016 pointing out how woefully prepared we were and that the was no apparent coordinated effort and leadership hierarchy in case an outbreak does occur. Also according to the article, a "blue ribbon" panel determined that such an effort be placed under the office of, wait for it, the Vice President.

https://publicintegrity.org/national-sec...nadequate/

As for inflation, correct and pointed out as such. That said, inflation hasn't really been rampant over the last three years. In fact, over the last 4 years, inflation accounts for around 9%, CDC spending is up over 11%

None of this really matters at this point, all that is relevant is how best to move forward.

[cardcrimson]

I expect those who have been tasked to plan for these have come up with what needs to still function in a pandemic.  Just some thoughts:

I got a good laugh out of that.  Weren't those people fired?  I've seen no indications of such a plan despite months of lead time that our government had while this was going crazy in China.

FYI, CDC's budget has actually gone up over the last few years. 
https://cdn.factcheck.org/UploadedFiles/cdc-budget.jpg
https://www.cdc.gov/about/report/cdc-funding.html
One would have thought that after SARS, Swine Flu, and MERS, somebody in the CDC would have prepared for an epidemic and not just waited for one to react.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-...emic-team/

They fired the leadership of the pandemic team.  What plans are still in place is pure speculation until someone shows me the plan.

Also, that chart is not adjusted for inflation.  As a general rule, any chart comparing $ values across years not adjusted for inflation should probably be ignored.  (Not saying the budget for CDC was cut--just that that chart isn't helpful.)

I believe that the pandemic team was authorized by Obama through executive order a month before he departed, and filled by the Trump administration. Granted Bolton reorganized the effort, resulting in the head of the organization, Tim Ziemer, to be let go. That said, Ziemer was appointed just a year before and was the only one to ever serve in the role. I could be wrong, but I can't find anyone with his title in the Obama administration. 

I did find this article from 2016 pointing out how woefully prepared we were and that the was no apparent coordinated effort and leadership hierarchy in case an outbreak does occur. Also according to the article, a "blue ribbon" panel determined that such an effort be placed under the office of, wait for it, the Vice President.

https://publicintegrity.org/national-sec...nadequate/

As for inflation, correct and pointed out as such. That said, inflation hasn't really been rampant over the last three years. In fact, over the last 4 years, inflation accounts for around 9%, CDC spending is up over 11%

None of this really matters at this point, all that is relevant is how best to move forward.