Trump: What’s up, Doc?

April 19, 2020 By Clarice Feldman

 

A Facebook friend likened the President to Bugs Bunny, chomping on his carrot and making fun of his enemies. And this week it certainly seems that way as the page flips from "everybody’s–an-epidemiology expert" to "we are now all constitutional scholars."

 

On April 14 Trump said he was the “absolute authority” on when to relax the shutdown and two days later, based on fact, he noted that the virus seemed to have peaked, circumstances were different in different places of the country, and it was up to the governors of each state to determine mitigation strategies appropriate for their states following some national guidelines. 

The new guidelines are aimed at easing restrictions in areas with low transmission of the coronavirus, while holding the line in harder-hit locations. They make clear that the return to normalcy will be a far longer process than Trump initially envisioned, with federal officials warning that some social distancing measures may need to remain in place through the end of the year to prevent a new outbreak. And they largely reinforce plans already in the works by governors, who have primary responsibility for public health in their states. 

"You’re going to call your own shots," Trump told the governors Thursday afternoon in a conference call, according to an audio recording obtained by the Associated Press. "We’re going to be standing alongside of you."

Places with declining infections and strong testing would begin a three-phase gradual reopening of businesses and schools......To Read More......