Horrifying as it sounds, Donald Trump, and only Donald Trump, is our best hope at keeping the number of American dead under 1 million (rather than the 10 million number we’re headed for now).
I know that sounds crazy, but hear me out.
1. We cannot wait until late January for President Biden to begin to mobilize and implement a science-based response.
2. Even if we did, look around, look around. The Republican death cult is refusing to take even the simplest steps toward masking up and shutting down. As long as their leader continues to mock of the science and scientists who should be dictating our federal, state, and local policy, we cannot make any progress towards stopping the accelerating spread of this disease. Do you really think that an order to stay at home and mandating masks outside the home is going to be accepted coming from President Biden?
No, only a complete volte-face on the part of Donald Trump will suffice. Trump will have to lead America:
- by example, by appearing daily wearing a mask and observing proper distancing measures
- issuing a nationwide stay-at-home order for at least 60 days
- working with the House and the Senate to quickly pass laws providing sufficient economic support to all Americans so that they can afford to stay at home. The Republicans in the Senate will follow his lead and the House will do it because it’s what’s right.
- invoking the Defense Production Act to massively ramp up production of N95 masks and other personal protective equipment to levels where everyone can have sufficient PPE everywhere — and educate and train everyone on their use.
- working with the House and the Senate to quickly pass laws providing authorization and funding for a robust test/trace/track corps (a much less intimidating word than “army,” but that’s what is needed) and to fund and mobilize hospitals and facilities to provide care and isolation to everyone who is exposed
In other words, Donald Trump needs to do in July of 2020 what Donald Trump should have — could have and should have done in March of 2020. He needs to realize that. He needs to accept it. He needs to admit it. And he needs to do what’s best for every American.
tl;dr: We are well and truly fucked.