Minneapolis, MN – Political Secretary of Freedom Road Socialist Organization Steff Yorek stated on May 26, “The United States has just reached a grim milestone, 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 with no end in sight, earning this country the dubious distinction of edging into the top ten for deaths per person, with 30.46 deaths per 100,000.”

Meanwhile Trump has continued to show an utter disregard for the loss of life. The federal response has been weak, ineffectual, has intentionally undermined state public health plans and continues to steal PPE and testing supplies from states.

Yorek continued, “Trump is fueling and supporting the ‘Reopen’ campaign being sponsored and funded by the DeVos family and wealthy forces aligned with the GOP. Democratic governors are caving in to business interests, sending working people to die as new cases surge in many places.”

A recent study found that the pandemic continues to be a disaster for African Americans. Among those seeking medical care for COVID-19, Black patients were hospitalized at nearly three times the rate of white and Latino patients. The disparity remained even after researchers took into account differences in age, sex, income and the prevalence of chronic health problems that exacerbate COVID-19, like hypertension and Type 2 diabetes.

Yorek stated, “African Americans get worse health care and are more likely to face exposure to the virus, because of persistent racist discrimination.

“This push to reopen is really a push to transfer the economic crisis from the rich to working people by ending unemployment and sick leave support, leaving us with a Sophie’s choice to put ourselves in harm’s way or starve. 100,000 are dead and capitalism is making this pandemic a human-made disaster.”

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Minneapolis, MN – Freedom Road Socialist Organization’s Political Secretary Steff Yorek stated today, March 4, “As COVID-19 spreads here in the United States, the potential exists for the corporate health care system to be overwhelmed. American capitalism has developed a health care system that’s poorly equipped to do basic public health. There is no profit in disease prevention.”

Yorek noted, “The epicenter of the U.S. outbreak today is Washington state. Nine people have died in the Seattle area and health care workers are under quarantine. A new case in North Carolina can be traced to travel to Washington state. We can expect it to continue to spread while a vaccine is 12 to 18 months away. When a vaccine does come available the rich intend to make as much money off it as possible. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar said he won’t promise a vaccine will be affordable to working people because profit trumps human needs.”

Yorek also stated, “In the meantime, the virus is hitting Iran hard. The World Health Organization is very concerned that because of U.S. sanctions, there will not be sufficient disposable medical supplies and ventilators. Iran is taking many positive steps, including rapidly releasing non-violent prisoners who are clear of the virus to prevent prison-based outbreaks. It is a good thing that socialist China is providing medical assistance.

“This is the time to practice solidarity with the neighbors on the block and across the globe. We will have to be prepared and not panicked and demand that the pandemic measures meet people’s needs – not profit,” she concluded.

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In addition to waging wars on Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia and other places, the U.S. is in the midst of a massive military buildup targeting Russia and the People’s Republic of China.

“From the Philippines to Palestine, we need to be in the streets demanding ‘U.S. out’ and resisting new wars,” said Yorek. “We insist that resources be directed to addressing real problems that we are facing here at home, as opposed to defending and expanding Wall Street’s empire.”

Freedom Road Socialist Organization helped organized the march at the Republican National Convention where Trump was nominated, as well as the demonstrations at many of his campaign appearances.

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