theguardian--2020-03-24--Can Trump be trusted not to abuse his coronavirus emergency powers?

Standing in the Brady briefing room at the White House last week Donald Trump said that despite new restrictions on the number of journalists allowed in the room , there were still too many reporters around .
“ You ’ re actually sitting too close , ” the president told the journalists .
“ We should probably get rid of about another 75 , 80 % of you .
I have just two or three that I like in this room.
” If it was a joke , the timing was terrible .
As the coronavirus crisis has grown , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s whim to shape American life , whether that means choosing which states get emergency medical equipment first , deciding where to deploy troops to build temporary hospitals – or controlling what the public knows about what the government is doing .
In recent weeks , Trump has invoked emergency powers enabling him to waive certain healthcare regulations and direct enormous streams of cash to areas of need .
He has also announced that the federal government would use its authority to direct private companies to boost the production of surgical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ although the status of those efforts was unclear .
For now the risk – the seeming surety – of a national disaster has fostered a willingness in even Trump ’ s harshest critics for him to aggressively seize the reins of his office and marshal the power of the federal government toward a muscular and decisive response that could save thousands of lives .
But with this widespread desire for action has come related concerns about where , exactly , that power will stop growing , when the emergency crests , and how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subsides .
Civil society advocates warn the fog of crisis could give Trump cover to grab adjacent powers , not related to the current emergency , that might be difficult to claw back – especially if Congress and the courts failed to check Trump after the fact .
“ Ordinarily , that ’ s not something you ’ d be worried about , because it would seem kind of unthinkable for a president to exploit a pandemic to arrogate a bunch of power that he doesn ’ t need , ” said Elizabeth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national security program at the Brennan Center for Justice .
“ But we have seen that this president is willing to abuse emergency powers , and to use them for political gains .
And so we have to worry.
” By invoking the National Emergencies Act on 13 March , Trump gained access to emergency powers in more than 100 other statutes , Goitein said , “ and if you look at those authorities , very few of them relate to health crises ” .
With incremental action , Trump could expand government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assets or change the size and composition of the armed forces .
Other steps Trump has taken in the coronavirus response , such as restricting international borders and imposing mandatory quarantines for certain travelers , do not rely on emergency authorities but could create a legacy of expanded executive power that advocates fear could outlast the virus .
One step Trump did not take after his administration declared a public health emergency on 31 January was to reallocate funds to speed approval for drugs and ramp up the production of coronavirus tests kits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that power , the University of Texas law professor Steve Vladeck said , may have ironically created a scenario in which he ends up using much broader powers .
“ The president ’ s dilatory use of the powers he has , I think , is going to end up requiring him to use a lot more of that power , in ways that are a lot more controversial and a lot more coercive and a lot more inconsistent , ” Vladeck told Benjamin Wittes of the Brookings Institution in a Lawfare podcast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the administration would look for ways to use the crisis to move the lines of the law were sharpened by reports last week that the justice department had asked Congress to pass legislation allowing federal judges to detain people indefinitely without trial during emergencies .
But analysts differ in their imaginations of how a dangerous expansion of power by Trump might unfold , with the economy in a tailspin and a presidential election on the horizon .
Under extraordinary powers accessible to Trump after his national emergency declaration , he could declare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat ” and impose financial sanctions on anyone he said was contributing to the threat , such as a media company or a political opponent .
He could announce an interstate travel ban , enforceable by the military , citing a need to stop the spread of the virus .
Along similar lines , he could take steps that could make it harder for some people to vote in the presidential election in November – or make it more difficult for legal challenges to such steps to be heard in court .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the federal courts in general , and this supreme court in particular , being remarkably deferential to the federal government in a public health crisis like this one , ” Vladeck told Wittes .
Or , in what analysts describe as a worst-case scenario , the justice department could move for a federal judge to declare a breakdown of local law enforcement – at which point Trump could theoretically deploy the military in the streets , in a manner breaking with past deployments of active-duty troops for disaster response .
As an ominous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to anti-democratic moves taken by the Israeli prime minister , Benjamin Netanyahu , to close most courts , adjourn parliament and exploit secret cellphone data .
“ We have to be on the lookout for any use of these powers that goes beyond what public health experts are recommending as necessary , and that intrude on civil liberties , ” Goitein said .
In offhand comments , Trump has occasionally expressed a reticence about the power of his office , which he elsewhere has described as unlimited .
“ A lot of executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to use it that would be a good thing , not a bad thing , ” he said at the White House last week .
As late as Wednesday , Trump was resisting calls to invoke the Defense Production Act to get private businesses involved in mask and ventilator production , saying , “ We hope we ’ re not going to need it.
” The Berkeley law professor John Yoo , who crafted legal cover for torture programs in the George W Bush years , took a sanguine view of Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ There ’ s not a whole lot more I think that the president can do , unless we saw something much more serious occur such as the breakdown of law and order , ” said Yoo in a call-in forum hosted on Friday by the Federalist Society .
“ Even then the president would need to rely on the request of state governors for assistance before he could intervene.
” But Trump ’ s track record offers no reason to believe that he will eagerly accede to the contraction of powers that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Goitein , of the Brennan Center .
“ If you divorce his emergency orders from the context of every other thing he ’ s ever said or done , you might be able to believe that , ” she said .
“ But if you put it in the context of a president who has said that article II gives him the power to do anything he wants , and a president who has ordered officials not to comply with congressional subpoenas , and a president who has said that Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him – then I think you absolutely have to be worried .
”

Standing in the Brady briefing room at the White House last week, Donald Trump said that despite new restrictions on the number of journalists allowed in the room, there were still too many reporters around.
“You’re actually sitting too close,” the president told the journalists. “We should probably get rid of about another 75, 80% of you. I have just two or three that I like in this room.”
If it was a joke, the timing was terrible.
As the coronavirus crisis has grown, so too has the power of the president’s whim to shape American life, whether that means choosing which states get emergency medical equipment first, deciding where to deploy troops to build temporary hospitals – or controlling what the public knows about what the government is doing.
In recent weeks, Trump has invoked emergency powers enabling him to waive certain healthcare regulations and direct enormous streams of cash to areas of need. He has also announced that the federal government would use its authority to direct private companies to boost the production of surgical masks, gloves and other equipment, although the status of those efforts was unclear.
For now the risk – the seeming surety – of a national disaster has fostered a willingness in even Trump’s harshest critics for him to aggressively seize the reins of his office and marshal the power of the federal government toward a muscular and decisive response that could save thousands of lives.
But with this widespread desire for action has come related concerns about where, exactly, that power will stop growing, when the emergency crests, and how that power will shrink when the crisis subsides.
Civil society advocates warn the fog of crisis could give Trump cover to grab adjacent powers, not related to the current emergency, that might be difficult to claw back – especially if Congress and the courts failed to check Trump after the fact.
“Ordinarily, that’s not something you’d be worried about, because it would seem kind of unthinkable for a president to exploit a pandemic to arrogate a bunch of power that he doesn’t need,” said Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the liberty and national security program at the Brennan Center for Justice.
“But we have seen that this president is willing to abuse emergency powers, and to use them for political gains. And so we have to worry.”
By invoking the National Emergencies Act on 13 March, Trump gained access to emergency powers in more than 100 other statutes, Goitein said, “and if you look at those authorities, very few of them relate to health crises”. With incremental action, Trump could expand government control of the internet, freeze private assets or change the size and composition of the armed forces.
Other steps Trump has taken in the coronavirus response, such as restricting international borders and imposing mandatory quarantines for certain travelers, do not rely on emergency authorities but could create a legacy of expanded executive power that advocates fear could outlast the virus.
One step Trump did not take after his administration declared a public health emergency on 31 January was to reallocate funds to speed approval for drugs and ramp up the production of coronavirus tests kits. Trump’s failure to deploy that power, the University of Texas law professor Steve Vladeck said, may have ironically created a scenario in which he ends up using much broader powers.
“The president’s dilatory use of the powers he has, I think, is going to end up requiring him to use a lot more of that power, in ways that are a lot more controversial and a lot more coercive and a lot more inconsistent,” Vladeck told Benjamin Wittes of the Brookings Institution in a Lawfare podcast about emergency powers and coronavirus.
Members of the Maryland national guard control entry to a section of parking lot on the south side of FedEx Field on Monday that officials said will become a clinic for coronavirus health screenings. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Concerns that the administration would look for ways to use the crisis to move the lines of the law were sharpened by reports last week that the justice department had asked Congress to pass legislation allowing federal judges to detain people indefinitely without trial during emergencies.
But analysts differ in their imaginations of how a dangerous expansion of power by Trump might unfold, with the economy in a tailspin and a presidential election on the horizon.
Under extraordinary powers accessible to Trump after his national emergency declaration, he could declare the coronavirus to be a “foreign threat” and impose financial sanctions on anyone he said was contributing to the threat, such as a media company or a political opponent.
He could announce an interstate travel ban, enforceable by the military, citing a need to stop the spread of the virus. Along similar lines, he could take steps that could make it harder for some people to vote in the presidential election in November – or make it more difficult for legal challenges to such steps to be heard in court.
“It’s not hard to imagine the federal courts in general, and this supreme court in particular, being remarkably deferential to the federal government in a public health crisis like this one,” Vladeck told Wittes.
Or, in what analysts describe as a worst-case scenario, the justice department could move for a federal judge to declare a breakdown of local law enforcement – at which point Trump could theoretically deploy the military in the streets, in a manner breaking with past deployments of active-duty troops for disaster response.
As an ominous reference point, civil liberties advocates point to anti-democratic moves taken by the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to close most courts, adjourn parliament and exploit secret cellphone data.
“We have to be on the lookout for any use of these powers that goes beyond what public health experts are recommending as necessary, and that intrude on civil liberties,” Goitein said.
In offhand comments, Trump has occasionally expressed a reticence about the power of his office, which he elsewhere has described as unlimited.
“A lot of executive power, if we don’t have to use it that would be a good thing, not a bad thing,” he said at the White House last week. As late as Wednesday, Trump was resisting calls to invoke the Defense Production Act to get private businesses involved in mask and ventilator production, saying, “We hope we’re not going to need it.”
Donald Trump’s track record offers no reason to believe that he will eagerly accede to the contraction of powers that expanded in a time of emergency response, experts warn. Photograph: Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images
The Berkeley law professor John Yoo, who crafted legal cover for torture programs in the George W Bush years, took a sanguine view of Trump’s power and its containment.
“There’s not a whole lot more I think that the president can do, unless we saw something much more serious occur such as the breakdown of law and order,” said Yoo in a call-in forum hosted on Friday by the Federalist Society. “Even then the president would need to rely on the request of state governors for assistance before he could intervene.”
But Trump’s track record offers no reason to believe that he will eagerly accede to the contraction of powers that expanded in a time of emergency response, said Goitein, of the Brennan Center.
“If you divorce his emergency orders from the context of every other thing he’s ever said or done, you might be able to believe that,” she said. “But if you put it in the context of a president who has said that article II gives him the power to do anything he wants, and a president who has ordered officials not to comply with congressional subpoenas, and a president who has said that Congress does not have the authority to impeach him – then I think you absolutely have to be worried.”


