I suppose it's redundant to point it out, but I see a few responses that are so typically American, in the negative stereotypical way the rest of the world thinks about us sometimes.

This isn't about giving away your own vaccination -- it's about having the opportunity to turn one vaccination into two. Where else would you see people riled up about this politically? Sad.

On a separate note, where can I get one of the 100 million vaccine doses the author suggests we might throw away? I know babies and kids and pregnant women are first in line, but is that really accurate? Will America really dispose of so many vaccines?

Another predictable response is that no matter what the problem is, it's America's fault. Why doesn't the rest of the world make more if they need more. Quit blaming us.

I didn't say that. But since you brought it up, why not blame us? Whose fault is it we're getting half as much vaccine as we should be, if not Americans?

Jeebus, read the article. The rest of the world IS making more by doing it differently than America. They're getting 2 doses for our 1. We could be getting 2 as well... but we got a bunch of wackjobs worried about vaccines, unwilling to trust scientists and doctors, and convinced they need the most to get "the best."

iwiwiwa:

I didn't say that. But since you brought it up, why not blame us? Whose fault is it we're getting half as much vaccine as we should be, if not Americans? Jeebus, read the article. The rest of the world IS making more by doing it differently than America. They're getting 2 doses for our 1. We could be getting 2 as well... but we got a bunch of wackjobs worried about vaccines, unwilling to trust scientists and doctors, and convinced they need the most to get "the best."

Uh... no. From the article:

But what if we could save two to four times that many lives by vaccinating another 200 million to 300 million people worldwide? ...

That safety, however, comes at the cost of exhausting the precious antigen supplies much faster — and leaving hundreds of millions elsewhere unvaccinated.

See, the thing is they didn't say that the U.S. didn't order enough FOR u.s. citizens, but that the stingy u.s. should have done things differently to prop up THE REST OF THE WORLD. Again, our politicians' job is to protect us primarily, the rest of the world later. Protecting China isn't our job, that's the job of the Chinese government.

And we don't even MAKE the vaccine, if the countries that DO want to help the world, why don't they only sell it to countries that use the vaccine with adjuvants, and NOT sell any to the u.s.? If they did that, they would have saved twice as many people, and we couldn't stop them! Isn't this really THEIR fault and not ours? They make and sell the vaccines.

And if the did refuse to sell to us, I'm sure the u.s. would make some somehow.

But the countries that make and sell the vaccine don't get blamed by the media or you, only the u.s. does! Jeebus, after you read the article, try being objective, don't just filter it through your thick belief screen.

Try not to lecture me on my beliefs as you justify American selfishness with moral relativism. An American life is worth no more than a Chinese life.

If America is respected in the world, it is for the example it sets. If America insists on having half as many doses of vaccine as it could, while other countries make more, the respect America receives is diminished. Your view is short-sighted. What's good for the American politicians protecting American citizens now, doesn't serve to sharpen our reputation in the eyes of the rest of the world when we need help later.

Furthermore, I'm not sure you're getting vaccinated. I know as of right now, I don't expect to get vaccinated. It's children first, pregnant women, and medical care providers. I'd like to get vaccinated, and if they had more, perhaps that would be a possibility. So you can't exactly argue this is a big boon to Americans anyway, if there aren't 350 million doses for us here, as well as a plan to get everyone covered. There isn't.

Yet your response is exactly his point.

It's like people wait just looking for any chance at all the jump on the US - and you're right there with them. Hey if you hate the US more power to you - we don't care at all, but at least be open about it.

Eigen:

What Iwiaia seems to forget is that someone has to pay for those 200 million doses of vaccine. Oh yeah, I forgot, we get to pay for it. If we didn't produce enough to throw away, everyone would be crying racism or something. Besides, who wants anything from the shitty American health care system anyway?

Iwaiaiiwiwi:

If I remember correctly, the world does not respect the US since Bush, at least that's what I've heard from our President. I guess the only time we get "respect" is in the immediate, when the foreigners want something.

What a knee-jerk response.

I love the U.S., but I still wish we handled all sorts of things differently. It's a strong enough country that it can take the criticism when we are doing something wrong, though I'm sure America appreciates your valiant defense.

We are getting one dose of vaccine when we could be getting two. That's not ok to point out? What is your primary concern, that other countries might realize we're being selfish?

And the U.S. is widely loved in many parts of the world, though you're right, Bush isn't such a popular figure. The reason is exactly the same as why this vaccination issue is notable -- Bush is essentially an isolationist and a buffoon who thinks America exists in a bubble, and the rest of the world has no impact on America's actions or policies.

We get respect when we show respect. Making half as much vaccine as we could shows no respect for life or health. It shows only the America-centric attitude that grates on not just the rest of the world, but also on many Americans.

Also of note - nobody commented on my statement that we all aren't getting vaccinated. Unless you're a baby, a pregnant woman, or a health care provider, that is.

If you are, I suppose you're fortunate.

If you don't fall into those categories, why are you sticking up for America? This is so much right-wing America-first rhetoric; you're defending a status quo that doesn't help, and may be actively hurting, you.

not everyone needs to be vaccinated, is the first thing. in case you didn't read the article, we ordered 200 million doses for a population of 310 million, and of those the author only estimates we'll only use 100 million! This ain't China, slim. They can't force you to be vaccinated, yet.

Why then do you want us to buy more? so MORE people go unvaccinated and MORE doses are wasted?

The second thing is, which countries do you know of that ARE vaccinating every single person in their population? Is China? India? England? who? If your answer is "i don't know" than this is just another of your anti-American rants.

Why not decde you hate France or something?

iwiwiwiwa:

Please re-read the article again. I appreciate what you are trying to say, but you sound a bit schizophrenic. Nobody is making half the number of vaccinations. They are making the appropriate number of vaccinations.

Many call for the US not to be the world's policeman/benefactor/hegemonis­t and we should let nations be unto themselves. The same mouths cry for American intervention when nations are left to themselves. BTW, every American president has continued the concept of good-will thru medical intervention throughoput the world.

iwiwiwa:

Making half as much vaccine as we could shows no respect for life or health. It shows only the America-centric attitude that grates on not just the rest of the world, but also on many Americans.

"Many Americans" think we don't do enough for the rest of the world? Last I checked, the UN would be out of business if not for American money. We're doing our part to cover the rest of the world through them and plenty of other foreign aid programs. (And global charities are largely funded by Americans.) Your argument is very selective: You ignore everything America and Americans do to focus in on some area where we could "do more." Yet, since you could always do more, it's a standard that can never be reached.

Put your strawman away.

I didn't say many americans think we don't do enough for the rest of the world. I said that many americans don't appreciate the american-isolationist view that I seem to be encountering here from pretty much everyone responding to this thread.

I don't ignore everything America and Americans do... that's you using a bit of hyperbole. I am pointing out one instance where America could get more vaccine, and potentially help out more of the world, yet chooses not to do so.

It's not a selective argument. It's a specific argument you would like to broaden, and then you would like to ascribe your stereotypical thoughts onto me.