Reuters: Trump suggests he may scale back closures soon despite worsening coronavirus outbreak
From the article: “President Donald Trump said on Monday he is considering how to reopen the U.S. economy when a 15-day shutdown ends next week, even as the highly contagious coronavirus is spreading rapidly and hospitals are bracing for a wave of virus-related deaths.”
The economy is basically shut down right now. Everybody’s out of work because everything’s closed. The United States has come to a grinding, screeching halt. Unemployment claims have blown through the roof. It’s… not good.
And Trump’s getting mighty twitchy about it because he thinks a good economy will get him a second term.
“WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF. AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!,” Trump tweeted yesterday, in all-caps.
Of course, the idea that the “cure” is worse than the “problem itself” is predicated on the understanding that money is more important than lives. Because if we end social distancing and stay-at-home orders and re-open businesses now… Well, hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people will die.
Experts – Dr. Fauci, other public health experts – are begging Trump not to end social distancing measures. But right wing businesses and politicians are getting spooked. And so is Trump.
Because, and this is key, to them, money is more important than lives. Their money, specifically. Not your money. If they cared about your money, they’d quit dicking around in the Senate and get a decent stimulus bill passed.
You’re home right now and you probably don’t have a whole lot else to do, right? This is a good week to call your congresscritters a lot, especially if yours is a Republican. Tell them to hold the line on social distancing and stay-at-home measures, because that’s what will save lives. Then tell them to quit pissing around trying to give money away to their rich friends and pass a real stimulus bill.
Stay safe out there, folks.
Notes & Thoughts 