theguardian--2020-03-24--Trump vows to reopen US economy even as deaths from coronavirus rise

Donald Trump has said he was eager to reopen the US economy in weeks , not months , even as the death toll from the virus continued to rise .
The president , who has been anxious about the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the US economy , made the remarks at a White House press briefing Monday in which he repeatedly refused to confirm that he would listen to public health authorities if they advised him to keep restrictive public health measures in place , even at a cost to the economy .
“ We ’ ll see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House officials announced at the briefing that New York City , New Jersey and Long Island were emerging as a concerning hot spot for many new coronavirus cases .
The US reported more than 100 deaths on Monday , the first time the daily death toll has entered the triple digits .
There have been 557 deaths and nearly 44,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the US , according to figures from Johns Hopkins .
But in his remarks , Trump focused on states across the country that had seen few confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Nebraska , Iowa , and Idaho .
The president argued that it was essential to the economy be “ opening up our country ” again as soon as possible .
“ Our country was not built to be shut down , ” Trump said .
“ This is not a country that was built for this.
” During the briefing , White House officials praised Americans for their “ selflessness ” in the first week of widespread restrictions to slow the spread of coronavirus , and for making sacrifices like staying at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to a restaurant .
Trump ’ s top advisers referred to current government restrictions as a “ 15 day challenge ” and pledged to revisit the need for sweeping measures to prevent the spread of the virus in just another week .
The president said he expected life to return to normal very soon , much sooner than in three or four months .
Asked if he meant the country would be re-opening in “ weeks or months ” , Trump said : “ I ’ m not looking at months , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asked if Dr Anthony Fauci , the immunologist who has become the public face of the American scientific community during the pandemic , agreed with him on potentially re-opening the economy , Trump said : “ He doesn ’ t not agree.
” “ He understands there ’ s a tremendous cost to our country , ” the president added .
Fauci , who has spoken publicly about the challenges of focusing on facts about the pandemic even as Trump ’ s White House has sometimes undermined those facts , was not present @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As the record-high stock market plummeted and then plummeted again , Trump has raised concerns that the “ cure ” for the coronavirus pandemic could be “ worse than the problem itself.
” During the press conference , Trump repeatedly argued that a damaged American economy could create “ more death ” than potential deaths from the coronavirus , because of an association between economic crisis and suicide .
“ People get tremendous anxiety and depression and you have suicide over things like this , when you have a terrible economy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far greater numbers than we ’ re talking about with regard to the virus , ” Trump said .
While it is reasonable to suggest that a recession can increase the risk of a rise in suicides , experts caution that there is no single cause of suicide .
According to research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry , North America and Europe experienced 10,000 more suicides during the 2008 recession .
The outbreak of Sars in Hong Kong in 2002 and 2003 also led to a “ significant increase ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to 2010 research .
But early projections for the toll of coronavirus in the United States suggest it could lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths , even at the lowest end of ranges of estimates .
While the figures for the mortality rate of coronavirus continues to evolve , recent research from Wuhan , China , the city where the outbreak began , indicates the mortality rate there was around 1.4 % .
Experts at Harvard University have projected an infection rate in the US of between 20 % and 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impossible to reliably estimate the American coronavirus death toll , a reasonable scenario might result in hundreds of thousands of lives lost .
At the press briefing , Trump said that he found the emerging data on mortality rates of coronavirus encouraging .
Asked if he was concerned that if he eased government restrictions to prevent coronavirus “ too early ” , the virus might continue to spread unabated , he said that the mortality rate for coronavirus was not as bad as had been initially feared .
At the beginning , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” , and Trump said he heard numbers that the mortality rate for the virus might be as high as 5 % , compared with “ .001 or 2 or 3 ” percent for the normal flu .
Now , Trump said , he was hearing potential mortality rate numbers that were lower .
“ The whole concept of death is terrible , but there ’ s a tremendous difference between something under 1 % and 4 or 5 or even 3 % , ” the president said .
On one issue , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that coronavirus might reshape American life forever .
As he looked out at the much-more-empty than usual White House briefing room , with journalists carefully spaced out to follow public health guidelines , Trump noted that the briefing room had once been full of lots of “ angry people who don ’ t like me ” .
“ Will we ever have that again , or ... it will look like this forever ?
” Trump asked his coronavirus response coordinator , Dr. Deborah Birx .
Attorney general Bill Barr , who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ None In the US , the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255 .
In the UK , the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 and Papyrus can be contacted on 0800 068 4141 .
In Australia , the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14 .
Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org .

