The Commentariat -- April 16, 2020

Afternoon Update:

Josh Dawsey & Felicia Sonmez of the Washington Post: "The White House released new guidance late Thursday afternoon for states to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic, leaving the decisions up to governors to make on a statewide or county-by-county level. The guidance, which will be formally announced during a 6 p.m. news conference, doesn't lay out a specific timeline for relaxing social distancing restrictions. It lists a set of criteria -- such as testing and hospital capacity -- for state leaders to use in making their decisions." Mrs. McC: But Hans Nichols of NBC News says the guidance says very little about testing, and it certainly isn't a prerequisite for reopening portions of the economy. It does talk about "contact tracing." ~~~

     ~~~ Gov. John Carney (D) of Delaware said on CNN that Delaware and other states do not have the capacity to do the "contact tracing" & other testing necessary to implement the guidance for reopening.

The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Thursday are here. "President Trump told governors that some could begin reopening their states by May 1 or earlier if they wanted to, but backed down from his confrontation with them by making it clear that he would not seek to impose his will on when they reopen businesses, schools and everyday life.... 'The president will announce a plan in the works to drastically increase the capacity for state and local health departments to do core public health work like testing people, doing contact tracing," said [a top government] official.... On a conference call Thursday morning, Mr. Trump repeatedly told House lawmakers that people around the country were raring to get the economy moving again. He drew attention to protests in some states, saying that Americans were angry. [Mrs. McC: You knew he would.] And he hinted that 29 states were ready to reopen, telling lawmakers he would have more to say later...." ~~~

~~~ The Washington Post's live updates for Thursday are here.

Carol Lee, et al., of NBC News: "The White House is exploring ways of drastically increasing coronavirus testing in the U.S., as ... Donald Trump's aides scramble to put measures in place that might make it feasible for him to meet his goal of reopening the economy in parts of the country by May 1, according to four people familiar with the efforts.... The push to ramp up testing reflects an acknowledgment by some of the president's advisers that, despite his insistence that testing is working well, there are problems with access and that significantly increasing the number of tests per day will be critical if the economy is going to reopen."

Cities to Trump: Save Lives, Pay Your Bills. Dave Levinthal of the Center for Public Integrity, republished by NBC News: "Here's how some city leaders say ... Donald Trump could immediately help them grapple with the coronavirus crisis: Pay bills they already sent his campaign committee months or years ago. Fourteen municipal governments -- from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Wildwood, New Jersey -- want Trump's campaign committee to clear a combined $1.82 million worth of public safety-related debt connected to Trump's 'Make America Great Again' campaign rallies, according to interviews with local officials and municipal records obtained by the Center for Public Integrity.... Many cities that hosted Trump rallies chose not to bill his campaign for police and public safety costs, explaining they have policies against doing so or didn't bother because of Trump's history of nonpayment.... Trump frequently touts his support for law enforcement.... But in a statement..., the Trump campaign indicated it's not responsible for reimbursing cities for police and public safety costs...."

Steve Benen of MSNBC on Trump's threat to adjourn Congress: "Let's ... not forget that many of Trump's nominees are ridiculous and are currently stuck in committee because Senate Republicans aren't sure they can advance the president's picks in good conscience. It's probably why Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) demurred yesterday in response to Trump's misguided threat.... Part of the problem is that Donald Trump has never fully familiarized himself with how the federal government works, and his civic blind-spots lead him to blurt out ideas he doesn't recognize as foolish. But the other part of the equation is nearly as important: Trump wants to appear strong and powerful, unaware of the extent to which these efforts backfire when he discovers that he doesn't have the authority he wishes he had." ~~~

~~~ MEANWHILE. Jordain Carney of the Hill: "The Senate scheduled another two weeks of pro forma sessions Thursday, just a day after President Trump demanded senators either return to town or adjourn. The Senate is now slated to meet roughly every three days until May 4, when senators are expected to return to Washington.... Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced Wednesday that he was extending the recess in consultation with medical professionals and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.)." ~~~

~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: That is, Trump is out of luck. He can't make his horrible recess appointments because there's no recess. And tho the Hill story doesn't say so, he can't just adjourn the Congress, either. Under the Constitution, "in case of disagreement between the [two chambers of Congress], with respect to the time of adjournment, he [the president*] may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper." But the House & Senate agreed a long time ago to adjourn January 3, 2021. There's no disagreement between the House & Senate. So Trump has no Constitutional option to adjourn Congress.

The Turbo-Tax Hitch. Heather Long & Michelle Singletary of the Washington Post: "Many Americans woke up Wednesday expecting to find a payment of $1,200 or more from the U.S. government in their bank account, but instead they realized nothing had arrived yet -- or the wrong amount was deposited. Parents of young children complained they did not receive the promised $500 check for their dependent children.... Several million people who filed their taxes via H&R Block, TurboTax and other popular services were unable to get their payments because the IRS did not have their direct deposit information on file, according to the Treasury, companies and experts."

