In the weeks since the Coronavirus was first detected in the United States, a large-scale testing regimen has largely failed to get off the ground. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has harshly limited access to testing, so that even those with serious symptoms that might suggest they’re sick with the virus can’t always get tested. Even Tom Hanks, who got tested after cold-like symptoms while in Australia, might not have been able to be tested in the U.S. It’s unclear what on earth he’s actually talking about, but this Friday, President Donald Trump blamed Obama for the testing delays that are happening under Trump’s own watch.
He tweeted:
‘For decades the @CDCgov looked at, and studied, its testing system, but did nothing about it. It would always be inadequate and slow for a large scale pandemic, but a pandemic would never happen, they hoped. President Obama made changes that only complicated things further.’
And he added a proclamation about the supposedly oh-so-great testing that was on the way, insisting:
‘Their response to H1N1 Swine Flu was a full scale disaster, with thousands dying, and nothing meaningful done to fix the testing problem, until now. The changes have been made and testing will soon happen on a very large scale basis. All Red Tape has been cut, ready to go!’
…. Their response to H1N1 Swine Flu was a full scale disaster, with thousands dying, and nothing meaningful done to fix the testing problem, until now. The changes have been made and testing will soon happen on a very large scale basis. All Red Tape has been cut, ready to go!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2020
Trump and his allies have been claiming that meaningful large-scale testing would soon get going for weeks now, and it’s still only rolled out in fits and starts at best. Just this week, health official Dr. Anthony Fauci acknowledged that the testing regime has so far been essentially a “failing,” although even with the struggles, a full 1,635 cases and counting have already been confirmed in the United States. 41 people have died in the U.S. from the virus.
This Friday, Trump also addressed ongoing negotiations over a second Coronavirus response funding package that’s being developed in Congress. Rather than the unemployment insurance increases and food purchasing support proposed by Dems, Trump suggested a payroll tax cut — but that’s not exactly going to be relevant if people are forced out of work because of fear of Coronavirus transmission, now is it?
Joe Biden has no ground to stand on politicizing coronavirus or attacking @realDonaldTrump.https://t.co/ps7dKDuPtg
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) March 12, 2020
If you want to get money into the hands of people quickly & efficiently, let them have the full money that they earned, APPROVE A PAYROLL TAX CUT until the end of the year, December 31. Then you are doing something that is really meaningful. Only that will make a big difference!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2020
Check out Twitter’s response…