Donald Trump has said he is eager to reopen the US economy in weeks not months – even as the death toll from the virus continued to rise.
The president, who is anxious about the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the US economy, made the remarks at a White House press briefing Monday in which he repeatedly refused to confirm that he would listen to public health authorities if they advised him to keep restrictive public health measures in place, even at a cost to the economy.
“We’ll see what happens,” he said.
White House officials announced at the briefing that New York City, New Jersey and Long Island were emerging as a concerning hotspot for many new coronavirus cases.
The US reported more than 100 deaths on Monday, the first time the daily death toll has entered the triple digits. There have been 557 deaths and nearly 44,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the US, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.
But in his remarks, Trump focused on states across the country that had seen few confirmed coronavirus cases so far – rural states such as Nebraska, Iowa, and Idaho. The president argued that it was essential to the economy be “opening up our country” again as soon as possible.
“Our country was not built to be shut down,” Trump said. “This is not a country that was built for this.”
During the briefing, White House officials praised Americans for their “selflessness” in the first week of widespread restrictions. Trump’s top advisers referred to current government restrictions as a “15-day challenge” and pledged to revisit the need for sweeping measures to prevent the spread of the virus in just another week.
Trump said he expected life to return to normal very soon, much sooner than in three or four months. Asked if he meant the country would be re-opening in “weeks or months”, Trump said: “I’m not looking at months, I can tell you right now.”
Asked if Dr Anthony Fauci, the immunologist who has become the public face of the American scientific community during the pandemic, agreed with him on potentially re-opening the economy, Trump said: “He doesn’t not agree.”
Trump added: “[Fauci] understands there’s a tremendous cost to our country.”
Fauci, who has spoken publicly about the challenges of focusing on facts even as Trump’s White House has sometimes undermined them, was not present at Monday’s briefing.
As the record-high stock market has plummeted and then plummeted again, Trump has raised concerns that the “cure” for the virus could be “worse than the problem itself”. During the press conference, Trump repeatedly argued that a damaged American economy could create “more death” than potential deaths from the coronavirus, because of an association between economic crisis and suicide.
Trump said: “People get tremendous anxiety and depression and you have suicide over things like this, when you have a terrible economy, you have death, definitely … in far greater numbers than we’re talking about with regard to the virus.”
Although it is reasonable to suggest that a recession can increase the risk of a rise in suicides, experts caution that there is no single cause of suicide.
According to research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, North America and Europe experienced 10,000 more suicides during the 2008 recession. The outbreak of Sars in Hong Kong in 2002 and 2003 also led to a “significant increase” in suicides in those over age 65, according to 2010 research.
But early projections for the toll of the coronavirus in the United States suggest it could lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths, even at the lowest end of ranges of estimates.
Figures for the coronavirus mortality rate continues to evolve, but research from Wuhan, the Chinese city where the outbreak began, indicates the death rate there was about 1.4%. Experts at Harvard University have projected an infection rate in the US of between 20% and 60%, meaning that although it is impossible to reliably estimate the American coronavirus toll, a reasonable scenario might result in hundreds of thousands of deaths.
At the Monday briefing, Trump said he found the emerging data encouraging. Asked if he was concerned that if he eased government restrictions to prevent coronavirus “too early” the virus might continue to spread rapidly, he said the mortality rate for coronavirus was not as bad as had been initially feared.
Trump said: “I mean, we started off – we were hearing numbers of 5% [mortality rate]. That would – that’s an astronomical number, when the flu is .001 and two and three, right? And so 5% would be an astronomical number.”
Now, Trump said, he was hearing potential mortality rate numbers that were lower.
“The whole concept of death is terrible, but there’s a tremendous difference between something under 1% and 4 or 5 or even 3%,” the president said.
On one issue, Trump expressed some interest in the possibility that coronavirus might reshape American life forever.
As he looked out at the much-more-empty than usual White House briefing room, with journalists carefully spaced out to follow public health guidelines, Trump noted that the briefing room had once been full of lots of “angry people who don’t like me”.
“Will we ever have that again, or … it will look like this forever?” Trump asked his coronavirus response coordinator, Dr Deborah Birx.
Attorney general Bill Barr, who was standing behind Trump, chuckled.
“I don’t know,” Birx said.
Oliver Laughland contributed reporting


theguardian--2020-03-24--'Where's Fauci?' America panics as doctor absent again from White House briefing

Moments after Donald Trump approached the lectern to open the daily task force briefing on the coronavirus pandemic , mild panic broke among viewers online .
Where was Dr Anthony Fauci , the 79-year-old infectious disease expert who has become a regular fixture and a calming presence alongside the president ?
The alarm reflected just how much the nation has come to rely on the wisdom of the straight-talking doctor from New York as the coronavirus pandemic spreads , with the worst yet to come .
For many anxious Americans tuning in from the confinement of their homes , Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a time of deep uncertainty .
And his absence at yet another briefing raised was cause for concern .
Had he been sidelined for contradicting the president ?
Was he in good health ?
Asked about his absence by a Guardian reporter , Trump said : “ I was just with him ” , explaining that Fauci was “ at a task force meeting ” .
A White House official confirmed Fauci ’ s attendance at earlier meetings that day and insisted his absence was in keeping with a commitment to rotate speakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day ” .
Fauci himself attempted to allay concerns about his current status – professionally and physiologically .
Reached at his home on Sunday , the longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told Science magazine that he was “ exhausted ” but otherwise “ good ” .
“ I mean , I ’ m not , to my knowledge , coronavirus-infected , ” he said , adding with a laugh : “ To my knowledge , I haven ’ t been fired.
” But Fauci went further .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has said does not “ comport ” with the facts .
Fauci , who has served six US presidents , said he is working with the members of the task force to ensure Trump shares accurate information from the podium about the coronavirus , but admitted that it can be a difficult task .
“ But I can ’ t jump in front of the microphone and push him down , ” Fauci said .
“ OK , he said it .
Let ’ s try and get it corrected for the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump has repeatedly made inaccurate or misleading claims about the coronavirus outbreak from the availability of testing to the development of a vaccine .
And on more than one occasion , it has fallen to Fauci to politely but firmly correct the president – sometimes in real time .
At recent briefings , Trump , acting on instinct , has promoted a widely-available malaria drug as a possible antidote to Covid-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
Asked by a reporter if it was true that the drug could prevent the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The answer is no , ” he replied , explaining in his distinctive Brooklyn accent that the science was simply not there yet .
“ The information that you ’ re referring to specifically is anecdotal.
” Later in the briefing , Fauci placed a hand over his face as if to stifle a laugh when Trump interjected and referred to the state department as the “ deep state department ” .
The doctor ’ s face-palm immediately became an internet meme , even as some noted that he touched his face in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I don ’ t want to embarrass him , ” Fauci said of his diplomatic approach , in a weekend interview with New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd .
“ I don ’ t want to act like a tough guy , like I stood up to the president .
I just want to get the facts out.
” Trump , ever reluctant to share the spotlight , has taken note of Fauci ’ s heightened national profile – the interviews , the TV appearances and the online following .
Inviting him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , Trump remarked : “ I think everybody out here knows you pretty well.
” He added : “ Tony has been doing a tremendous job working long , long hours .
And you ’ ve seen a lot happen , but this has been – it ’ s been a great experience , and working with you has been terrific.
” That was 13 March .
Ten days later , Trump ’ s opinion of the doctor appears not to have been dimmed by their disagreements .
“ I like Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporters on Monday .
But did Fauci agree with Trump ’ s latest declaration – that he could soon begin easing restrictions on social distancing and public activities recommended by public health officials to help contain the spread of the coronavirus ?
Trump paused , then replied : “ Well , he doesn ’ t not agree .
”

Moments after Donald Trump approached the lectern to open the daily taskforce briefing on the coronavirus pandemic, mild panic broke among viewers online.
Where was Dr Anthony Fauci, the 79-year-old infectious disease expert who has become a regular fixture and a calming presence alongside the president?
Will the press in the @WhiteHouse briefing room commit malpractice for the second day in a row by not asking the only question that matters:
WHERE IS DR. FAUCI ??? 🤔🤔#WhereIsDrFauci? #WhereIsFauci? pic.twitter.com/cXWsga3ocL — Fernand R. Amandi (@AmandiOnAir) March 23, 2020
A hashtag questioning his whereabouts trended on Twitter.
Paging Dr. Fauci...Paging Dr. Anthony Fauci. Please call your office immediately. https://t.co/kGASefBBAS — Robert Gibbs (@Robt_Gibbs) March 23, 2020
The alarm reflected just how much the nation has come to rely on the wisdom of the straight-talking doctor from New York as the virus spreads, with the worst yet to come.
For the many anxious Americans tuning in from the confinement of their homes, Fauci is avoice of reason in a time of deep uncertainty. And his absence at yet another briefing raised was cause for concern.
Had he been sidelined for contradicting the president? Was he ill?
Where is Fauci? Disturbing. “At a certain point, we have to get open. .. we will be doing something very very quickly.. We can do two things at once.” ...Then the President talks about how the flu and auto accidents can also be deadly.. WOW. That lack of Fauci shows. — Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) March 23, 2020
It’s clear that the coward in the White House can no longer handle having Dr Fauci in the room. That’s very bad news for the American people. — Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) March 23, 2020
The only person I want to hear from is dr. Anthony Fauci. — Molly Jong-Fast🏡 (@MollyJongFast) March 23, 2020
Asked about his absence by a Guardian reporter, Trump said: “I was just with him” – explaining that Fauci was “at a taskforce meeting”. A White House official confirmed Fauci’s attendance at earlier meetings that day and insisted his absence was in keeping with a commitment to rotate speakers “depending on the news of the day”.
Fauci himself attempted to allay concerns about his current status – professionally and physiologically. Reached at his home on Sunday, the longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told Science magazine that he was “exhausted” but otherwise “good”.
“I mean, I’m not, to my knowledge, coronavirus-infected,” he said, adding with a laugh: “To my knowledge, I haven’t been fired.”
But the doctor went further. He conceded that some of what Trump has said does not “comport” with the facts. Fauci, who has served six US presidents, said he is working with the members of the taskforce to ensure Trump shares accurate information from the podium about the coronavirus, but admitted that it can be a difficult task.
“But I can’t jump in front of the microphone and push him down,” Fauci said. “OK, he said it. Let’s try and get it corrected for the next time.”
From behind the podium, Trump has repeatedly made inaccurate or misleading claims about the coronavirus outbreak from the availability of testing to the development of a vaccine. And on more than one occasion, it has fallen to Fauci to politely but firmly correct the president – sometimes in real time.
At recent briefings, Trump, acting on instinct, has promoted a widely-available malaria drug as a possible antidote to Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Asked by a reporter if it was true that the drug could prevent the disease, Fauci was blunt.
“The answer is no,” he replied, explaining in his distinctive Brooklyn accent that the science was simply not there yet. “The information that you’re referring to specifically is anecdotal.”
Later in the briefing, Fauci placed a hand over his face when Trump interjected and referred to the state department as the “deep state department”. The doctor’s face-palm was an instant internet meme, even as some noted that he had touched his face in violation of public health guidelines.
“I don’t want to embarrass him,” Fauci said of his diplomatic approach, in a weekend interview with New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd. “I don’t want to act like a tough guy, like I stood up to the president. I just want to get the facts out.”
Trump, ever reluctant to share the spotlight, has taken note of Fauci’s heightened national profile – the interviews, the TV appearances and the dedicated following. Inviting him to speak at a press conference last week, Trump remarked: “I think everybody out here knows you pretty well.”
He added: “Tony has been doing a tremendous job working long, long hours. And you’ve seen a lot happen, but this has been – it’s been a great experience, and working with you has been terrific.” That was 13 March.
Ten days later, Trump’s opinion of the doctor appears not to have been dimmed by their disagreements.
Q: "Where is Dr. Fauci right now? Why is he not at this briefing?"
President Trump: I was just with him...he's at the task force meeting right now."
Q: "Does he agree with you about the need to reopen the economy soon?"
President Trump: "He doesn't not agree." pic.twitter.com/NC6CkyDmVN — CSPAN (@cspan) March 23, 2020
“I like Dr Fauci a lot,” he told reporters on Monday.
But did Fauci agree with Trump’s latest declaration – that he could soon begin easing restrictions on social distancing and public activities recommended by public health officials to help contain the spread of the coronavirus?
Trump paused, then replied: “Well, he doesn’t not agree.”