Noah Higgins-Dunn, et al., of CNBC: “New York and other East Coast states are extending their shutdown of nonessential businesses to May 15 as officials grapple with how to reopen parts of the economy without leading to a resurgence in coronavirus cases, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday. Cuomo announced the move at his daily briefing in Albany and via Twitter, saying 'New York on PAUSE' will be extended in coordination with other states." ~~~

~~~ Jarrett Renshaw of Reuters: "New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has tapped high-powered consultants to develop a science-based plan for the safe economic reopening of the region that can thwart pressure from ... Donald Trump to move more rapidly, state government sources told Reuters.... McKinsey & Company is producing models on coronavirus testing, infections and other key data points that along with other research and expert opinions will help underpin decisions on how and when to reopen the region's economy."

As I Suspected. Anna Nichols & Susan Demas of Michigan Advance: "More than 3,000 people -- including some brandishing Confederate and militia flags, as well as guns -- piled into downtown Lansing for hours on a snowy Wednesday. They were supposed to be there to protest Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay home order during the COVID-19 pandemic, but much of the event effectively turned into a pro-... Donald Trump rally.... Many had anti-Whitmer signs likening her to Adolf Hitler and calling for her removal from office. Nazi Germany was referenced in several signs. One sign used a swastika to claim Whitmer and Democrats as dictators taking away liberty from citizens, while some protestors had swastika tattoos.... Michigan has been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus, with the fourth-most cases in the country, per Johns Hopkins University tracking."

Steve Hendrix & Ruth Eglash of the Washington Post: "Israel ran into another wall -- actually, the same wall -- in its quest to break a year-long political impasse early Thursday when another deadline passed without the country's main rival factions able to strike a deal and form a government. The two sides, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former army chief Benny Gantz, were still talking when midnight came and went, marking the end of Gantz's official window to assemble a ruling coalition. The rivals, spurred by the coronavirus crisis, have been struggling for weeks to agree on a power-sharing arrangement in which they would take turns in the prime minister's office."

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Jeff Cox of CNBC: "Protection measures against the coronavirus continued to tear through the employment ranks, with 5.245 million more Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment insurance last week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The new filings bring the crisis total to just over 22 million, nearly wiping out all the job gains since the Great Recession. The total was a bit worse than the 5 million expected from economists surveyed by Dow Jones.Though the most recent total, for the week ended April 11, represented a drop from the previous two weeks, it still showed that the damage to the U.S. labor market remains profound."

Reuters, via CNBC: "US housing starts plunge[d] 22.3% to 1.216 million in March."

Stupid Trump Tricks, Ctd.

Mrs. McCrabbie: It isn't just Trump's inaction that is causing additional havoc in a time of crisis; he is actively initiating counterproductive and superfluous policies and threats to further exacerbate the crisis.

Hey, Let's Create an Unnecessary Constitutional Crisis During a National Crisis! Brett Samuels of the Hill: "President Trump on Wednesday called on the Senate to either confirm his nominees to vacancies across the administration or formally adjourn, threatening to use executive power to try and force both chambers of Congress to adjourn. The president offered a lengthy diatribe against what he described as congressional obstruction in confirming his nominees, which he argued was more urgent than ever amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Senate ... is not expected to return until May 4 but has been conducting pro forma sessions in the meantime, preventing Trump from making recess appointments.... The president threatened to use his 'constitutional authority' to adjourn both chambers of Congress, which would allow him to make recess appointments to vacant positions.... Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution grants Trump with the power to 'on extraordinary occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in case of disagreement between them, with respect to the time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper.'" (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Colby Itkowitz & Erica Werner of the Washington Post: "[Trump] spent several minutes [Mrs. McC: at the top] of his daily coronavirus briefing Wednesday blaming Senate Democrats for blocking his nominations, even though most of the vacancies in the federal government are because Trump hasn't selected anyone to fill them. Several of his nominees haven't been given a confirmation hearing yet in the Republican-led Senate. Trump cited a never-exercised power the Constitution grants the president to adjourn Congress if leaders of the House and Senate can't agree on whether to adjourn." (Also linked yesterday.)

~~~ Sarah Burris of the Raw Story: Trump's impeachment lawyer, Jonathan Turley, wrote on Twitter, "The President just said that he may unilaterally adjourn Congress. This seems to be a reference to Article II, Section 3, which gives a president in 'extraordinary occasions' to convene or adjourn the Houses. This power has never been used and should not be used now.... The power to adjourn only applies 'in case of disagreement between them, with respect to the time of adjournment.' Pro forma sessions have been used by both Democratic and Republican houses to prevent recess appointments. I have long been a critic of such recess appointments. Senators of both parties should vote to support the congressional control over adjournment. Absent a 'disagreement' there is no presidential power to adjourn under Article II. A pandemic should not be an invitation for pandemonium. Indeed, we need regular order now more than ever." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ MEANWHILE. Mrs. McCrabbie: Trump "reinstated" the other Constitutional crisis he created Monday -- saying he has "absolute control" over when and how states open up elements of their economies -- a position he backed off Tuesday, but essentially reiterated Wednesday, saying he could "shut down" any efforts by governors to defy his recommendations and punishing those who did. I'll get up a print story on this if one becomes available. But I heard Trump say it on the teevee, and Joy Reid of MSNBC reran the videotape later. You just can't have too many Constitutional crises during an actual existential crisis. ~~~

     ~~~ Update. Apparently the press isn't too interested in King Donald's latest claims to royal prerogatives, but here are some outtakes of a transcript of yesterday's decrees:

If we're not happy, we'll take very strong action against a state or a governor. If we're not happy with the job a governor's doing, we'll let them know about it. As you know, we have very strong action we can take, including a close-down, but we don't want to do that.... We have the right to do whatever we want, but we wouldn't do that. But, no, we would have the right to close down what they're doing if we want to do that, but we don't want to do that, and I don't think there'll be any reason to do that, but we have the right to do that. -- Donald Trump, propaganda show, April 15

Vivian Salama, et al., of CNN: "In the first phone call convened between ... Donald Trump and some members of his newly formed business council, industry leaders reiterated to the President what public health experts and governors have been telling him for weeks: that there would need to be guarantees of ramped-up coronavirus testing before people return to work, according to one person briefed on the discussions. The call, one of a series with various sectors on Wednesday, was the first task force teleconference aimed at devising a strategy for reopening the country. The call lasted for about an hour and had dozens of participants from the banking, food, hospitality and retail sectors, many of whom lauded the President and his administration for their efforts to combat coronavirus and jump-start the economy, this person said." ~~~

~~~ Jonathan Swan of Axios, speaking on MSNBC, said the "business task force" was a joke. Not a task force at all, it consists of Trump making phone conference calls to some business leaders. ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: You might describe this as Trump's once again flying by the seat of his pants, but it's less than that. It sounds like a bullshit session where a bunch of business leaders stroked Trump's ego and a few cautiously conveyed their real message: "My God! Don't kill our employees & customers!" ~~~

