Trump to Nation on Coronavirus: Nothing to See Here. Take Two Tax Cuts & Call Me in the Morning
For the moment, at least, Europe is the new China as far as CoronaVirus infections go.
Denmark and Italy are locked down. Germany’s Angela Merkel warned that 70% of Germany’s population could become infected. The World Health Organization has declared the viral outbreak a pandemic citing the alarming spread of the disease called covid-19 and the slow response of many nations to try to contain it.
But trust me on this; the virus is just getting started here.
At a House of Representatives hearing, the nation’s leading doctors did nothing to dispel the atmosphere of gloom and anxiety. “Bottom line, it’s going to get worse,” Anthony Fauci, the long-standing director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testified.
The hearing was adjourned after the White House summoned all the government officials on hand to attend a meeting, initially described as urgent, later changed to routine.
https://twitter.com/OversightDems/status/1237820463025401858?s=20
The President’s hurt feelings apparently have led him to pick Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to work with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on emergency legislation.
A Senate proposal from Democrats for emergency paid sick leave to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus died at the hands of Republican Lamar Alexander on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Washington Post has the White House is considering low/zero-interest loans or deferring taxes for the:
Airline industry
Cruiseline industry
Hospitality industry
Oil and gas industry
The administration is running around in circles, trying to allay fears and prop up the economy. Trump fears any emergency declaration would contradict his messaging that the coronavirus is similar to the seasonal flu.
The President spoke to the nation from the Oval Office for about 13 minutes on Wednesday evening. He spent much of the speech heaping praise on his administration's efforts thus far.
https://twitter.com/owermohle/status/1237922717699014658?s=20
Having blamed the European Union for outbreaks earlier in the day (because people can move around more freely) at a meeting the businesses executives, the President announced a suspension of travel from Europe. Exempted was Great Britain, which has more coronavirus cases than a dozen other European countries.
Ambassadors from EU countries told the press they were given no advance notice. Trump slipped in language suggesting that trade was also to be halted, something his aides had to walk back. He also forgot to mention that US citizens and green card holders were exempt.
In addition, Trump indicated that he will ask the Small Business Administration to provide loans to businesses affected by the coronavirus outbreak, though he provided few details. Presumably Trump will make this request through provisions of the Stafford Act which allows a number of financial actions on the declaration of a emergency.
Trump also suggested a cut in the payroll tax. Democrats in both the House and the Senate have already spoken out against this move, saying that it would not be an effective stimulus, would take funds away from Social Security and other programs, and would provide no assistance to many hourly workers.
https://twitter.com/billritter7/status/1237936380266807302?s=20
A handful of scenarios for action have emerged, but the bottom line is that nothing will be settled until “Jared Kushner, the president’s senior adviser and son-in-law, finishes his research and comes to a conclusion himself.”
Think that’s bad? How about this?
Or this?
https://twitter.com/ChrisLu44/status/1237874904294469632?s=20
President Donald Trump's reelection campaign announced Tuesday that he will hold an event with supporters in Milwaukee the same day Democrats Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden announced they were canceling events in Ohio out of concern for public health amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Trump has privately insisted that there be no changes to his schedule, despite warnings from health officials about large gatherings as the virus has spread throughout the United States. He said Tuesday that the public should "stay calm" because the coronavirus will "go away," though officials on the Sanders and Biden campaigns said they were acting on advice from public officials who were worried about convening big crowds during the outbreak.
Trump will launch the "Catholics for Trump" coalition on March 19 at the Wisconsin Center. It will be a "large campaign event," campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh told CNN when asked if it was fair to characterize the coalition rollout as a rally. Initially a person familiar said the campaign would announce a rally Tuesday, not a "campaign event."
https://twitter.com/MikeDelMoro/status/1237799918439411712?s=20
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