Lives versus livelihood, the economy versus extinction is the perplexing dilemma Trump faces as he considers reopening businesses and ending social distancing in order to offset the looming recession. His threat to end the limited shut down by Easter contradicts the opinions of medical advisers, which as the nation has learned is not unusual.
“Our people want to return to work,” Trump tweeted on Tuesday, March 24, though no indication was given the extent to which this message actually represented a body of concerned citizens.
If the Senate votes to approve the $2 trillion stimulus bill, Trump’s gamble to put folks back to work may not be necessary. A tentative agreement appears to be in principle ready to go, if the Senate agrees to certain modifications, particularly as they pertain to rescuing the nation’s companies without allocations for those without jobs, homeless, and reeling from Covid-19.
Even if the bill goes through, Trump may decide to move ahead with his plan to end the shutdown, thereby endangering thousands by placing them back in contact with the infected.
A robust and bustling economy has been the benchmark of Trump’s quest for re-election and to have that tanking would upend his strategy, but, on the other hand, if there is an upsurge in the pandemic it could damage his continued occupancy of the White House.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of Trump’s coronavirus task force, told the press on addressing Trump’s threat that “You can look at a date but you’ve got to be very flexible on a literally day-by-day, week-by-week basis,” he said. He also expressed some concern about the press pitted him against Trump.
Dr. Fauci maintained his overall process of flattening the disease though increased testing and isolation. The testing is hampered by the scarcity of kits as well as hospital beds, ventilators, and masks, and no one has been more outspoken on this matter than New York’s Gov. Cuomo.
“What are we going to do with 400 ventilators,” he said, to the number earmarked for New York by FEMA. Trump quickly retorted that the governor should have asked for them in the first place, rather than accepting the plan for emergency medical stations, though both are critically needed.
This is a terrible time for even the best of leaders and the nation, according to a gaggle of pundits and elected officials, has to endure one of unprecedented incompetence, and one willing to gamble with people’s lives.