~~~ Update. Toljaso. Robert Costa, et al., of the Washington Post: "President Trump's attempt to enlist corporate executives in a push to reopen parts of society amid the coronavirus pandemic got off to a rocky start Wednesday, with some business leaders complaining the effort was haphazard and warning that more testing needs to be in place before restrictions are lifted.... Across the business world, there was private unhappiness with how the White House handled the announcement of the advisory council -- which it has dubbed its 'Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups' -- and others warned that Trump's goal of a May 1 reopening date for much of the country was unrealistic.... Participants in the calls -- which took place in four rounds and included representatives from more than a dozen industries, including banking, sports, agriculture and health care -- painted a picture of a chaotic approach by the White House. 'Trump made it very clear he was ready to go on May 1,' a person who was on one of the afternoon calls said. The person ... added that Trump seemed to bask in the praise from CEOs, who repeatedly opened their comments with compliments for the president." ~~~

~~~ Annie Karni, et al., of the New York Times: "Some business leaders had no idea they were included until they heard that their names had been read in the Rose Garden on Tuesday night by President Trump. Some of those who had agreed to help said they received little information on what, exactly, they were signing up for. And others who were willing to connect with the White House could not participate in hastily organized conference calls on Wednesday because of scheduling conflicts and technical difficulties. In short, the rollout of what the president referred to last week as his 'Opening Our Country Council' was as confusing as the process of getting there. Instead of a formal council, what Mr. Trump announced on Tuesday was a watered-down version that included 17 separate industry groups, including hospitality, banking, energy and 'thought leaders.' And on Wednesday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers received emails inviting them to join another task force." ~~~

~~~ Stephanie Ruhle, et al., of NBC News: "While happy to participate, the vast majority of those on [Trump's supposed advisory] list were not informed that they would be named by the president and not told in advance what their roles might be. Some others, like Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, said they were told about the group by phone on Tuesday, just hours before the president spoke. And some emails simply went astray, with White House officials inviting former CEOs no longer in charge, in what appears to have been a last-minute effort to cobble together an announcement for Trump's daily news conference.... sources familiar with [Trump's Wednesday conference] call said the participating executives, about 50 in total, were not informed that their names would be included in any formal White House group or council." ~~~

~~~ Matt Stieb of New York highlights some amusing screw-ups in the rollout of these tasks forces or phone chats or whatever they are and whatever they're called. If Trump's objective was to portray the White House as a "Three Stooges"' or "Keystone Cops"-type of operation, then he has been a rollicking success.

James Hohmann of the Washington Post: "A draft national strategy to reopen the country in phases, developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emphasizes that even a cautious and phased approach 'will entail a significant risk of resurgence of the virus.' The internal document, obtained by The Washington Post, warns of a 'large rebound curve' of novel coronavirus cases if mitigation efforts are relaxed too quickly before vaccines are developed and distributed or broad community immunity is achieved." Underlying WashPo story linked yesterday. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ David Lim of Politico: "The number of coronavirus tests analyzed each day by commercial labs in the U.S. plummeted by more than 30 percent over the past week, even though new infections are still surging in many states and officials are desperately trying to ramp up testing so the country can reopen. One reason for the drop-off may be the narrow testing criteria that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last revised in March. The agency's guidelines prioritize hospitalized patients, health care workers and those thought to be especially vulnerable to the disease such as the elderly. Health providers have been turning away others in part due to shortages of the swabs used to collect samples.... After being overwhelmed for weeks, commercial labs say they are now sitting with unused testing capacity waiting for samples to arrive." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

Here's perhaps the most important reason mass testing (with reliable tests) is vital: ~~~

~~~ ** Arman Azad of CNN: "People might be most infectious with the novel coronavirus before they show symptoms, according to a study published Wednesday. The research, published in the journal Nature Medicine, adds to a growing body of evidence showing that seemingly healthy people are spreading the virus. 'We observed the highest viral load in throat swabs at the time of symptom onset, and inferred that infectiousness peaked on or before symptom onset,' the researchers wrote. They found that viral shedding -- when people may be able to infect others -- could begin two to three days before symptoms appeared. The amount of virus given off, though, appeared to decline after people began feeling sick."

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie Update: Lawrence O'Donnell told a horrifying story of a new widow having to call 1-800-AUTOPSY to get her husband's body autopsied to find out if he had Covid-19.

George Conway in a Washington Post op-ed: "Among Donald Trump's many flaws as president is one that's as fundamental as any: He simply doesn't understand his job.... Trump made this clear during his briefing Monday, with an extraordinary series of statements about presidential power -- well, perhaps extraordinary for anyone but him.... Trump took a solemn oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. After his years in the job, he ought to know something about that document.... In our federal system, the states aren't under Washington's control, the way a corporate subsidiary might be owned by, say, the Trump Organization. It's not just federalism that Trump misapprehends. It's grade-school-level civics that the president carries out laws.... Justice Hugo L. Black, then the court's leading textually oriented conservative, wrote [in Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co. v. Sawyer (1952)], 'The President's power, if any, to issue the order must stem either from an act of Congress or from the Constitution.'" (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Jonathan Chait: "When Congress enacted an emergency plan to send $1,200 checks to every American adult, Republicans joked that President Trump would want to sign his name on the checks. A few weeks later, after the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was exploring this outlandish desire, a reporter asked, '... Do you want to sign those checks?' Trump denied it: 'No. Me sign? No.' Last night, the Washington Post reported that Trump's name will be displayed on every check.... Trump's presidency has largely consisted of outrageously corrupt notions proceeding from fearful accusation to accepted reality.... Trump has never respected any meaningful distinction between the federal government and the Trump Organization. He expects every federal employee, especially its law-enforcement agents, to advance his personal political agenda. He has functionally mixed its budget with his own by having the government pour money into his properties, and he has treated its official powers as if they are his own personal chits. The authority he has gained through the emergency response to the coronavirus has vastly expanded the potential for corruption, and every sign indicates that Trump is already engaging in systemic abuse." Read on. (Also linked yesterday.)

