According to these datasets the NYT published:

China had 3,300 deaths from 80k infections, and now has fewer than 100 recent new cases. They suppressed the worst if the infection so far.

South Korea had nearly 10,000 cases, around 150 deaths, and around 100 recent new cases. They’ve suppressed the worst of the infection so far.

The US has had 142k cases and nearly 2500 deaths already with thousands of new cases. We’re not prepared, and the infection rate is still growing.

Trump is hoping to keep it around 100,000 American deaths, but lead American scientists worry it could be 200,000.

I’m sure there are problems with these data, but not at a scale that suggests that America needs to kill that many people.

Civil liberties matter. Personal freedom and democracy are important. China has serious problems including a sketchy human-rights record. No, I don’t think we should all be communist. See South Korea.

But, American leaders knew this was happening. Good epidemiologists and public-health scientists and civil servants raised the flag long before it hit.

And, here’s a huge thing to remember: China published. Some people are criticizing China over a lack of transparency. But, Coronavirus in China has been in the news since December. And, Chinese teams published data. They published data a long time ago. Whatever they may have hidden, do you not think we knew enough to at least have a plan?