theguardian--2020-03-24--Trump wants to reopen US businesses in weeks 'not months' even as deaths rise – as it happened

In a marked low point of Donald Trump ’ s Monday press conference , the president argued that public health measures to slow spread of the coronavirus might have their own death toll , because the public health guidelines hurt the economy , and economic crisis leads to suicide .
The president implied that quickly ending ending restrictive health measures , in order to open the economy back up again , might avert an outbreak of suicide in the United States .
Before continuing with this post , and in case you find any of the president ’ s comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Suicide Prevention hotline in the United States is : 1-800-273-8255 .
More information for other countries at the bottom of this post .
The president said : “ People get tremendous anxiety and depression .
And you have suicides over things like this when you have terrible economies .
You have death , probably , I mean definitely would be in greater numbers than the numbers that we ’ re talking about with regard to the virus.
” What does the data show ?
It is reasonable to suggest that a pandemic-linked recession @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in suicides .
According to research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry , North America and Europe experienced 10,000 more suicides during the 2008 recession .
The outbreak of Sars in Hong Kong in 2002 and 2003 also led to a “ significant increase ” in suicides in those aged over 65 , according to 2010 research .
But experts also caution that there is no single cause of suicide .
While the figures for the mortality rate of coronavirus continues to evolve , recent research from Wuhan , China , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mortality rate there was around 1.4 % .
Experts at Harvard University have projected an infection rate in the US of between 20 - 60 % , meaning that while it is impossible to reliably estimate the American coronavirus death toll a reasonable scenario could result in hundreds of thousands of lives lost .
On first look , given the potentially devastating death toll directly associated with coronavirus , it appears unlikely to be matched by an increased rate in suicide , making the presidents claim almost certainly inaccurate .
• In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255 .
In the UK , the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 and Papyrus can be contacted on 0800 068 4141 .
In Australia , the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14 .
Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org .

Lois Beckett (now), Tom Lutz and Oliver Laughland (earlier)