Caitlin Emma of Politico: "... Donald Trump's halt to World Health Organization funding is illegal and violates the same federal spending laws as the Ukraine aid freeze that partly prompted his impeachment, House Democrats said on Wednesday. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Trump's decision is 'dangerous, illegal and will be swiftly challenged,' without elaborating on what specific action might be taken." ~~~

From the New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Wednesday: "Dr. Robert R. Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heaped praise on the World Health Organization Wednesday morning, saying that questions about what the group did during the pandemic should be left until 'after we get through this.' His comments on the 'CBS This Morning' program were at odds with President Trump's announcement Tuesday evening that he has ordered a freeze on American funding of the W.H.O., accusing the organization of a 'China-centric' bias and of contributing to deaths by covering up the spread of the virus.... His comments underscore the clash between Mr. Trump and his health care professionals." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times: "Thousands of Americans would be alive today if President Trump had spent more time listening to the World Health Organization instead of trying to destroy it. Trump's announcement that he will halt American funding for the W.H.O. just as the world is facing a raging pandemic is a dangerous attempt to find a scapegoat for his own failings. It is like taking away a fire department's trucks in the middle of a blaze.... [Trump's] own pandemic preparedness plan, which he characteristically has failed to implement, called for building support for the W.H.O. -- because it's a critical player to keep Americans safe. Yes, some of the complaints about the W.H.O. are valid.... But it has still managed the coronavirus crisis far better than the Trump administration.... Trump's main complaint about the W.H.O. is that it is too close to China, and there's some truth to that -- but Trump himself fawned over China's response to the pandemic.... If Trump insists on holding people accountable..., he can gaze in the mirror." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Yeganeh Torbati of ProPublica: "An internal memorandum written by U.S. officials and addressed to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warns that cutting funding to the World Health Organization, as ... Donald Trump said he would do Tuesday, would erode America’s global standing, threaten U.S. lives and hobble global efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The memo, which was prepared before Trump's Rose Garden announcement, was written by officials within the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and includes a detailed list of how U.S. funding to the WHO helps countries in the Middle East control the pandemic."

