As of Thursday, January 22, the US was no longer part of the WHO (World Health Organization). President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out met stiff opposition across the aisle, but one West Coast Democrat is putting his money where his mouth is – well, maybe. Golden State Governor Gavin Newsom announced Friday, January 23, that California would be joining the WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network. What remains unclear is whether he plans to make up for any of the funding lost when the nation withdrew – or how exactly it represents a win over Trump.
California Backs the WHO
Newsom announced this new partnership and rebuked President Trump for abandoning the WHO, touting his own action as “countering” the administration. So now California is, as Newsom put it, “the first, and currently only, state” to join. But this might not be the winning play the good governor of the Golden State thinks it is.
“The Trump administration’s withdrawal from WHO is a reckless decision that will hurt all Californians and Americans,” Governor Newsom said in a statement. “California will not bear witness to the chaos this decision will bring. We will continue to foster partnerships across the globe and remain at the forefront of public health preparedness, including through our membership as the only state in WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network.”
Governor Newsom traveled to Davos for the World Economic Forum, where he discussed the collaboration with WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus, and he framed it directly as a rebuke to President Trump. The specific program Newsom has tied his state to – known as GOARN for short – is an international network aimed at detecting, verifying, and responding to public health threats, particularly those with cross-border pandemic potential, according to its mission statement.
Newsom’s Unearned Victory Lap
The governor’s statement paints the following picture: “As the Trump administration retreats from responsible health care leadership, California has routinely stepped in to fill the gaps.” He goes on to tout last month’s launch of PHNIX, or the Public Health Network Innovation Exchange, a “California-led initiative to modernize public health infrastructure and maintain trust in science-driven decision-making.” Newsom also boasts of joining 14 other governors in the Governors Public Health Alliance and launching the West Coast Health Alliance.
Each of these programs Newsom presents as some win over the Trump administration – but the president’s goal is to free the American taxpayers from shouldering both the burden of paying for such endeavors and living under any rules imposed by them. By making these state-run and state-funded, Newsom and his comrades are shifting that burden entirely onto the residents of their individual states. If the programs work out, great! If they flop, well, that’s just one more progressive failure the third-highest taxed state in the nation will have to pay for on its own.
Neither scenario represents a “defeat” for Donald Trump, the federal government, or the rest of America.
The Fool's Gold State
One wonders, however, just how much this new collaboration between California and the WHO will cost – and again, it must be emphasized that it’s a price paid by Californians, not Americans in general. Thus far, no financial contribution to the program has been announced, and it’s unclear if any direct funding will be provided. Either way, though, this collaboration won’t be free.
Certainly the Golden State won’t be replacing America’s share of WHO funding. The US – just one of 194 member nations – provided just shy of 15% of the organization’s total funding. Last year, that came out to be about $958 million, according to a list of top WHO funders published by the Associated Press earlier this month.
Whatever the cost of this or the other initiatives Newsom touted in his statement, Californians can ill afford it. Under Gavin Newsom’s leadership, the state is staring down a nearly $18 billion deficit – with projections for 2027-2028 looking as grim as an ongoing $35 billion deficit annually, according to the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office.
With one of the highest individual and corporate income tax rates and an uncompetitive tax structure overall, California ranks #48 on the Tax Foundation’s index, making Californians the third highest taxed people in America – with only New York and New Jersey being worse. And as the wealthiest citizens continue to flee the state for greener economic pastures, it seems the Golden State is losing its namesake at the worst possible time.