24 Mar 2020 02.30 GMT Evening summary We’re closing out this US politics liveblog for the night, but our global live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic will continue. A summary of key events this evening: In his White House coronavirus briefing, Donald Trump made clear that he wanted to lift restrictive public health measures as soon as possible, and that his major concern was the state of the US economy. He would re-open America for business in “weeks,” not months, Trump pledged, and refused to say whether he would simply ignore public health experts if they advised that restrictive measures to stop the spread of the virus needed to stay in place longer.
made clear that he wanted to lift restrictive public health measures as soon as possible, and that his major concern was the state of the US economy. He would re-open America for business in “weeks,” not months, Trump pledged, and refused to say whether he would simply ignore public health experts if they advised that restrictive measures to stop the spread of the virus needed to stay in place longer. The public health expert who has emerged as a trusted public voice on the epidemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci, was not present at tonight’s White House briefing.
was not present at tonight’s White House briefing. The White House’s coronavirus response coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx , said the data on the spread of coronavirus in the New York City region was concerning, but data from Europe, which showed that 99% of the deaths from coronavirus were in people over 50, was reassuring.
, said the data on the spread of coronavirus in the New York City region was concerning, but data from Europe, which showed that 99% of the deaths from coronavirus were in people over 50, was reassuring. A 69-year-old Texas Republican, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, said in a Fox News interview that, as a senior citizen, he would rather risk death than have the government pursue measures that would fundamentally damage the American economy. “I just think there are lots of grandparents out there in this country like me,” Patrick said. “Let’s get back to work, let’s get back to living, let’s be smart about it, and those of us who are 70-plus, we’ll take care of ourselves.”
24 Mar 2020 02.28 GMT Washington joins a host of other states with its new stay-at-home order, in which residents are asked not to leave their houses unless necessary. Those states are: California
Connecticut
Delaware
Illinois
Indiana
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Michigan
New Jersey
New York
Ohio
Oregon
West Virginia
Washington As life grinds to a slowdown across the US, bustling metropolises have come to resemble eerie ghost towns. Here’s what quarantined America looks like from above ... US cities in coronavirus quarantine, seen from above – in pictures Read more
24 Mar 2020 01.32 GMT In his tweets announcing Washington’s new stay-at-home order, governor Inslee urged residents against a run on the grocery stores. For the sake of our neighbors, our health workers, our seniors and others: No one should make a run on the grocery stores to overstock.
If each of us maintains our normal shopping habits, we will avoid the problem of empty shelves. — Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) March 24, 2020 The Guardian’s Victoria Bekiempis has reported on why panic-buying is the real threat to the US food supply. She writes ... As coronavirus spreads in the US, many people are stockpiling essentials for what they believe will be periods of home confinement and panicked shoppers have stripped many US grocery stores of staples ranging from bread and milk to meat and toilet paper. But, in fact, the virus currently poses little threat to the integrity of the US food supply. It is panic-buying itself that is causing the real disruption. Experts interviewed by the Guardian said that while the grocery supply chain is generally fine at this point, rapid, dramatic shifts in consumer behavior have temporarily disrupted the market. Trump himself has sought to assuage fears by urging the country not to hoard groceries amid the outbreak, saying he had a call with grocery industry leaders who urged him to speak out against hoarding. “They have actually asked me to say: ‘Could you buy a little bit less, please?’ I thought I’d never hear that from a retailer,” Trump remarked, also saying: “They have no shortages. We have no shortages other than people buying anywhere from three to five times [more].” ‘Could you buy a little less, please?’: panic-buying disrupts food distribution Read more
24 Mar 2020 00.54 GMT Texas Lt governor: senior citizens might want to risk lives to preserve the economy An extraordinary television interview tonight with a Texas Republican, Lt Governor Dan Patrick, who is 69 years old and will turn 70 this week. Patrick and said he is concerned that public health measures to prevent coronavirus will end American life as he knows it, and said he would rather risk death than having the country continue with tough public health restrictions that hurt the economy. “You know, Tucker, no one reached out to me and said, ‘As a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren?’ And if that’s the exchange, I’m all in,” Patrick said. “And that doesn’t make me noble or brave or anything like that. I just think there are lots of grandparents out there in this country like me.” Patrick praised President Trump’s Monday evening press conference and said his heart was “lifted” by Trump’s emphasis on opening the economy again as soon as possible. “I don’t want the whole country to be sacrificed…[in talking to people] everyone says pretty much the same thing: ‘We can’t lose our whole country. We’re having an economic collapse.” “My message: let’s get back to work, let’s get back to living, let’s be smart about it, and those of us who are 70-plus, we’ll take care of ourselves, but don’t sacrifice the country. Don’t do that.”
Watch the full interview here: Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick:
“What I'm living in fear of is what's happening to this country…‘Are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren?' And if that's the exchange I'm all in" pic.twitter.com/2vIleMB1jP — JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) March 24, 2020 “You’re basically saying that this disease could take your life, but that’s not the scariest thing to you. There’s something that would be worse than dying,” Fox News host Tucker Carlson said to Patrick.
“Yeah,” Patrick said. “And look, I’m going to do everything I can do live. But if you said, are you willing to take a chance …”
A shorter clip of the interview is below: Tx Lt Gov Dan Patrick says grandparents would be willing to die to save the economy for their grandchildren pic.twitter.com/wC3Ngvtsbj — Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) March 24, 2020
Updated at 01.00 GMT
24 Mar 2020 00.52 GMT Meanwhile in Washington state, the governor Jay Inslee has issued a stay-at-home order for the entire state in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus. Hallie Golden in Seattle reports ...
Calling this the only weapon we have to fight against the virus, Inslee said during a public address broadcasted online Monday that “the less time you spend out in public, the more lives we can save.” The order will be in place for a minimum of two weeks and involve a ban on all gatherings and the closure of many businesses, except those deemed essential or those where employees can work remotely. It requires all Washingtonians to minimize social interactions and postpone such events as weddings and funerals. The announcement came after a weekend full of reports of locals congregating in large groups at parks and standing close to one another in line at coffee shops and restaurants. On Monday, Washington state health officials confirmed 2,221 cases of coronavirus, including 110 deaths. The majority were reported in King County, which includes Seattle. Inslee had already banned gatherings of more than 50 people, as well as sit-in service at all food establishments, including restaurants, bars and coffee shops. He also recently announced that all kindergarten through 12th grade public and private schools in Washington will be closed for at least six weeks. But a growing group of Washington residents had taken to social media to call on local leaders to implement some type of shelter-in-place policy in order to better address the spread of the virus. The decision follows similar announcements made by officials in at least a dozen other states, including New York and California. Washington has the 2nd highest number of cases in the US, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Updated at 01.03 GMT
24 Mar 2020 00.29 GMT Oliver Laughland Fact-checking Trump’s claim about suicide deaths from a bad economy In a marked low point of Donald Trump’s Monday press conference, the president argued that public health measures to slow spread of the coronavirus might have their own death toll, because the public health guidelines hurt the economy, and economic crisis leads to suicide. The president implied that quickly ending ending restrictive health measures, in order to open the economy back up again, might avert an outbreak of suicide in the United States. Before continuing with this post, and in case you find any of the president’s comments triggering, the number for the National Suicide Prevention hotline in the United States is: 1-800-273-8255. More information for other countries at the bottom of this post.
Trump's comments right now may be triggering for some people.
Stick around folks. You are loved
National Suicide Prevention Hotline:
1-800-273-8255 — Tim Dickinson (@7im) March 23, 2020 The president said: “People get tremendous anxiety and depression. And you have suicides over things like this when you have terrible economies. You have death, probably, I mean definitely would be in greater numbers than the numbers that we’re talking about with regard to the virus.” What does the data show? It is reasonable to suggest that a pandemic-linked recession can increase the risk of a rise in suicides. According to research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, North America and Europe experienced 10,000 more suicides during the 2008 recession. The outbreak of Sars in Hong Kong in 2002 and 2003 also led to a “significant increase” in suicides in those aged over 65, according to 2010 research. But experts also caution that there is no single cause of suicide. While the figures for the mortality rate of coronavirus continues to evolve, recent research from Wuhan, China, the city where the outbreak began, indicates the mortality rate there was around 1.4%. Experts at Harvard University have projected an infection rate in the US of between 20 - 60%, meaning that while it is impossible to reliably estimate the American coronavirus death toll a reasonable scenario could result in hundreds of thousands of lives lost. On first look, given the potentially devastating death toll directly associated with coronavirus, it appears unlikely to be matched by an increased rate in suicide, making the presidents claim almost certainly inaccurate.
In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 and Papyrus can be contacted on 0800 068 4141. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.
Updated at 00.48 GMT
24 Mar 2020 00.14 GMT Report: CDC said coronavirus survived 17 days in cruise ship cabins At tonight’s White House briefing on coronavirus, Trump officials kept reminding Americans that the president’s plan to “stop the spread” of coronavirus was only a “15 day challenge” and they were already halfway through.
Meanwhile: CDC says coronavirus survived in Princess Cruise ship cabins for up to 17 days after passengers left https://t.co/vHIHVnETTF — CNBC (@CNBC) March 23, 2020
24 Mar 2020 00.03 GMT The mortality rate will be ‘a very big factor’ in Trump’s decision to ease restrictions Asked if he was concerned that if he eased government restrictions to prevent coronavirus “too early”, the virus might continue to spread unabated, Trump said that he was looking to the mortality rate for coronavirus, and he found it encouraging.
At the beginning, “nobody knew anything about this particular virus”, and Trump said he heard numbers that the mortality rate for the virus might be as high as 5%, compared with “.001 or 2 or 3” percent for the normal flu. Now, Trump said, he was hearing potential mortality rate numbers that were lower. “The mortality rate, to me that is a very big factor,” Trump said. “We’re under 1% now,” Trump said. “It’s still terrible. The whole concept of death is terrible, but there’s a tremendous difference between something under 1% and 4 or 5 or even 3%.”
Trump citing “under 1%” as the mortality rate for coronavirus is roughly in line with some expert estimates looking at data from other countries. JON KARL: Are you worried that if you lift restrictions too quickly the virus will start spreading?
TRUMP: "The mortality rate, that's a big factor... I think we're very substantially under 1 percent... the whole concept of death is terrible, but there's a tremendous difference" pic.twitter.com/5r3OAONtyC — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 23, 2020
Updated at 00.08 GMT
23 Mar 2020 23.41 GMT Trump: Fauci 'doesn't not agree' with need to re-open the economy My colleague David Smith is in the White House briefing room, and just asked President Trump, “Where is Dr Fauci?” “I was just with him,” Trump said, explaining that Anthony Fauci was “at a task force meeting”. Smith asked Trump if Fauci agreed with him about the need to restart the economy. “He doesn’t not agree,” Trump said. “He understands there’s a tremendous cost to our country.” Q: "Where is Dr. Fauci right now? Why is he not at this briefing?"
President Trump: I was just with him...he's at the task force meeting right now."
Q: "Does he agree with you about the need to reopen the economy soon?"
President Trump: "He doesn't not agree." pic.twitter.com/NC6CkyDmVN — CSPAN (@cspan) March 23, 2020 Fauci, the head of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has become a trusted public figure during the coronavirus crisis, sometimes speaking alongside the president. A spokesperson for vice-president Mike Pence, asked about why Fauci was not present at today’s briefing, gave a similar statement with a bit more detail: “Dr. Fauci attended today’s task force briefing in person in addition to other White House meetings. As promised when we started coronavirus briefings at the White House, we would be rotating briefers depending on the news of the day.”
Updated at 23.47 GMT


theguardian--2020-03-24--Delay is deadly: what Covid-19 tells us about tackling the climate crisis | Jonathan Watts