Roman Papademetriou of Crooked: "A slew of polls now show that the public is becoming aware of how poorly Trump has handled this public health crisis, so Trump has returned to one of his favorite tactics: shifting the blame at all costs.... The WHO is only the latest victim of Trump's efforts to avoid responsibility and divert attention from his failures. Since the virus began spreading in the country, Trump has tried to pin the blame on a host of other scapegoats, while asserting 'I don't take responsibility at all.'" Papademetriou names six other Trump scapegoats: the media, Democratic governors, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, China and inspectors general. ~~~

~~~ ** "False Prophet." McKay Coppins of the Atlantic: "... in recent weeks, the president and his allies have been waging a dystopian campaign of revisionist history more brazen than anything they've attempted before.... Meanwhile, Trump and the party he's remade in his image are working overtime to undermine the journalists who are uncovering damaging details of his pandemic response.... On February 28, Donald Trump stood before a crowd of supporters in South Carolina and told them to pay no attention to the growing warnings of a coronavirus outbreak in America. The press was 'in hysteria mode,' the president said. The Democrats were playing politics. This new virus was nothing compared with the seasonal flu -- and anyone who said otherwise was just trying to hurt him. 'This is their new hoax,' Trump proclaimed.... Six weeks later, the coronavirus has killed more than 25,000 Americans, the U.S. economy has been crippled -- and Trump is recasting himself as a pandemic prophet."

Trump Lies about Everything. Toluse Olorunnipa & Lisa Rein of the Washington Post: "When President Trump publicly denied on April 3 that he wanted his signature on stimulus checks that would be sent to millions of Americans..., officials in the Treasury Department were already secretly working on a plan to get the president's name on the payments. Trump, who was reportedly musing about placing his signature on the checks as early as late March, defended the unprecedented move Wednesday. 'I don't know too much about it. But I understand my name is there,' Trump said. 'I don't know where they're going, how they're going. I do understand it's not delaying anything, and I'm satisfied with that. I don't imagine it's a big deal. I'm sure people will be very happy to get a big, fat, beautiful check and my name is on it.'... The effort to place his name on the checks was largely kept secret until this week, with top White House [and some senior IRS] officials in the dark until the plan became public.... After privately suggesting to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin that he be allowed to formally sign the checks, Trump settled for having his name printed in the memo section, according to administration officials...." ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Trump, Mnuchin, et al., obviously know putting Trump's name on the stimulus checks was disgraceful. Otherwise, Mnuchin wouldn't have kept the plan secret & Trump wouldn't have lied about it. It's a lot like that $130K check to Stormy Daniels that Michael Cohen kept secret & Trump knew nothing about.

Masks for Us But Not for You. Carol Leonnig, et al., of the Washington Post: "In mid-March, a National Security Council team rushed to address ... a lack of masks to protect enough staff on the White House complex.... The effort resulted in a donation of hundreds of thousands of surgical masks from Taiwan.... The deal was sensitive in Taiwan, which had banned commercial exports of masks to protect supply for its citizens.... The bulk of Taiwan's goodwill shipment went to the Strategic National Stockpile, but 3,600 masks were set aside for White House staff and officials.... At the time, the U.S. government was discouraging the public from wearing masks, saying that healthy people didn't need them and that the gear should be saved for front-line medical workers most at risk of infection." Emphasis added.

The Prerogatives of a Princess. Annie Karni of the New York Times: "Ivanka Trump ... has positioned herself as one of the leaders of the administration's economic relief efforts and one of its most vocal advocates of social distancing.... But Ms. Trump herself has not followed the federal guidelines advising against discretionary travel, leaving Washington for another one of her family's homes, even as she has publicly thanked people for self-quarantining. And effective April 1, the city of Washington issued a stay-at-home order for all residents unless they are performing essential activities. [The Kushners reside in a D.C. mansion.] Ms. Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner..., traveled with their three children to the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey to celebrate the first night of Passover this month..., even as seders across the country were canceled and families gathered remotely over apps like Zoom.... Mr. Kushner returned to the White House.... Ms. Trump has continued to work from Bedminster...."

Palace Intrigue. Dan Diamond & Daniel Lippman of Politico: "The White House is installing Trump campaign veteran Michael Caputo in the health department's top communications position, Caputo confirmed to Politico. The move is designed to assert more White House control over Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, whom officials believe has been behind recent critical reports about ... Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to two officials with knowledge of the move.... Caputo is an intense Trump loyalist whose recent book 'The Ukraine Hoax,' alleged a conspiracy behind Trump's impeachment. The high-level move comes after a series of news reports that portrayed Azar as warning Trump about the pending Covid-19 pandemic in January but having the president and his aides dismiss his concerns. Trump on Sunday tweeted that Azar 'told me nothing until later,' appearing to refute those reports."

Reversal of Fortunes? Helene Cooper, et al., of the New York Times: "The Navy is looking into whether it can reinstate Capt. Brett E. Crozier, who was removed from command of the carrier Theodore Roosevelt after he pleaded for more help fighting a novel coronavirus outbreak aboard his ship, Defense Department officials said on Wednesday. Adm. Michael M. Gilday, the chief of naval operations, has indicated that he may reinstate Captain Crozier, who is viewed as a hero by his crew for putting their lives above his career, officials said. 'No final decisions have been made,' Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a spokesman for the admiral, said in a statement on Wednesday.... But Admiral Gilday's decision could be upended by President Trump, who has not been shy about intervening in military personnel cases.... Navy officials insist that Admiral Gilday will make a decision based on the findings of the investigation into the Roosevelt crisis, and not on what he believes the president wants him to do."

Aaron Gregg, et al., of the Washington Post: "An emergency loan program intended to get money swiftly into the hands of small businesses has all but collapsed under an unprecedented crush of applications and a shortage of funds, overwhelming agency officials and prompting urgent calls for action on Capitol Hill. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, or EIDL, a long-standing program run by the Small Business Administration (SBA), is separate from the $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses that is the subject of a political fight on Capitol Hill. The federal government normally doles out EIDL loans to small businesses hurt by tornadoes and wildfires. On March 12, the SBA expanded the program to help entrepreneurs hurt by the coronavirus, offering low-interest loans of up to $2 million." (Also linked yesterday.)

Lucia Mutikani of Reuters: "U.S. retail sales suffered a record drop in March as mandatory business closures to control the spread of the novel coronavirus outbreak depressed demand for a range of goods, setting up consumer spending for its worst decline in decades.... Retail sales plunged 8.7% last month, the biggest decline since the government started tracking the series in 1992.... Economists polled by Reuters had forecast retail sales tumbling 8.0% in March. Compared to March last year, retail sales dropped 6.2%." --s (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: The NYT's live updates for Wednesday describes the drop in U.S. retail sales as "by far the largest in the nearly three decades the government has tracked the data."

USA Today has compiled state-by-state updates of coronavirus developments.

Adam Raymond of New York: "Protesters around the country have started gathering, some in groups that defy social-distancing recommendations, to register their disapproval for the ongoing economic shutdown tied to the coronavirus." Mrs. McC: While these protests may appear to be organic, my guess is that 99.9% of the protesters are Foxbots & 93.2% own MAGA hats.

