Founded in 1948, WHO is a United Nations agency whose charter is to plan and coordinate the international response to health emergencies and help countries monitor, prepare for, and recover from disease threats. 

While not without controversy, WHO is the single best forum for predicting and planning for events affecting the health of humans across the planet.

Media coverage of the US withdrawal has focused on political rancor (Trump believes WHO mishandled the pandemic) and funding (While the US is one of 194 participating countries, it funds almost 20% of the agency’s $6.8 billion budget).[i]

As the new Administration gives up America’s seat for global health planning, its important to shine a light on real issues impacting Americans’ health and well-being. They are worth public scrutiny and debate, starting with this statement:

America is a First-World Nation Battling its Own Third-World Health Crises

America’s health care system is the most expensive in the world. It’s staffed with some of the world’s best health and medical talent. Despite this, we are at the bottom of the list in overall health compared to all developed nations. This includes access to care, administrative efficiency, equity, and health care outcomes. ^[ii]

• Americans are among the least healthy people in the rich world and among the most likely to die early.
• The richest men in America live longer than the average man in any country. The poorest have life expectancies comparable to men in Sudan and Pakistan.[iii] 
• If you are a citizen of Mississippi, you probably won’t live as long as someone from Bangladesh. [iv] [v] [vi]

• Maternal mortality rates for American women are worse than in most third-world countries. Even more unexplainable is that Black women are three times more likely to die of childbirth than White women. This gap is worse today than it was when we began keeping records in the early 1900’s.[vii] 
• America is a global leader in avoidable amputations. This is mainly due to the improper management of diabetes, which impacts 38.4 million Americans.[viii]
• 30 million Americans die prematurely each year from preventable diseases. Twenty-seven percent of US health-care spending goes to managing health conditions that are preventable.[ix]

As the World Health Organization focuses on increasing its investments in global Public Health, it’s important to note that America’s investment in similar Public Health services is declining.

Winston Churchill once said, “Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have.”  And so, as we discuss and debate America’s role in creating a healthier world through organizations like WHO, let us actively debate and decide what priorities we will invest in to improve the health of the 330 million people who call America home.

[i] https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/what-is-the-world-health-organization-and-why-does-trump-want-to-leave-it/ar-AA1xFf0l?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[ii]Mirror, Mirror 2024: A Portrait of the Failing U.S. Health System,  Commonwealth Fund, September, 2023, https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2024/sep/mirror-mirror-2024

[iii] Raj Chetty, Michael Stepner, Sarah Abraham, Shelby Lin, Benjamin Scuderi, Nicholas Turner, Augustin Bergeron, and David Cutler,  Income and Life Expectancy in the United States: Executive Summary,  The Health Inequality Project, April 2016, https://www.healthinequality.org/documents/paper/healthineq_summary.pdf 

[iv] NICHOLAS KRISTOF, How Do We Fix the Scandal That Is American Health Care? New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/16/opinion/health-care-life-expectancy-poverty.html?smid=em-share

[v] Life Expectancy at Birth by State, National Center for Health Statistics, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/life_expectancy/life_expectancy.htm (cdc.gov)

[vi] Life Expectancy at Birth – Bangladesh, World Bank Group https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN?locations=BD

[vii]Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999: Healthier Mothers and Babies, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999: Healthier Mothers and Babies (cdc.gov)

[viii] NICHOLAS KRISTOF, How Do We Fix the Scandal That Is American Health Care? New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/16/opinion/health-care-life-expectancy-poverty.html?smid=em-share

[ix] Sandro Galea, Nason Maani, The Cost of Preventable Disease in the US,  The Lancet, October, 2020, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(20)30204-8/fulltext

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In many ways, this group personifies an inflection point in both politics and society. For years, politics has often been seen as a game of influence, negotiation, and power. But today, we’re seeing a shift. This coalition is less about transactional alliances and more about advancing a set of ideas and ideals that resonate deeply with the public. These figures are aligned not just by party but by a shared belief that thought—when combined with technology and the willingness to act—can reshape society at its core.

This moment feels like the culmination of Victor Hugo’s timeless insight: “Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come.” In a world increasingly shaped by technology, where AI and large language models (LLMs) act as potent amplifiers of thought, we’re at a unique crossroads. Ideas no longer sit passively within the minds of thinkers and leaders. Instead, they are gaining kinetic energy, becoming active, adaptable forces with the capacity to reshape cultural, social, and political landscapes in real-time. Today’s coalition, led by Trump and energized by figures like Musk, is emblematic of this new political dynamic where thought doesn’t just inspire change; it actively constructs the future.

Trump’s new alliance challenges the conventional notion of political coalitions. Instead of relying on the old models of hegemony or horse-trading, it leans into the power of big ideas, transformative technology, and the ability to rapidly iterate and implement solutions. With Musk, there’s the technological drive—his vision of AI, space exploration, and sustainable energy. With Ramaswamy, there’s an emphasis on revitalizing the economy through entrepreneurship and innovation. Vance and Kennedy bring a skepticism of institutional power and a desire for a more people-centered governance. This is not merely a political alliance but a convergence of thought, one that leverages the power of both human cognition and advanced technology to craft a vision for America’s future.

