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Global Questions: Global Questions: Focus on America

Discussion & Talk

Focus on America

18/07/2020 GMT

BBC World Service - Global Questions, Global Questions, Focus on America

Could Coronavirus change America for good?

The United States has a higher Coronavirus death toll than any other country in the world, with infection rates still dangerously high. To what extent can the blame be laid at the door of the White House? President Trump has consistently downplayed the impact of the virus. How badly could that hurt his chances of re-election in November? Or are individual states responsible? After all, they’ve handled lockdowns differently, with some governors prioritising the economy and an early return to work. Has the pandemic laid bare the fractures and fissures in American society, with the poor and ethnic minorities disproportionately hit? Experts claim countries like the USA  have been particularly badly affected as they don’t have a socialised health system (26 million US citizens still don’t have health insurance).  The economic and social consequences of the lockdown are taking their toll as Covid19 continues to wreak havoc. America was shaken by the death of Floyd George and the Black Lives Matter movement is gaining momentum. Could Coronavirus change America for good?
Presented by Zeinab Badawi.
 
PANEL
Matthew Mackowiak Chairman of the Travis County Republican Party he is also a DC-based political and communications consultant and President of Potomac Strategy Group. 
Moe Vila Former Senior Advisor to Joe Biden, he is the first Hispanic to serve in two senior executive roles in the White House, first during the Clinton Administration as Chief Financial Officer and Senior Advisor for Latino Affairs in the office of Vice President Al Gore, and later during the Obama Administration as Director of Administration for Vice President Joe Biden.

Global Questions: Global Questions

As coronavirus spread around the world so did a wave of misinformation about it. From untested home remedies to misleading videos adding confusion and concern about what can and can’t be trusted. Platforms such as Facebook and Google have, for the first time, taken a tougher stance on what is shared online. But is it up to them and are they doing enough?  Political rumours,  progaganda and conspiracy theories are nothing new particularly on social media – but how far does the disordering of information go in misleading the public and undermining democracy and governments?
Panel:-
Jan Neutze Director of Cybersecurity Policy at Microsoft responsible for Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). 
Martha Lane Fox Co-founded Last Minute.com, Peer and expert on public service digital projects.
Presented by Zeinab Badawi.

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