The coronavirus pandemic has brought urgency to the defining political question of our age : how to distribute risk .
As with the climate crisis , neoliberal capitalism is proving particularly ill-suited to this .
Like global warming , but in close-up and fast-forward , the Covid-19 outbreak shows how lives are lost or saved depending on a government ’ s propensity to acknowledge risk , act rapidly to contain it , and share the consequences .
On these matters , competence and ideology overlap .
Governments willing to intervene have been more effective at stemming the virus than laissez-faire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the more inclined it is to delay action and offload blame elsewhere .
International comparisons suggest this could be making infection and death rates steeper .
Take the US , where Donald Trump is only now acknowledging the seriousness of the pandemic after weeks of claiming fears were exaggerated .
Until recently , his government put more money into shielding the oil industry than providing adequate testing kits .
He reportedly ordered officials to downplay early warnings because he did not want bad news in an election year .
The US now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new cases in the world .
In Brazil , the ultra-right president , Jair Bolsonaro , is equally reckless .
He claimed the risks of coronavirus were overblown , until 17 of his aides and security detail tested positive after a trip to the US .
Last weekend , he ignored his own government ’ s advice and chose to shake hands and pose cheek-to-cheek for selfies at a mass rally of supporters .
As cases and deaths surge , his support has plummeted .
In the UK , Boris Johnson acknowledged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
Though not as extreme in his denial as Trump or Bolsonaro , Johnson ’ s government first dithered , then dabbled with a policy of “ herd-immunity ” that was reportedly driven by Dominic Cummings ’ desire to protect the economy , even if it cost pensioners ’ lives .
The UK has since shifted tack and enforced a lockdown , but its controls are still haphazard .
Last week , daily deaths in the UK were reckoned to be on a steeper upward curve than Italy was at the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments – generally but not exclusively those which are centrist or leftwing – have acted more quickly and shared the burden of risk more widely .
Norway , Denmark and Sweden already appear to have flattened the coronavirus curve .
Spain and France implemented lockdowns at around 200 deaths , which the UK and US have far surpassed .
In Asia , China initially attempted to hide the problem from the public when the virus emerged in Wuhan , then mobilised huge public resources to enforce a strict lockdown and provide extra hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thailand also appear to have turned the corner thanks to different combinations of extensive testing , quarantine measures and public health education .
Other factors are at play .
Asian countries with prior experience of the Sars epidemic appear to have been better prepared .
Italy , one of the worst affected countries , has one of the world ’ s oldest populations .
In Japan ’ s case , the relatively flat curve of confirmed cases may also be a result of the government ’ s unwillingness to do widespread testing because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the relatively low number of cases in the global south has raised hopes that warmer weather might slow the disease – but this is far from certain .
A comparatively low number of coronavirus cases could be the result of a lag caused by distance from the origin of the disease , relatively lower levels of international traffic , and fewer resources for testing .
This pandemic has amplified the importance of assessing and controlling risk before it gets out of hand .
But the political champions of the neoliberal right , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more inclined to deny and delay , as climate politics have shown us in recent years .
When it comes to a pandemic like Covid-19 , that position is untenable .
No leader can deny the science , nor can they endlessly delay action as they have done on global heating .
Muddling through until the next election is not an option ; leaders will be judged on deaths next week , not emissions reductions in 2050 .
The demographics are also completely different .
Unlike the climate crisis , the virus predominantly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s core support group – rather than millennials .
So far , the worst affected regions are also closer to the centre of economic power : the cool industrialised north rather than the warmer developing south ( though the latter may suffer more in the future due to weaker healthcare systems ) .
For the right , this makes the pandemic a greater political threat than the climate crisis has ever been .
Unless they can quickly get on top of the disease , they will lose any claim to being champions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the effects of this pandemic could be one of the most catastrophic failures of free-market capitalism .
This should also be a lesson for the left .
If state intervention and scientific advice is effective in dealing with the virus , the same principles should be applied more aggressively towards the still more apocalyptic threats of climate disruption and the collapse of nature .
Until now , the left has recognised these dangers , but done little to act on them because economic growth has always taken precedence .
The pandemic has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If we are to avoid a cascade of future crises , governments must think beyond a return to business as usual .
Our conception of what is “ normal ” will have to change .
We ’ ll need to invest in natural life-supporting systems such as a stable climate , fresh air and clean water .
In the past , those goals have been dismissed as unrealistic or expensive , but recent weeks have shown how quickly the political compass can shift .
First though , we need to accept – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deferring risks to future generations , weaker populations and natural systems , governments need to transform risks into responsibilities we all bear .
The longer we hesitate , the fewer resources we will have at our disposal , and the more risk we will have to divide .

The coronavirus pandemic has brought urgency to the defining political question of our age: how to distribute risk. As with the climate crisis, neoliberal capitalism is proving particularly ill-suited to this.
Like global warming, but in close-up and fast-forward, the Covid-19 outbreak shows how lives are lost or saved depending on a government’s propensity to acknowledge risk, act rapidly to contain it, and share the consequences.
On these matters, competence and ideology overlap. Governments willing to intervene have been more effective at stemming the virus than laissez-faire capitalists. The further right the government, the more inclined it is to delay action and offload blame elsewhere. International comparisons suggest this could be making infection and death rates steeper.
Take the US, where Donald Trump is only now acknowledging the seriousness of the pandemic after weeks of claiming fears were exaggerated. Until recently, his government put more money into shielding the oil industry than providing adequate testing kits. He reportedly ordered officials to downplay early warnings because he did not want bad news in an election year. The US now has one of the fastest rising numbers of new cases in the world.
In Brazil, the ultra-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, is equally reckless. He claimed the risks of coronavirus were overblown, until 17 of his aides and security detail tested positive after a trip to the US. Last weekend, he ignored his own government’s advice and chose to shake hands and pose cheek-to-cheek for selfies at a mass rally of supporters. As cases and deaths surge, his support has plummeted.
In the UK, Boris Johnson acknowledged the risk, but did little about it. Though not as extreme in his denial as Trump or Bolsonaro, Johnson’s government first dithered, then dabbled with a policy of “herd-immunity”that was reportedly driven by Dominic Cummings’ desire to protect the economy, even if it cost pensioners’ lives. The UK has since shifted tack and enforced a lockdown, but its controls are still haphazard. Last week, daily deaths in the UK were reckoned to be on a steeper upward curve than Italy was at the same stage.
By contrast, more interventionist governments – generally but not exclusively those which are centrist or leftwing – have acted more quickly and shared the burden of risk more widely. Norway, Denmark and Sweden already appear to have flattened the coronavirus curve. Spain and France implemented lockdowns at around 200 deaths, which the UK and US have far surpassed.
In Asia, China initially attempted to hide the problem from the public when the virus emerged in Wuhan, then mobilised huge public resources to enforce a strict lockdown and provide extra hospital beds. South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand also appear to have turned the corner thanks to different combinations of extensive testing, quarantine measures and public health education.
Other factors are at play. Asian countries with prior experience of the Sars epidemic appear to have been better prepared. Italy, one of the worst affected countries, has one of the world’s oldest populations. In Japan’s case, the relatively flat curve of confirmed cases may also be a result of the government’s unwillingness to do widespread testing because it could jeopardise the Olympics.
Similarly, the relatively low number of cases in the global south has raised hopes that warmer weather might slow the disease – but this is far from certain. A comparatively low number of coronavirus cases could be the result of a lag caused by distance from the origin of the disease, relatively lower levels of international traffic, and fewer resources for testing.
This pandemic has amplified the importance of assessing and controlling risk before it gets out of hand. But the political champions of the neoliberal right, such as Trump and Bolsonaro, are more inclined to deny and delay, as climate politics have shown us in recent years.
When it comes to a pandemic like Covid-19, that position is untenable. No leader can deny the science, nor can they endlessly delay action as they have done on global heating. Muddling through until the next election is not an option; leaders will be judged on deaths next week, not emissions reductions in 2050.
The demographics are also completely different. Unlike the climate crisis, the virus predominantly threatens the elderly – the right’s core support group – rather than millennials. So far, the worst affected regions are also closer to the centre of economic power: the cool industrialised north rather than the warmer developing south (though the latter may suffer more in the future due to weaker healthcare systems).
For the right, this makes the pandemic a greater political threat than the climate crisis has ever been. Unless they can quickly get on top of the disease, they will lose any claim to being champions of national security. It is entirely possible that the effects of this pandemic could be one of the most catastrophic failures of free-market capitalism.
This should also be a lesson for the left. If state intervention and scientific advice is effective in dealing with the virus, the same principles should be applied more aggressively towards the still more apocalyptic threats of climate disruption and the collapse of nature. Until now, the left has recognised these dangers, but done little to act on them because economic growth has always taken precedence.
The pandemic has proved that delays are deadly and expensive. If we are to avoid a cascade of future crises, governments must think beyond a return to business as usual. Our conception of what is “normal” will have to change. We’ll need to invest in natural life-supporting systems such as a stable climate, fresh air and clean water. In the past, those goals have been dismissed as unrealistic or expensive, but recent weeks have shown how quickly the political compass can shift.
First though, we need to accept – and share – risk. Instead of deferring risks to future generations, weaker populations and natural systems, governments need to transform risks into responsibilities we all bear. The longer we hesitate, the fewer resources we will have at our disposal, and the more risk we will have to divide.
Jonathan Watts is the Guardian’s global environment editor


theguardian--2020-03-24--Trump's push to shorten the coronavirus shutdown proves the captain is flying blind | David Smith