Florida. Dave Zirin of the Nation: "Run by 74-year-old billionaire Friend-of-Trump Vince McMahon, WWE [World Wrestling Entertainment] has decided to resume live programming this week in the midst of the coronavirus, instead of doing safer bulk pretapings... to fulfill contractual requirements to the USA and Fox networks.... The decision to go to live-event programing comes after news this weekend that an unnamed on-air personality has tested positive for Covid-19.... In addition, McMahon is taking advantage of Florida's lax laws concerning Covid-19, enacted by their blithering goon of a governor, Ron DeSantis. WWE will be filming its live shows in the corrupt sinkhole of Orlando, where McMahon has received an 'essential business' label from the friendly Florida government.... As Alex Nazaryan of Yahoo News tweeted, 'Florida now has twice as many coronavirus cases (20,601) as South Korea (10,537). About 30 million more people live in South Korea than in Florida.'... Sure enough, the same day that McMahon announced that WWE would be doing live tapings in Florida, former Trump cabinet official Linda McMahon's (former WWE executive and Vince's spouse, of course) committed her Trump reelection PAC to spending $18.5 million in Florida in 2020.... It is a microcosm of a corrupt system in a state of profound decay." Emphasis added. ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: In addition, Zirin said on MSNBC that Vince McMahon -- who is subjecting his employees to coronavirus exposure -- is a member of Trump's back-to-business council. No doubt McMahon will offer prudent advice.

Kentucky. Morgan Watkins, et al., of the Louisville Courier Journal: "Impatient protesters demanding Gov. Andy Beshear reopen Kentucky disrupted his televised Wednesday afternoon pandemic update, chanting, blowing horns and shouting into a megaphone outside the window of the briefing room and nearly drowning out his comments.... Protesters, some of whom appeared to be standing less than 6 feet apart from one another, chanted 'we want to work' and 'facts over fear.' They yelled non-stop throughout Beshear's one-hour press briefing, switching up chants and occasionally sounding a horn.... Similar crowds gathered this week near the state Capitols in [Lansing, Michigan,] Columbus, Ohio, and Raleigh, North Carolina."

Michigan. Allan Smith & Erin Einhorn of NBC News: "Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed one of the most restrictive stay-at-home orders in the country late last week in hopes of containing the coronavirus outbreak in her state -- one of the hardest hit. The backlash has been immense. Michiganders, many from the more conservative areas of the state, believe Whitmer's latest order went too far.... [At least until the end of April,] Michiganders won't be allowed to travel to in-state vacation residences. They are not permitted to use a motor boat. Business restrictions have been tightened, including that large stores must close areas 'dedicated to carpeting, flooring, furniture, garden centers, plant nurseries, or paint,' among other measures. Violators could be fined or charged with a misdemeanor, though the practicality of strict enforcement was unclear.... Prominent conservatives circulated a petition to have her recalled -- one that generated more than 200,000 signatures -- while more than 300,000 Facebook users joined a group titled 'Michiganders Against Excessive Quarantine' in recent days." ~~~

     ~~~ Update. Allan Smith: "Thousands of demonstrators descended on the state Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on Wednesday to protest Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's restrictive stay-at-home order, clogging the streets with their cars while scores ignored organizers' pleas to stay inside their vehicles. The protest -- dubbed 'Operation Gridlock' -- was organized by the Michigan Conservative Coalition and the Michigan Freedom Fund, a DeVos family-linked conservative group.... Demonstrators, on foot, were seen waving American, 'Don't Tread on Me' and Trump campaign flags. At least two Confederate flags were spotted. Protesters could be heard chanting 'Open up Michigan!' At one point, there was a 'lock her up' chant in reference to Whitmer.... 'We know this rally endangered people,' [Whitmer] said, adding that such activity 'will put more people at risks and could prolong how long we need to be in this posture.' She said it was a 'sad irony' that the protest may necessitate to a lengthening of the stay-at-home order."

New Jersey. A Gruesome Discovery. Tracey Tully of the New York Times: "By Monday, the police in a small New Jersey town had gotten an anonymous tip about a body being stored in a shed outside one of the state's largest nursing homes. When the police arrived, the corpse had been removed from the shed, but they discovered 17 bodies piled inside the nursing home in a small morgue intended to hold no more than four people.... The 17 were among 68 recent deaths linked to the long-term care facility, Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation Center I and II, including two nurses, officials said. Of those who died, 26 people had tested positive for the virus.... Of the patients who remain at the homes, housed in two buildings, 76 have tested positive for the virus; 41 staff members, including an administrator, are sick with Covid-19.... Andover Subacute is not alone. The coronavirus has swept through the New York region's nursing homes with devastating and deadly speed, killing thousands of residents at facilities struggling with staff shortages, increasingly sick patients and a lack of personal protective gear."

New York. Noah Higgins-Dunn, et al., of CNBC: "New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday he is ordering all people to wear a face covering while in public as the state works to combat the nation's worst coronavirus outbreak. The executive order will take effect after a three-day grace period, Cuomo said at his daily news conference in Albany." According to Matt Stieb of New York, the order goes into effect Friday.

Southwest. Jennifer Hiller & Liz Hampton of Reuters: "Oil fields from Texas and New Mexico to Oklahoma and North Dakota are going quiet..... Fuel demand has plunged by as much as 30 million barrels per day (bpd) - or 30% - as efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic have grounded aircraft, reduced vehicle usage and pushed economies worldwide toward recession.... The governments of global oil producers and consumers are seeking to make unprecedented cuts to overall supply of some 19.5 million bpd. U.S. President Donald Trump heralded the deal to cut supply as one that would save hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs. But oil prices fell again this week, dropping as much as 10% on Tuesday, because even those cuts may fail to stem the glut...Across the United States, up to 240,000 oil-related jobs will be lost this year[.]" --s (Also linked yesterday.)

Jacqueline Feldscher of Politico: "The Pentagon's inspector general 'could not definitively determine' whether the White House influenced the procurement process for a major cloud computing contract because senior Defense Department officials were barred from answering questions on the subject during interviews, according to a 313-page report released on Wednesday. Department personnel who evaluated proposals and awarded the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure contract were not pressured by any senior DoD leaders, the IG found. But investigators were unable to rule out whether the White House interfered with the contract award because DoD's general counsel instructed senior DoD witnesses not to verbally answer questions about communications between the White House and Pentagon because of 'the assertion of a "presidential communications privilege."'... Amazon sued DoD last year, alleging that the Pentagon made several mistakes in its evaluation of bids and that ... Donald Trump's public remarks disparaging Amazon and its founder, Jeff Bezos, improperly influenced the outcome."

Jenna McLaughlin of Yahoo! News: "The White House is still refusing to give Congress a reason for firing Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson, as required by law, missing a deadline set by a bipartisan group of senators." --s (Also linked yesterday.)

Bill & Don's Excellent Adventure. Erin Banco & Lachlan Cartwright of the Daily Beast: "In a series of conversations last September, senior Department of Justice officials worked with representatives of the Australian government to hammer out an arrangement to win the release of a pair of Australian bloggers imprisoned in Tehran. At the same time those talks were taking place, Attorney General Bill Barr and his lieutenants were speaking to the Australians about ... getting their help as the Department of Justice looked into the origins of ... Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Barr's ... review has been widely seen as an attempt to discredit the Mueller investigation.... Just days before the culmination of talks in September -- which coincided with an official Australian state visit -- Trump himself pushed Prime Minister Scott Morrison to help Barr with this inquiry.... According to four sources ... the American government agreed to help facilitate the release of the Australian bloggers, in part by agreeing to pull back from pursuing the extradition of an Iranian scientist held in Australia.... The discussions between Washington and Canberra raise questions about why the Department of Justice engaged in a behind-the-scenes effort to help win the release of Australian hostages from Iran and whether the president's request to have the country assist in Barr's Russia inquiry influenced the department's decision-making." Via safari. (Also linked yesterday.)

