While confirmed Coronavirus cases and deaths continue to rise, top Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow would apparently like Americans to think that the Trump administration’s response is coming along just fine — although we can all see what they’re really doing. This weekend on CBS’s Face The Nation, Kudlow even claimed that the Trump team has pushed an “urgency” for Coronavirus response from the “beginning” — but that’s a lie! It’s not long ago at all that Trump himself was publicly declaring Coronavirus concern a “hoax” and insisting that negative coverage of the situation was some kind of conspiracy to make him look bad.
Kudlow was discussing a new Coronavirus relief funding bill when he made the claim otherwise. He told host Margaret Brennan:
‘I think there’s an urgency to this, something we’ve pushed from the very beginning. Again, it’s about helping families and middle income and blue collar-type folks. They should not be penalized financially. And we don’t want to force them to go outdoors when they should be indoors.’
Watch:
#CORONAVIRUS STIMULUS BILL: “I think the Senate’s going to work on it tomorrow,” @Larry_Kudlow tells @margbrennan, noting “it may not be a perfect bill,” but says it will help average Americanshttps://t.co/2sQJOuXIpf pic.twitter.com/bZ53ZFFRJ3
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) March 15, 2020
Again though — that’s just incorrect. It took Trump weeks to even formally declare a national emergency over the Coronavirus, in part, reportedly, because he was concerned about the effect of the optics of an emergency declaration on his administration. But an earlier declaration could have freed up important resources weeks ahead of the current schedule. Pandemics aren’t about optics! They’re about health! Does Trump care?
His own actual malpractice mirrors what Senate Republicans have done, despite Kudlow’s self-confident claims of a sense of urgency. Originally, the Senate wasn’t even going to consider that new relief package until after a recess of almost two weeks. After outcry, that got cancelled, but Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) still kept a long weekend break in the session in place anyway.
Meanwhile, Americans have been struggling. This weekend, Kudlow also addressed the rash of reports of stores who’ve seen drastically depleted stocks because of people panic-buying large quantities of goods.
Kudlow insisted:
‘I’ve read about some situations where this is a difficulty, but most of our supply lines are working pretty well in the domestic United States. In fact, let me make a point — there’s a huge economic challenge here: do not get me wrong, a huge economic challenge. On the other hand, most of America is still working… Factories are not shutting down across the country, at least not yet. The employment story, which may become more tenuous in the weeks ahead… nonetheless, a lot of CEOs I talked to, they’re doing everything they can not to lay off anybody.’
Watch:
Despite some grocery store shelves running empty, @Larry_Kudlow tells @margbrennan that “most of our supply lines are working pretty well.” https://t.co/2nQ5a7NMHA pic.twitter.com/rkwVcZe4LP
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) March 15, 2020
That last part, about CEOs doing “everything they can,” doesn’t exactly match up with reality — to say the least. For example, stories have spread far and wide of Whole Foods’ suggestion to employees that they share their allotted time off with each other as needed — rather than, you know, giving them any more time off. If an employee heads into work while sick because they need the money and haven’t actually had time off provided for, they could spread the Coronavirus.
Whole Foods, which is owned by Amazon, wants employees to "donate" paid time off to each other during the coronavirus outbreak.
At the same time, Amazon paid a 1.2% tax rate on $13B in profits last year.
If this isn't the epitome of corporate greed, I don't know what is.
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) March 14, 2020