Due to social distancing , there were only two dozen or so reporters in the White House press briefing room on Monday , making it feel like a flight with numerous empty seats and lots of legroom .
But when Donald Trump let rip for nearly two hours , it was as if the captain had announced a sudden whim to land the plane on water while wearing a blindfold .
We sat tight for an unnerving journey .
On a day that a hundred American deaths were reported , the US president made clear his intention to reopen the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and , seemingly , sooner than medical experts believe to be safe .
Everything we know about him suggests this impulse has been guided by Fox News , the Wall Street Journal , the stock market , poll numbers , the imminent election and pure gut instinct .
Not science .
To watch Trump talk himself into this rash action in real time from a seat 30 feet ( 10 metres ) away was to witness the awesome and terrifying power of the American president over life and death .
It is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House occupant with no prior political or military experience , is uniquely unqualified to bear .
“ Our country wasn ’ t built to be shut down , ” he said at the halfway mark of his planned 15 days to slow the spread advice .
“ America will again and soon be open for business .
Very soon .
A lot sooner than three or four months that somebody was suggesting .
A lot sooner .
We can not let the cure be worse than the problem itself.
” So it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m not looking at months , I can tell you right now , ” he replied .
It represented yet another violent policy swing .
First , Trump told Americans there was nothing to worry about and the virus would disappear “ like a miracle ” .
Then he spun 180 degrees and declared himself “ a wartime president ” , issuing federal guidelines urging Americans to limit social contact and stay home .
Now , it seems , he is pivoting back to the original position .
Perhaps it was just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News host Steve Hilton told viewers : “ You know that famous phrase , the cure is worse than the disease ?
That is exactly the territory we ’ re hurtling towards… You think it ’ s just the coronavirus that kills people ?
This total economic shutdown will kill people.
” Perhaps it was also just coincidence that , on Monday , the stock market dropped past its closing level on 19 January 2017 , the day before he took his oath of office .
The entire Trump stock gain is wiped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a record number of jobs , he said .
“ We can ’ t turn that off and think it ’ s going to be wonderful .
There ’ ll be tremendous repercussions .
There will be tremendous death from that .
Death .
You ’ re talking about death .
Probably more death from that than anything that we ’ re talking about with respect to the virus.
” He pointed to the depressions and suicides caused by economic recession but did not present any evidence the death toll would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did suggest the mortality rate from the virus is not as bad as initially feared .
“ The whole concept of death is terrible , ” he said , “ but there ’ s a tremendous difference between something under 1 % and 4 or 5 or even 3 % .
” Trump ’ s Pollyannish tone was jarring on day that people were dying and hospitals desperately running short of masks and other equipment .
It made for a startling contrast with the UK ’ s prime minister , Boris Johnson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the draconian measures in place across Europe .
It also begged the question of whether citizens would sufficiently trust him to feel safe returning to work or public places and whether state governors would have the final say in any case .
Senator Lindsey Graham , usually a Trump loyalist , warned in a tweet : “ There is no functioning economy unless we control the virus.
” But the president insisted “ we can do two things at one time ” , adding : “ We have a very active @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s looking like it ’ s heading to 50,000 or more deaths – deaths , not cases .
50,000 deaths – which is , that ’ s a lot .
And you look at automobile accidents , which are far greater than any numbers we ’ re talking about .
That doesn ’ t mean we ’ re going to tell everybody no more driving of cars .
So we have to do things to get our country open.
” Yet last Friday , when the car accident argument was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , he said : “ That ’ s totally way out .
That ’ s really a false equivalency … I don ’ t think with any moral conscience you could say , ‘ Why don ’ t we just let it rip and happen , and let X per cent of the people die ?
’ I don ’ t understand that reasoning at all.
” Like an insufficiently loyal apparatchik in the Soviet Union , Fauci was suddenly nowhere to be seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Guardian asked why .
Trump said : “ I was just with him ... he ’ s at the task force meeting right now.
” Does he agree with you about the need to reopen the economy soon ?
Trump : “ He doesn ’ t not agree.
” But the president was joined by coronavirus task force response coordinator , Deborah Birx .
She noted : “ I was not here over the weekend ... Saturday , I had a little low-grade fever ... ” Trump interjected “ Uh , oh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distance .
Attorney General William Barr smiled devotedly .
Birx added : “ I got a test late Saturday night and I am negative.
” Trump gave an exaggerated , “ Phew !
” Again Barr smiled .
But the room did not erupt in mirth .
The president also mentioned that his wife , Melania , had taken a test that came back negative .
Barr was on hand to discuss Trump ’ s executive order to stop hoarding and price gouging .
“ If you have a big supply of toilet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not something you have to worry about , ” the attorney general said .
“ But if you are sitting on a warehouse with masks , surgical masks , you will be hearing a knock on your door.
” In another reversal , Trump is dialling back his constant references to the “ Chinese virus ” amid media reports of hate crimes against Asian Americans .
He said : “ It ’ s very important that we totally protect our Asian American community in the United States and all around the world .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreading of the virus is not their fault in any way shape or form.
” The briefing finished at 8pm .
Trump and co-pilot Pence returned to the cockpit .
We ’ re in for a bumpy flight .
Gabriel Sherman , special correspondent at Vanity Fair magazine , spoke for many when he tweeted : “ This is the first time I am genuinely scared .
I must have been in denial before .
But that presser changed everything .
”

Due to social distancing, there were only two dozen or so reporters in the White House press briefing room on Monday, making it feel like a flight with numerous empty seats and lots of legroom.
But when Donald Trump let rip for nearly two hours, it was as if the captain had announced a sudden whim to land the plane on water while wearing a blindfold. We sat tight for an unnerving journey.
On a day that a hundred American deaths were reported, the US president made clear his intention to reopen the country for business much sooner than expected and, seemingly, sooner than medical experts believe to be safe. Everything we know about him suggests this impulse has been guided by Fox News, the Wall Street Journal, the stock market, poll numbers, the imminent election and pure gut instinct. Not science.
To watch Trump talk himself into this rash action in real time from a seat 30 feet (10 metres) away was to witness the awesome and terrifying power of the American president over life and death. It is a solemn burden that he, the first White House occupant with no prior political or military experience, is uniquely unqualified to bear.
“Our country wasn’t built to be shut down,” he said at the halfway mark of his planned 15 days to slow the spread advice. “America will again and soon be open for business. Very soon. A lot sooner than three or four months that somebody was suggesting. A lot sooner. We cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself.”
So it is weeks or months?
“I’m not looking at months, I can tell you right now,” he replied.
It represented yet another violent policy swing. First, Trump told Americans there was nothing to worry about and the virus would disappear “like a miracle”. Then he spun 180 degrees and declared himself “a wartime president”, issuing federal guidelines urging Americans to limit social contact and stay home. Now, it seems, he is pivoting back to the original position.
Perhaps it was just coincidence that, on Sunday, Fox News host Steve Hilton told viewers: “You know that famous phrase, the cure is worse than the disease? That is exactly the territory we’re hurtling towards… You think it’s just the coronavirus that kills people? This total economic shutdown will kill people.”
Perhaps it was also just coincidence that, on Monday, the stock market dropped past its closing level on 19 January 2017, the day before he took his oath of office. The entire Trump stock gain is wiped out.
The economy had been booming with a record number of jobs, he said. “We can’t turn that off and think it’s going to be wonderful. There’ll be tremendous repercussions. There will be tremendous death from that. Death. You’re talking about death. Probably more death from that than anything that we’re talking about with respect to the virus.”
Due to social distancing, there were only two dozen or so reporters in the White House press briefing room. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
He pointed to the depressions and suicides caused by economic recession but did not present any evidence the death toll would be higher than from the coronavirus.
He did suggest the mortality rate from the virus is not as bad as initially feared. “The whole concept of death is terrible,” he said, “but there’s a tremendous difference between something under 1% and 4 or 5 or even 3%.”
Trump’s Pollyannish tone was jarring on day that people were dying and hospitals desperately running short of masks and other equipment. It made for a startling contrast with the UK’s prime minister, Boris Johnson, who announced a strict lockdown in Britain, and the draconian measures in place across Europe. It also begged the question of whether citizens would sufficiently trust him to feel safe returning to work or public places and whether state governors would have the final say in any case.
Senator Lindsey Graham, usually a Trump loyalist, warned in a tweet: “There is no functioning economy unless we control the virus.”
But the president insisted “we can do two things at one time”, adding: “We have a very active flu season, more active than most. It’s looking like it’s heading to 50,000 or more deaths – deaths, not cases. 50,000 deaths – which is, that’s a lot. And you look at automobile accidents, which are far greater than any numbers we’re talking about. That doesn’t mean we’re going to tell everybody no more driving of cars. So we have to do things to get our country open.”
Yet last Friday, when the car accident argument was put to Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, he said: “That’s totally way out. That’s really a false equivalency … I don’t think with any moral conscience you could say, ‘Why don’t we just let it rip and happen, and let X per cent of the people die?’ I don’t understand that reasoning at all.”
Like an insufficiently loyal apparatchik in the Soviet Union, Fauci was suddenly nowhere to be seen at Monday night’s briefing. The Guardian asked why. Trump said: “I was just with him ... he’s at the task force meeting right now.” Does he agree with you about the need to reopen the economy soon? Trump: “He doesn’t not agree.”
But the president was joined by coronavirus task force response coordinator, Deborah Birx. She noted: “I was not here over the weekend... Saturday, I had a little low-grade fever...”
Trump interjected “Uh, oh!” and cartoonishly recoiled to a distance. Attorney General William Barr smiled devotedly. Birx added: “I got a test late Saturday night and I am negative.”
Trump gave an exaggerated, “Phew!” Again Barr smiled. But the room did not erupt in mirth. The president also mentioned that his wife, Melania, had taken a test that came back negative.
Barr was on hand to discuss Trump’s executive order to stop hoarding and price gouging. “If you have a big supply of toilet paper in your house, this is not something you have to worry about,” the attorney general said. “But if you are sitting on a warehouse with masks, surgical masks, you will be hearing a knock on your door.”
In another reversal, Trump is dialling back his constant references to the “Chinese virus” amid media reports of hate crimes against Asian Americans. He said: “It’s very important that we totally protect our Asian American community in the United States and all around the world. They’re amazing people and the spreading of the virus is not their fault in any way shape or form.”
The briefing finished at 8pm. Trump and co-pilot Pence returned to the cockpit. We’re in for a bumpy flight. Gabriel Sherman, special correspondent at Vanity Fair magazine, spoke for many when he tweeted: “This is the first time I am genuinely scared. I must have been in denial before. But that presser changed everything.”


