Though no one wishes the world a financial crisis of the 2008 and 2009 dimensions, it would be irresponsible not to begin talks among the world’s major economies and democracies about what strains they see in the system and what contingency planning they should be undertaking should the coronavirus slowdown continue. Compared to 2009, the world’s record debt levels and its low to negative interest rates provide far less capability and then demand even more common cause.
Instead, what unfolded on 3/11/2020 in Europe and the United States were events that further underscored how divided the United States and its European partners are when they should be most united. Without consulting our allies at all, he implemented the ban – which took effect on Friday at midnight in an Oval Office address on all American television networks that left his own national security team scratching its heads, correcting mistakes (cargo wouldn’t be banned, as the President initially said), and filling in critical omissions (Americans could still travel home from Europe).
The result was one of the harshest responses ever recorded from EU leaders to an American President.
