Trump Has Quit on the Coronavirus
Leaders of any political party could do this job if they had competency and empathy
President Donald Trump wants Americans to risk their health and get back to work to save the economy and his reelection. My response: “You first.” Trump’s new “plan” has moved from “it’s a hoax” to “we have to live with it.” Yes, he quit.
Reducing case count—which virtually every other country has done—was just too hard. Too much leadership and accountability required. So cases are growing. In 49 states.
Rather than keep the Task Force working, Trump found what he hopes is a much easier and better answer: Blame the governors.
Rather than provide sufficient testing to find, treat, and allow many more things to open, the higher case count and unwillingness to be seen owning the problem has left us almost exactly where we were in March.
There’s five-day testing backlogs. Trump says go to work. With sufficient tests for every American, you could look at people on the train and in your office and feel a little safer.
A five-day backlog with a five-day incubation period and 40% or so asymptomatic spreaders? And you want people feeling safe going back to work? Buying cars? Going on vacations? Mr. President, you get to work and fix this first.
What about masks? What Hong Kong and the Czech Republic and South Korea figured out months ago, we have turned in to a contest of “who’s scared of a little virus?”
Of course, politics went out the window in Texas when Houston hospitals filled up. Put aside that you could see it coming for weeks. Masks make people safer. Maybe, more importantly, long-term they stifle the virus so it goes away. Yes, macho anti-mask people. Masks aren’t defense, they’re offense.
So why is the wealthiest country in the world not just putzing around with this debate, but making do with inferior cotton and surgical masks? Because Trump quit on us.
We should all have high-quality masks by now. See how.
Think of it this way, we ask people to leave the house every day. Single moms with sick kids. And ask them to get to work. To get our groceries, to deliver stuff, to prepare food. We defined essential services like a bunch of spoiled babies.
I will say it again. We defined essential services like a bunch of spoiled babies. There’s no luxury or service Trump isn’t willing to sacrifice you for.
This broad definition is self-defeating. It means when we thought we were locked down, meh. Millions were forced to work. And work without testing, contact tracing, quality masks.
Governments show what they care about by how they invest our taxpayer dollars. And by the work they are willing to do. And Trump has quit. He’s been unwilling to do the work. And he’s unwilling to even speak about the crisis unless the stock market tells him to.
Leaders around the world have not been perfect. They anticipate, they lead, they make tough decisions, they hire good people. And. They. Put. In. The. Work.
In hard times, they climb into the foxhole with you. They spare no expense. They are hit harder by every lost life. They feel responsibility. They don’t sleep well. And. They. Put. In. The. Work.
When tens of thousands of people die, they mourn, they show empathy, they lift us up, they inspire, they cry, they sing “Amazing Grace” or they talk into the radio in calming voices. And. They. Put. In. The. Work.
They share the information the public needs. They tell the hard truths. They don’t distract with false patriotism. And. They. Put. In. The. Work
They don’t divide. They don’t unify. They make the case to put aside petty differences. They don’t create them. And. They. Put. In. The. Work.
Even if you try and fail, Mr. President, the public needs to see you try to save every American life possible. Forget that world leaders are saving lives across the globe. But when you end the task force, stop the work and neglect your job, when you stop the work, you’re a quitter.
There’s one place with lots of testing and lots of mask-wearing. That’s in the White House near the president and his family. You want us to go without tests and masks, “you first.”
Competent people — of ANY political party — could do this job if they had competency and empathy.
