In July 2016, US President Donald Trump used his acceptance speech as the Republican presidential candidate to paint his dystopian picture of America doing everything wrong. He promised: “My greatest compassion will be for our own struggling citizens…. All we need to do is start believing in ourselves, in our country again… It is time to show the whole world that America is back, bigger and better and stronger than ever before.”
Trump ad libbed “Only I can fix it.”
However, regarding the pandemic what he has managed is a confused and chaotic national response, always a few days late and a few tests short. US efforts have failed to contain Covid-19 that has killed more than 61,000 people in the US. Shutting down personal contact has crashed the economy with the latest unemployment claims exceeding 30,000,000 workers.
Everything he promised in 2016 seems absurd in light of his presidential performance. Trump didn’t start the pandemic. But he did ignore several months of intelligence briefings that painted the potential damage it could do. In 2019, his re-election campaign was premised on gains in the American economy. Now he talks as if he believes the economy can be re-started the way you can add a few liters of petrol to a motorcycle’s empty tank to get home. The Trump campaign wants to shift public perception to one of decisive action not the slow and often dismissive language Trump used in promising “it will just disappear.”
At a recent televised briefing, he suggested that bleach and chemical disinfectants as well as ultraviolet light should be considered as possible internal medicine for the corona virus. His medical experts remained silent, lacking the courage to tell him NO! Global reaction was incredulous. Hotlines at poison centres across America lit up with inquiries. Manufacturers and medical experts loudly warned that ingesting cleaning solutions would kill you.
Terrible economic statistics from the first quarter of the year were released for America and Europe. On the same day, Trump told business leaders: “We think we really have crossed a big boundary and much better days are ahead.” Despite the cataclysmic economic numbers, he reminded them, “I often say I see the light at the end of the tunnel very strongly.”
American crisis behaviour has been defined by Trump’s behaviour—a short attention span, a lack of scientific knowledge, a petulance, a lack of discipline, a belief in whatever he imagines to be correct, endless need for public praise, mis-statement of facts, the use of twitter messages to demean opponents. His supporters take this to be charming eccentricities, not disqualifying conditions for high office. The qualities that matter to his faithful are his stance against abortion, his backing for gun ownership and his lack of interest in protecting individual rights for women and people of colour.
Trump has praised his supporters’ use of public demonstrations urging some states to ease restrictions, not withstanding medical guidelines. In Georgia, this includes gyms, bowling alleys and tattoo parlours. The state coroner warned the 10,000,000 citizens there about going outside, saying “You’re playing Russian Roulette.” In two weeks, we will know the answer.
Other states have a different outlook. New York became the first state to cancel its presidential primary over corona virus fears, saying when Vermont Sen, Bernie Sanders suspended his campaign, it “basically rendered the Democratic primary moot”.
Outdoor sports in America are rendered moot by this virus, meaning Trump hasn’t played golf in nearly two months. In his first three years in office, he spent 251 days at a Trump owned golf course, basically once every 4.4 days. He has consistently complained about being stuck in the White House away from adoring rally crowds. His combative and bombastic approach to reporters shows his preference for unqualified audience love over journalist’s questions.
The stimulus programme is stumbling with money going to controversial big companies and leaving small businesses with none. The $1,200 per adult support money is not going smoothly. American citizens who filed joint tax returns while married to non-citizens (who are in USA legally) are discovering that this makes them ineligible.
Ocean cruiselines are actually registered offshore to avoid both American labour laws and US taxes. So, Carnival Cruise Lines could not get a stimulus check. However, above and beyond the stimulus, the Federal Reserve Bank offered billions of dollars in loans to companies with investment-grade ratings as well as purchases of their bonds. Carnivals, and others, were able to obtain lower interest rates and taxpayer money by way of lender investment.
In late March, Trump remarked that his hotels are hurting due to the COVID-19 crisis. “It’s hurting me and its hurting Hilton and it’s hurting all of the great hotel chains all over the world.” No shout-out for lost business at motels across America. About half the country’s motels are now owned by Indian Americans. A majority of these owners are from Gujarat state’s industrious Patel community, sometimes referred to in hospitality circles as the Patel Motel Cartel.
Slipping poll numbers have the president’s attention. Media headlines on a daily basis are not favourable to a Republican re-election campaign. Some examples:
• US Economy shrinks 4.8 percent in worst showing since 2008
• The coronavirus stimulus is an especially raw deal for single parents
• Positive test rates For Covid-19 are as high as 87 percent at some Michigan prisons
• Workers turn to courts and states for safety protection as Trump declines to act
• Trump’s allies sound alarm over his attacks on independent watchdogs
• The next pandemic: Rising inequality
• Trump leans against state bailouts as governors cry foul
• Backlash grows as pandemic relief stumbles
• Absent vaccine, airline industry may be gutted for years
For a wide variety of business, for the self-employed and those in the so-called gig economy, this year is turning out to be the worst since the Great Depression. This is an America few believed could actually exist—politically splintered, unemployment widespread, and a medical enemy for which no cure has been found. Basically fearful families are staying home to stay alive. Yes, this is much less enjoyable than binge watching a disaster-based television series.
—The writer has worked in senior positions at The Washington Post, NBC, ABC and CNN and also consults for several Indian channels
Lead picture; UNI