theguardian--2020-03-24--Coronavirus stimulus bill: Democrats and Republicans appear close to $2tn deal

The US Senate and the Treasury appeared to be close to a deal over a coronavirus stimulus bill on Tuesday , even as Donald Trump signaled his wish to reopen the economy and continued to attack the House speaker , Nancy Pelosi , over her own stimulus proposal .
US stocks rebounded more than 11 % in the afternoon in their best such showing since 1933 on signs that lawmakers and the Trump administration are nearing a deal on a $ 2tn stimulus package aimed at curbing economic distress caused by the coronavirus pandemic .
The historic rally came a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Pelosi on Tuesday afternoon telling CNBC there is “ real optimism ” in Congress over a stimulus deal being reached .
“ We think the bill has moved sufficiently to the side of workers , ” she said .
The US treasury secretary , Steven Mnuchin , had told reporters on Capitol Hill , just before midnight on Monday : “ I think we ’ ve made a lot of progress .
There ’ s still a couple of open issues , but I think we ’ re very hopeful that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] .
” Mnuchin said he and the Senate minority leader , Chuck Schumer , had consulted the president and Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell , on the details of the deal , which is believed to secure around $ 2tn in aid for workers and businesses .
But the president took aim at Pelosi , who had introduced House Democrats ’ own $ 2.5tn stimulus plan overnight in an attempt to shape negotiations .
In a late-night tweet , Trump accused Pelosi of seeking to derail a Republican-sponsored Senate bill .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a wishlist , saying it included politically charged spending add-ons and regulations on federal elections , minimum wage , union regulations and climate change .
Democrats made similar charges about the Republican Senate bill .
Trump tweeted : “ Republicans had a deal until Nancy Pelosi rode into town from her extended vacation .
The Democrats want the Virus to win ?
They are asking for things that have nothing to do with our great workers or companies .
They want Open Borders & Green New Deal .
Republicans shouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the attack on Tuesday morning .
He tweeted : “ This is not about the ridiculous Green New Deal .
It is about putting our great workers and companies BACK TO WORK !
” He reiterated the message in a town hall-style live Q & A on Fox News on Tuesday afternoon .
At the same time , Trump was under fire from health experts for signaling in a lengthy press conference on Monday night that he could soon reopen the country for business .
The US is just over one week into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at slowing transmission of Covid-19 .
Trump ’ s lack of commitment to following expert advice appears to be creating stress within the coronavirus taskforce .
Dr Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , has contradicted Trump at White House briefings and given interviews containing measured criticism of the president .
Fauci was notably absent from the podium on Monday .
Later on Monday night , a former Food and Drug Administration commissioner who served under Trump said opening America up for business too hastily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made to “ flatten the curve ” of infections and prevent the healthcare system from becoming overwhelmed .
Scott Gottlieb tweeted : “ There ’ s a strong and understandable desire to return to better times and a functioning economy .
“ But it should not be lost on anyone that there ’ s no such thing as a functioning economy and society so long as Covid-19 continues to spread uncontrolled in our biggest cities.
” On Tuesday , Trump tweeted that although “ the world market for face masks and ventilators is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helping the states to get equipment ” and had “ just got 400 Ventilators for [ New York mayor ] Bill de Blasio .
Work beginning on 4 hospitals in New York !
Millions of different type items coming !
” New York ’ governor , Andrew Cuomo , said he communicated to the White House his state ’ s immediate need for 30,000 ventilators and other protective medical equipment and “ there has been no response ” .
Cuomo warned at a press conference on Tuesday morning that New York ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the next 14 to 21 days and that other states should take heed .
He urged the Trump administration aggressively to use the Defense Production Act to activate private industry to help provide medical resources .
“ I understand the federal government ’ s point that many companies have come forward and say we want to help , ” Cuomo said .
“ If we don ’ t have the ventilators in 14 days it does us no good .
The federal Defense [ Production ] Act can actually help companies … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And not to exercise that power is inexplicable to me.
” Cuomo also said that the number of cases in New York is greater than other large states .
“ New York has 25,000 cases .
It has 10 times the problems that California has .
It has 10 times the cases that Washington state has , ” Cuomo said .
“ We need the federal help and we need the federal help now .
What happens to New York is going to wind up happening to California and Washington state and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us first.
” Trump later blamed Cuomo for not ordering thousands of ventilators “ two years ago ” .

The US Senate and the Treasury appeared to be close to a deal over a coronavirus stimulus bill on Tuesday, even as Donald Trump signaled his wish to reopen the economy and continued to attack the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, over her own stimulus proposal.
US stocks rebounded more than 11% in the afternoon in their best such showing since 1933 on signs that lawmakers and the Trump administration are nearing a deal on a $2tn stimulus package aimed at curbing economic distress caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The historic rally came a day after stocks recorded a record fall and Pelosi on Tuesday afternoon telling CNBC there is “real optimism” in Congress over a stimulus deal being reached.
“We think the bill has moved sufficiently to the side of workers,” she said.
The US treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, had told reporters on Capitol Hill, just before midnight on Monday: “I think we’ve made a lot of progress. There’s still a couple of open issues, but I think we’re very hopeful that this can be closed out [on Tuesday].”
Mnuchin said he and the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, had consulted the president and Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, on the details of the deal, which is believed to secure around $2tn in aid for workers and businesses.
But the president took aim at Pelosi, who had introduced House Democrats’ own $2.5tn stimulus plan overnight in an attempt to shape negotiations. In a late-night tweet, Trump accused Pelosi of seeking to derail a Republican-sponsored Senate bill.
Republicans criticized Pelosi’s rival bill as a wishlist, saying it included politically charged spending add-ons and regulations on federal elections, minimum wage, union regulations and climate change. Democrats made similar charges about the Republican Senate bill.
Trump tweeted: “Republicans had a deal until Nancy Pelosi rode into town from her extended vacation. The Democrats want the Virus to win? They are asking for things that have nothing to do with our great workers or companies. They want Open Borders & Green New Deal. Republicans shouldn’t agree!”
The president returned to the attack on Tuesday morning. He tweeted: “This is not about the ridiculous Green New Deal. It is about putting our great workers and companies BACK TO WORK!” He reiterated the message in a town hall-style live Q&A on Fox News on Tuesday afternoon.
At the same time, Trump was under fire from health experts for signaling in a lengthy press conference on Monday night that he could soon reopen the country for business. The US is just over one week into a 15-day self-quarantine and social-distancing initiative aimed at slowing transmission of Covid-19.
Trump’s lack of commitment to following expert advice appears to be creating stress within the coronavirus taskforce. Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has contradicted Trump at White House briefings and given interviews containing measured criticism of the president.
Fauci was notably absent from the podium on Monday.
00:35 Trump jokes with health official who mentions 'low grade fever' during coronavirus briefing — video
Later on Monday night, a former Food and Drug Administration commissioner who served under Trump said opening America up for business too hastily could undo any progress that has been made to “flatten the curve” of infections and prevent the healthcare system from becoming overwhelmed.
Scott Gottlieb tweeted: “There’s a strong and understandable desire to return to better times and a functioning economy.
“But it should not be lost on anyone that there’s no such thing as a functioning economy and society so long as Covid-19 continues to spread uncontrolled in our biggest cities.”
On Tuesday, Trump tweeted that although “the world market for face masks and ventilators is crazy”, his administration was “helping the states to get equipment” and had “just got 400 Ventilators for [New York mayor] Bill de Blasio. Work beginning on 4 hospitals in New York! Millions of different type items coming!”
New York’ governor, Andrew Cuomo, said he communicated to the White House his state’s immediate need for 30,000 ventilators and other protective medical equipment and “there has been no response”.
Cuomo warned at a press conference on Tuesday morning that New York’s peak for the coronavirus crisis would be in the next 14 to 21 days and that other states should take heed.
He urged the Trump administration aggressively to use the Defense Production Act to activate private industry to help provide medical resources.
“I understand the federal government’s point that many companies have come forward and say we want to help,” Cuomo said. “If we don’t have the ventilators in 14 days it does us no good. The federal Defense [Production] Act can actually help companies … Only the federal government has that power. And not to exercise that power is inexplicable to me.”
Cuomo also said that the number of cases in New York is greater than other large states.
“New York has 25,000 cases. It has 10 times the problems that California has. It has 10 times the cases that Washington state has,” Cuomo said. “We need the federal help and we need the federal help now. What happens to New York is going to wind up happening to California and Washington state and Illinois. It is just happening to us first.”
Trump later blamed Cuomo for not ordering thousands of ventilators “two years ago”.