At the heart of this coalition lies the belief that ideas—especially bold, disruptive ones—are the true currency of influence. This perspective shifts politics from the transactional to the transformational. The Trump-Vance-Musk-Kennedy-Ramaswamy alliance embraces the notion that thought, when amplified through technology, holds a generative power that can rapidly drive change. This isn’t about slow, incremental progress. It’s about leveraging AI, data, and innovation to tackle issues with unprecedented speed and agility.

Critics may argue that this coalition’s alignment of technology, business, and politics is risky, potentially concentrating power among a few influential individuals. But what makes this moment unique is that these figures are bound more by ideas than by sheer influence. This alliance doesn’t merely reflect the consolidation of power; it represents a collective effort to harness thought as an agent of change. And in an era where technology can amplify, iterate, and adapt ideas faster than ever before, this coalition could mark the beginning of a truly transformative period in American politics.

There’s an optimism in this shift, as it offers an alternative to the stagnation of old-school political machinery. The rapid, often polarized shifts in public opinion can now be addressed with equal speed and dynamism. The coalition’s reliance on data-driven and thought-driven initiatives—rather than the status quo—provides a glimpse into a future where politics can be agile, adaptive, and rooted in the power of ideas and not the ideas of power.

This new era is a reminder that politics is no longer just about who wields power but about what ideas can ignite change. Figures like Trump and Musk aren’t traditional political allies, but they embody a unique synergy, one that represents the convergence of human thought and technological capability. As we move forward, this coalition has the potential to redefine politics as a domain where the lightning bolt of inspiration can illuminate reality on an entirely new scale, a place where big ideas are not only envisioned but actively built.

It’s an optimistic moment, not because the path is easy but because it is driven by a shared sense that thought, technology, and purpose can align to create something more potent than any traditional political structure. In this sense, Trump’s coalition is less about partisanship and more about partnership—a convergence of minds that could rethink the landscape of American politics in ways we are only beginning to imagine.

Welcome to The Cognitive Age.

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The White House Press Briefing is not always so exciting. But in today’s press brief, the Covid Response Team discussed OkCupid and Tinder dating advice. Dr. Anthony Fauci and Andy Slavitt handed out free tips to get people to swipe right.

According to Slavitt, people who display their vaccination status are 14% more likely to get a match.  He said, “We have finally found the one thing that makes us more attractive, a vaccination.”

Match Group, with headquarters in Dallas, has the largest online dating app portfolio, including popular brands like OkCupid, Tinder, Match.com, and Plenty of Fish. The company’s mission is “to spark meaningful connections for every single person worldwide.”

It seem no aspect of meaningful connection includes infection.

Covid-19 is spread through person-to-person contact via respiratory droplets — droplets first spread through coughing, sneezing, and respiratory particles. These particles get on our clothes and hands and are passed through handshakes, hugging, kissing, and other close human contacts.

Single people can help protect themselves and others by disclosing their vaccination status to those they date. Open disclosure allows people to make conscious choices about who they meet or date on apps. #SafeSex2021

Covid-19 shaming and finger-pointing reduce our ability to fight the pandemic. Stigmatization may lead people to hide infections and avoid testing. If those infected avoid disclosure and limit dialogue, others may not make safe choices to reduce their risk.

The hope is that sharing vaccination status on dating apps will encourage good public health and help individuals make informed personal choices regarding their health and safety.

The world is reopening, and people are ready to get out of the house. The White House partnership with Match Group helps promote public health as dating ramps up again. The campaigns are starting now and will run through July 4 across the various dating apps.

“Human connection is so vital for healthy lives — it’s why I am so committed to this business,” said Shar Dubey, CEO of Match Group, in the press release. “We are honored to work with the White House on increasing vaccinations across America, which will allow people to once again meet in person and engage in meaningful ways. This will make dating safer for everyone, everywhere.”

To promote Covid-19 vaccinations, the apps will help users find a location to get Covid-19 vaccine sites. People can add vaccination badges to their profiles. Some of the apps will offer boost features to profiles displaying vaccine badges.

Match Group reports dating app users have asked for these features to help them make decisions about dating safety.

Here are the features that will be available on various apps.

Tinder

On Tinder, members can add a variety of profile stickers celebrating Covid-19 vaccines. Profile stickers like “I’m Vaccinated” or “Vaccines Save Lives” help share vaccine status with prospective dates. In June, Tinder will offer a “Super Like” feature to help vaccinated members stand out from the crowd.

Tinder plans to offer a “Vaccine Center” hosting Covid education and vaccination site locations.

Match.com

Match.com users will be able to add a “Vaccinated” badge to their personal profiles. Match.com will provide a free “boost” to vaccinated profiles to give them more exposure on the site.

OkCupid

OkCupid will also offer “I’m Vaccinated” badges and free profile boosts. But OkCupid plans to allow members to search for other vaccinated people as part of its matching categories.

Plenty of Fish profiles will feature the “I Got My Shot” badge. BLK will add “Vaxified” profile badges, and Chispa will add “Vacunado.”

Dallas’ Match Group has been the industry leader in online dating for many years. These proactive steps promote public safety and help single people learn to live in our new normal.

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