Critical Hour Discussion of Trump and Coronavirus Discourse (4/24/2020)

Iran Launches Military Satellite, Was Prepared to Hit US Targets in January

On this episode of The Critical Hour, Dr. Wilmer Leon is joined by Caleb Maupin, journalist and political analyst who focuses his coverage on US foreign policy and the global system of monopoly capitalism and imperialism.

It's Friday: that means it's panel time!

"After a presentation Thursday that touched on the disinfectants that can kill the novel coronavirus on surfaces and in the air, President Trump pondered whether those chemicals could be used to fight the virus inside the human body," the Washington Post reported Friday. “'I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute,' Trump said during Thursday's coronavirus press briefing. 'And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside, or almost a cleaning? Because you see it gets inside the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that.'” I would be laughing about this, but I am concerned that someone will hear that question and think it’s okay to drink Lysol or bleach or some other disinfectant. It is not. Do not. That is ridiculous and dangerous, if not deadly.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Wednesday that it had put the country's first satellite into orbit using a Ghased - or "Messenger" - carrier to do so. No details about that carrier system are known. Meanwhile, a Wednesday Common Dreams Headline reads: "Amid COVID-19 Failures, Trump Threatens War With Order to 'Shoot Down' Iranian Boats." How significant is this satellite deployment, and have we seen this movie before? Why was it was called the Gulf of Tonkin incident? "Iran has announced it successfully launched the country's first military reconnaissance satellite after months of failures," Al Jazeera reported Wednesday. First, is Iran within its rights as a sovereign nation to do so? "Iran maintains it has no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons, and says its aerospace activities are peaceful and comply with a United Nations Security Council resolution," Al Jazeera noted.

"Missouri became on Tuesday the first US state to sue the Chinese government over its handling of the coronavirus, saying that China’s response to the outbreak that originated in the city of Wuhan brought devastating economic losses to the state," Reuters reported Tuesday. Is this the perfect example of a frivolous lawsuit that has no legal merit and no basis in law or fact? Are these allies of President Donald Trump taking their anti-China public relations blitz to new heights of absurdity, or could there be something here?

"State data shows that New York is paying enormous markups for vital supplies, including almost $250,000 for an X-ray machine. Laws against price gouging usually don’t apply," ProPublica reported on April 2. "With the coronavirus outbreak creating an unprecedented demand for medical supplies and equipment, New York state has paid 20 cents for gloves that normally cost less than a nickel and as much as $7.50 each for masks, about 15 times the usual price. It’s paid up to $2,795 for infusion pumps, more than twice the regular rate. And $248,841 for a portable X-ray machine that typically sells for $30,000 to $80,000."

"When Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) made the surprise announcement this week that the state was reopening many of its businesses within days, questions filled the minds of restaurant owners across the state," the Washington Post reported Thursday. Las Vegas, Nevada, is facing a similar issue, as Mayor Carolyn Goodman spoke with CNN's Anderson Cooper on Wednesday and called for the casinos in the city to reopen. How dangerous is this?

"The House overwhelmingly passed a $484 billion spending package Thursday as the unemployment crisis deepened, a stark illustration of how policymakers continue trying to rescue an unraveling economy amid growing despair," the Washington Post reported Thursday. "The president is expected to sign the legislation, but debate has already begun over what comes next." Are lawmakers really trying, or are these more Band-Aids than attempts at rescue?

GUESTS:

Caleb Maupin — Journalist and political analyst who focuses his coverage on US foreign policy and the global system of monopoly capitalism and imperialism.
Donald Glover —President and CEO of MVG Solutions and MVG Energy
Jim Kavanagh — Political analyst and commentator and editor of The Polemicist.
Dr. Jack Rasmus — Professor of economics and politics at St. Mary’s College in California and the author of the new book "The Scourge of Neoliberalism: US Economic Policy from Reagan to Trump.

[My segment starts at ~40:10]
Listen to "Iran Launches Military Satellite, Was Prepared to Hit US Targets in January" on Spreaker.

The Critical Hour is a daily 60-minute news analysis and talk radio program on Radio Sputnik hosted by Dr. Wilmer Leon. Introduction above is theirs, with related articles of mine referenced in brackets.