Presidential Race

Caitlin Oprysko of Politico: "Joe Biden on Wednesday accused ... Donald Trump of throwing 'temper tantrums' rather than showing concern for those affected by the coronavirus pandemic, escalating his criticism of Trump following a series of exceedingly contentious White House briefings over the past few weeks. 'He likes to say he's a wartime president. Well, he needs to begin to step up and act like one,' Biden said during a virtual town hall with non-healthcare front-line workers. 'Not harangue the press for hours on end while people are dying....' The former vice president earlier this week lambasted Trump over his claim during a briefing that the president has 'total authority' to override state governors and reopen the country, tweeting that 'I am not running for office to be king.'"

Maggie Astor & Shane Goldmacher of the New York Times: "Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts endorsed Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Wednesday, the latest in a string of prominent endorsements for the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.... She left the timing of her announcement up to Mr. Biden's team, according to people familiar with the matter. There was no holdup or demand for concessions, these people said.... Since Ms. Warren ended her own campaign, she and Mr. Biden have spoken multiple times about policy issues, including Mr. Biden's plan to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. 'One thing I appreciate about Joe Biden is that he will always tell you where he stands,' Ms. Warren said in her endorsement video. 'When you disagree, he'll listen -- not just listen, but really hear you and treat you with respect, no matter where you're coming from. And he has shown throughout this campaign that when you come up with new facts or a good argument, he's not too afraid or too proud to be persuaded.'" Emily Stewart of Vox has the story here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Axios: "Sen. Elizabeth Warren told MSNBC's 'The Rachel Maddow Show' Wednesday she would become former Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden's running mate if he asked her." Mrs. McC: One thing I appreciate about Elizabeth Warren is that she will always tell you where she stands.

George Conway & other Board Members of the conservative, anti-Trump Lincoln Project, in a Washington Post op-ed: "Publicly supporting a Democratic nominee for president is a first for all of us. We are in extraordinary times, and we have chosen to put country over party -- and former vice president Joe Biden is the candidate who we believe will do the same. Biden ... has our support. Biden has the experience, the attributes and the character to defeat Trump this fall. Unlike Trump, for whom the presidency is just one more opportunity to perfect his narcissism and self-aggrandizement, Biden sees public service as an opportunity to do right by the American people and a privilege to do so."

Comments

[citizen625]

Read between the lines of the Annie Karni article about the business leaders: "Meanwhile, Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase & Company was also unable to join, according to a person familiar with the matter, but one of his deputies spent 15 minutes trying to patch in to the discussion, ultimately without luck." I don't think for one second that the CEO of a business with over a trillion dollars in assets can't make the phone work. He doesn't want to touch this shit show with a ten foot pole; his dishonesty is obvious. Our leaders are not those people.

[unwashed]

Here's an interesting blog piece about the possibilities for vaccine development. It discusses the different types of vaccines as well as the challenges faced for testing, production and ultimate distribution. It's going to be a while.

[PD Pepe]

@Marie: Yesterday you responded to my post re: salvia tests and you said this:
"Also, the CDC is limiting eligibility for the tests. If you'd like to be tested because you're experiencing light symptoms (as I have been for three weeks) or just to reassure yourself that you're healthy & not infecting others, good luck."

It was startling to learn that you have been experiencing "light symptoms for three weeks." What exactly are these symptoms, if you don't mind my asking. And to think you are unable to get tested is infuriating.

Reading about Governor Whitman's situation in Michigan makes my blood boil! Any kind of "love thy neighbor" is buried deep in the dung heap of these rebels without a cause but who actually believe they have one. Is it as simple as people feeling out upon because they have spent their whole lives feeling put upon–-"Don't tread on me" mentality?

This morning it began to snow–-lightly at first, then like a blizzard. Two hours later the sun is out and snow moved out to sea or somewhere else to surprise those who think we shouldn't be concerned about our climate and how it has changed.

[Marie Burns]

@PD Pepe: I developed a dry cough, which I don't normally have, shortness of breath, an occasional sore throat & I'm lethargic. I've been checking my temp every day, & I've never run a fever, so I don't think I have contracted the coronavirus.

Still, it would be good to know one way or the other. If I were a carrier, I would stop going to the grocery store, etc., where I'm exposing other people. I do have someone who could do my shopping for me. I have no idea if a person my age can get a "mild case" of Covid-19.

But there's no way for me to get a test unless (1) my symptoms get worse (and after three weeks, there's no indication that will happen), or (2) I played hypochondriac and exaggerated them, and I'm not going to do that. I suspect there are hundreds of thousands of people in situations similar to mine: they're concerned they're carriers, but they have no way to find out.

[Ken Winkes]

This morning's Reality Check.

Between the spineless Senate and a seemingly supine judiciary willing roll over and play dead as soon as the big dog barks or even whimpers, it has become very clear that the Pretender can do anything he wants as president. The Constitution may not say it, but as this old editorial puts it, reality does.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/07/28/actually-trump-can-do-whatever-he-wants/1852940001/

Three factors at work here, as I see it.

A Pretender whose entire history has proven he is willing to play the hardest of ball, to make the most outrageous of claims, to use his money and the law to hide behind while he boasts and talks tough in public.

A thoroughly corrupt Senate, who had their chance to rein in their mad dog and chose not to.

And the law, which has so far allowed the Pretender to push claims of presidential privilege and confidentiality beyond the bounds of absurdity to the point where everything that touches this most public of offices, even remotely, is no business whatsoever of that public or its representatives.

In other words, the nation's leading executive can hide everything he does and is therefore accountable for nothing at all.

Probably not the way he meant it the other day when he said that he wasn't responsible for anything, but though it's rare enough, again this time the Liar-in-Chief was speaking nothing but the truth.

[Patrick]

Although Sen. Warren says she will serve as VP if asked, I hope Biden does not ask. We need her in the Senate. I'm sure MA could replace her there with another Democrat, but we need her independent voice and influence on her committees. And let us hope also that next year the R Senate majority is relegated to the dungheap of history. She will be a key player in recreating our democracy.

[Jeanne]

Re Ken's comment: I don't think any of us will ever understand how it has happened that not only did the other party, corrupt to the core, elect a person with zero integrity, compassion, intellect or competancy, but the different parts of the government, to say nothing of the electorate, have all fallen in line. In turn, these people hire and appoint people like them. I am not a student of cults or of mass hypnotism, but I also don't believe in forces beyond one's control being able to persuade all these people to fall in line.
I AM a believer in evil existing in historical figures, and in large numbers of people not caring about anyone but themselves, and it seems like the big factor in flushing out these people and allowing them to operate in the sunlight is due to one network dominating the communication landscape. I blame fox and the winger radio world, and from there, the internet. Without them, these disgusting morons, loose in the midwestern cities, would not be so able to speak out and gather. My husband says there are more murmers about how older people are expendable-- this is just a slightly more fatal disease than the flu, and they simply don't care... It sounds like all these people are just more Bundys and Charlottesville crazies. It's interesting how it is frequently against Democratic governors, and particularly women. They are bullies, like their Master, and bullies have a huge marketplace these days. So disgusting...

[Marie Burns]

@Patrick: Yep. The Massachusetts legislature, which is controlled by Democrats, kept changing the vacancy law when Deval Patrick (D) was governor to allow him to appoint a U.S. Senator to replace Ted Kennedy. I suppose they could change it again, but since Massachusetts has a Republican governor, he would likely appoint a Republican to replace Warren. (In some states, the governor has to appoint someone of the same party as the departing senator, and I suppose the state legislature could quickly adopt a law to the effect.)

Depending upon how Senate races turn out this year (and admittedly Democratic control is a longshot), it's possible that would change the balance of power, allowing Mitch to continue his grip on the Senate.

[Akhilleus]

Marie,

You listed two ways you might be able to get a test for the coronavirus but you forgot one. The best way to be tested, whether you’re symptomatic or not, and get results back almost instantly, is to come within spitting distance of any member of the Trump Crime Family or any of the little king’s retainers. Proximity to the Orange Menace would guarantee you two or three tests a day because god forbid the anus crevice who has condemned millions to infection and death should get a sniffle (apart from cocaine use) himself.

[Akhilleus]

Yesterday I mentioned the concept of Fool’s Mate, a situation in which a chess match is over in two moves because white is an idiot and never thinks ahead to see if his moves make sense or are even a tiny bit tenable. I concluded that, with Fatty, it could be Fool’s Mate every day. And sure enough, just like clockwork, here he is getting beaten in record time, again, because he hasn’t the tiniest inclination to learn the game.

Two days ago it was the l’etat c’est moi“ gambit, which turned rapidly into the “je suis merde” hambone. Yesterday it was “I, with my Article II supreme powers, can adjourn congress for not moving quickly enough to approve the unqualified hacks I want to help me fuck up the country even worse than I’ve already done” line of unconstitutional twaddle. Today it’s “What? You mean I can’t adjourn congress for not approving the unqualified hacks I want to help me fuck up the country even worse than I’ve done already?”.

No, you ignorant turd, you cannot.

This is the schmuck who struts into a party bragging that everyone has to stop what they’re doing so they can watch as he tears a phone book in half, only to find that he can’t even lift it. With help.

Ignorance and braggadocio are a bad combination.

In a president, even a president*, they’re fatal.

[Akhilleus]

And not for nothin’, but today’s “crisis” is of Trump’s own making. He’s sat on his fat ass for three years, doing nothing about filling hundreds of essential vacancies in dozens of government departments. Now, all of a sudden, his laughably unqualified choices must be approved and installed, toot sweet. You see, it’s not HIS fault that there are hundreds of vacancies. It must be someone else’s responsibility. Hmmm, whatever happened to that boast about supreme power and how nothing can be done without his say so?

Ahh...that was YESTERDAY’S crisis. We’re way beyond that now.

Mind you, most of this bullshit isn’t complete idiocy on his part (I put the idiocy quotient at about 75%). Some of it is the result of Fatty’s regular plan of misdirection and chaos. Throw some shit at the fan every day to distract from the shit you shoveled at it yesterday.

Keep the chaos coming. Maybe some people will believe you’re not the fucking anti-Christ.

[Marie Burns]

@Akhilleus: Exactly. Trump has said numerous times, "I like 'acting.' It gives me more flexibility." Now, suddenly in the middle of a pandemic, when most Senators are at sheltering in their homes, he doesn't like "acting" anymore?

This was just an attempt to get high gummit jobs for his new caddy (the former one is a White House communications director of something) and new body man (the former one -- who once was unceremoniously escorted out of the White House -- is now in charge of firing "disloyal" staff) and all their "unqualified hack" friends.

P.S. Plum forgot. I'm going to Bedminister tomorrow to discuss Greek mythology with Ivanka. The daffodils are up, so I'm bringing her a big bouquet of narcissus in remembrance of the Trump family patron saint. I guess I'll get that 15-minute coronavirus test now.

[unwashed]

@Ak, don't forget about Fatty's enabler-in-chief - MoscowMitch McTurtle. Jane Mayer has an excellent, albeit long, report on him in The New Yorker. OM and McT are really two peas in a pod. They care only about themselves, power and money.

OK, I get it. Despite sheltering-in-place in luxury, being stuck inside with three young kids must have driven Ivanka up a wall. I wonder, though, how they got from D.C. to Bedminster. According to the googles, the trip is about 220 miles that should take about 3½ hours in good traffic. Do you think the Prince and Princess just loaded up their family station wagon with some spare clothes, kids toys, and guitar to drive up by themselves? Doubtful. The SS probably needed six agents in three SUVs, running in a convoy with lights flashing and sirens blaring, to schlep their sorry asses in only 2+ hours. Probably no orange NY license plates either.

[Akhilleus]

Unwashed,

Quite. And I’m guessing, per the GOP rule book (Mittens Romney, ed.), the family dog will be strapped to the roof, made available after appropriate levels of anti-stress medication injections, for the usual photos featuring frozen rictus smiles on the javanka family members for the Potemkin all-American family portrait.

These people are the evil Norman Rockwell brood. If you look closely, in their version of the famous Thanksgiving dinner painting, everyone is carrying concealed blackjacks, shivs, and Saturday night specials, even the kids, ready to off anyone challenging their Infernoesque version of a decent, upstanding family.

[Ken Winkes]

There’s this in today’s “news."

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/15/politics/us-intelligence-virus-started-chinese-lab/index.html

Guess it wasn’t all WHO’s fault

But then there’s this.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/03/21/fact-check-did-coronavirus-originate-chinese-laboratory/2881150001/

Anything to keep that paranoia pandemic raging on the Right.

[Bobby Lee]

How is Captain Queeg going to react after delivering his plot to get us all back together when the first reporter asks him about the governors groups uniting to coordinate opening their states?

[Bobby Lee]

an add on from the BBC on the Crown Princess and her trip during the shut down: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52317673

[Akhilleus]

I see where “glitches” (guffaw, guffaw) have prevented millions of Americans from receiving their stimulus checks decorated with the gigantic, garish, pubescent signature of the whining moocher who had nothing to do with this disbursement.

“Surprise, surprise, surprise” as Gomer Pyle used to say.

Glitches in a Trumpy plan. It’s kind of like itch with poison ivy. Anyone expecting something other than “glitch”, aka complete fuck up, has been living in the wrong country.

[Cowichan's Opinion]

@PD: I sympathize. My country has been following the separation/isolation scheme that Michigan is imposing. With 4 times Michigan's population we have 1,000 more cases but almost 800 fewer deaths.
But I sympathize with the demonstrators. Why, they may ask, are restrictions being imposed on us? To what end? They can look to Sweden which has followed a 'party today for tomorrow you die' system of no restraints.With a population 1% larger than Michigan's they have15,00 fewer cases and 33% fewer deaths!

@Jeanne: If you have difficulty understanding how not only the government, but also the civil service has bowed to trump I can strongly urge you to get a copy of the latest The Atlantic magazine for the article 'How to Destroy a Government' by George Packer.
Best accompanied by a large bottle of your favorite.

[Ken Winkes]

More grist for your mill, Cowichan.

Two days ago, The Guardian reported:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/15/sweden-coronavirus-death-toll-reaches-1000

Lots of factors at work here, which is why I hesitate to make comparisons between states here and between countries elsewhere until we know more. The numbers of reported deaths, for instance, often seem squishy.

I'm guessing poverty is not as prevalent in Sweden as it might be in parts of Michigan that have been hit hard. We do know Covid -19 attacks different economic classes differently.

That said, as it stands compared to its Scandinavian neighbors with stricter approaches, as the days have passed Sweden is not faring quite so well.

Maybe too harsh, but my take on those demonstrators you mention who do live in a mostly free country proved it by showing they were free to be idiots.

[Cowichan's Opinion]

@ Ken; I think their flags confirm suspicions. trumpbots to the core. 1033 was my number.