thenation--2020-05-08--I Left Norway’s Lockdown for the US. The Difference Is Shocking.

Donald Trump is not a president .
He can ’ t even play one on TV .
He ’ s a corrupt and dangerous braggart with ill-concealed aspirations for a crown and , with an election coming up , he ’ s been monopolizing prime time every day , spouting self-congratulation and misinformation .
( No , don ’ t inject that Lysol ! )
His never-ending absurd performances play out as farce against the tragic background of the Covid-19 pandemic sweeping the nation .
If we had a real president , which is to say , almost anybody else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have seen the pandemic coming .
It would not have attacked me in my old age .
And most of the dead might still be alive .
The records of other countries make this clear .
South Korea , Taiwan , Denmark , Finland , Germany , Iceland , New Zealand , and Norway have all had commendable success in protecting their people .
Could it be by chance that seven out of eight of the most successful nations in combating the Covid-19 pandemic are headed by women ?
Tsai Ing-wen of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanna Marin of Finland , Angela Merkel of Germany , Katrín Jakobsdóttir of Iceland , Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand , and Erna Solberg of Norway have all been described in similar terms : as calm , confident , and compassionate leaders .
All of them have been commended for thorough preparations , quick decisive action , and clear , empathic communication .
Erna Solberg has even been hailed as the “ landets mor , ” the mother of her country .
Perhaps in such disturbing times as these we feel some primal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but we need not resort to such psychological speculation .
The fortunate countries turn out to be those with the fairness and foresight to have welcomed women into government decades ago .
What seems anachronistic in this critical time is the presence in leadership posts of so many self-aggrandizing , sociopathic male autocrats : Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil , Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey , Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus , Viktor Orbán of Hungary , Vladimir Putin of Russia , Donald Trump of the United States , and more .
Faced with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerful ” men had a clue .
They encountered an invader that could not be bullied , bribed , banished , or bombed .
And for their ignorance and vanity , the people pay ( and pay and pay ) .
I know something about the difference good leadership makes because I ’ ve been locked down now in two different countries .
One kept me safe ; the other nearly killed me .
I happened to be in Norway when the virus arrived and saw firsthand what a well-run government can actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Norway seems small indeed when compared to the United States , but both of the governments that locked me down , Norway and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts , where I now reside , represent roughly 5.5–6.5 million people , and Norway ’ s capital , Oslo , is only slightly more populous than Boston .
So some comparisons may be revelatory . )
More to the point , with any population , the difference between success and failure is preparation , swift action , and the techniques applied to overcome the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Public Health announced the first case of Covid-19 : a woman who had returned a week earlier from China .
The next day , it reported two cases in travelers returning from Italy and another from Iran .
After that came two skiers also back from Italy .
One of them , an employee of Oslo ’ s largest hospital , went right back to work , where tracers would soon witness just how fast the unseen virus could move .
And here ’ s the key that escapes political leaders in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracers were on the job from the start .
As February rolled into March , they were already testing and tracking some 500 Norwegian skiers returning from the Austrian Alps and Northern Italy .
Some had frequented convivial après-ski taverns there and , once back home , were quick to catch up with friends .
One Norwegian tracer labeled such skiers “ very sociable people.
” Systematically , Norway would test all its returning travelers ( every one of them ! )
, then track down all the contacts of those who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contacts as well , and so on down the line .
Working with remarkable speed , the tracers used immediate test results—a tool apparently available in the United States only to the rich and famous—to track the trajectories of the virus as it spread .
When cases began to multiply without known contacts , the tracers knew that the virus had begun to hitchhike through an unwitting community and were quick to surround it and shut it down .
In response to the pandemic , the government gradually closed down the capital and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , places of assembly went first : theaters , cinemas , concert halls .
Norwegians were even asked to stay away from the World Cup Ski Championships being held at Holmenkollen , on the edge of Oslo .
Universities and schools moved online , while offices of all sorts soon followed suit .
Restaurants and bars shut their doors .
By March 12 , only two weeks after the first reported case , the capital and much of the country had closed down .
On that day , in fact , officials reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first Norwegian casualty of Covid-19 .
By mid-April , some five weeks after the shutdown went into effect , the government began to open up public life again , proceeding carefully step by step .
Toddlers were the first to return to their preschools on April 20 , with grade-schoolers to follow .
By April 30 , Norway had administered 172,586 tests and recorded 7,667 positive cases of Covid-19 , 2,221 of them in Oslo .
The dead numbered 207 , suggesting a per capita mortality rate lower than that of any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s tragic loss of life .
But how to explain this Norwegian record ?
Experts attribute it to the government ’ s early and deep preparations , enabling it to respond immediately to the very first case to appear in the country and , after that , to its quick , unrelenting testing and tracing of the contagion .
This painstaking effort , backed by Norway ’ s universal health care system , enabled the state to get ahead of the virus , save lives , and stop the pandemic short .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ system has bolstered its population throughout the shutdown .
Furloughed workers drew full pay from the government for 20 days , and about 62 percent of their full salaries after that .
They ’ ll return to their jobs ready for work in factories , shops , and businesses as the quarantine is lifted .
The government ’ s effective and well-targeted expenditures are ensuring smooth transitions , a quick return to production , and , best of all in this troubled time , some peace of mind for employers , workers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be costly , perhaps the worst blow to the economy since World War II , but such thoroughgoing , bottom-up arrangements are less expensive—in both financial and human terms—than America ’ s striking neglect of marginal ( aka “ essential ” ) workers , thrown under the bus of crony capitalism with nothing but lectures on the overrated American freedom to fend for yourself .
In Norway , the invasion of Covid-19 was seen from the outset as a national problem and part of a global emergency .
It was never politicized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Erna Solberg , is now receiving high marks indeed , even from opposition parties , for her calm leadership .
Children like her too .
During the crisis , she gave two nationwide “ press conferences ” to children to answer questions they submitted about the pandemic .
( “ Can I have a birthday party ?
” “ How long does it take to make a vaccine ?
” ) From the outset , she told them it was okay to be scared .
And then she set an example of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a collaborative , many-partied parliament can do for all the people , even in scary times .
Remarkably , Norway very quickly achieved the lowest rate of contagion in Europe .
From the start , it aimed to stifle the virus to the point where one infected person might infect only one more .
In scientific terms , it aimed for an R-0 rate ( a rate of reproduction ) of 1.0 .
By the time Solberg announced that goal on March 24th , however , the magic number had already fallen to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 patients hospitalized and their contacts already traced and tested , Norwegians can begin to return with considerable confidence to something that edges ever closer to normal life .
The United States has become an example for the world of just the opposite : a corrupt government unprepared for and even in denial of warnings from within and without .
Years ago , President Obama created within the National Security Council a directorate for global health security and biodefense to prepare for the pandemics sure to come .
That directorate even briefed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic preparations before the president ’ s inauguration .
But on taking office , Trump eliminated the threat by eliminating the directorate .
As president , he was also informed of a viral outbreak in Wuhan , China , in early January of this year , but he ignored the message .
As has been widely reported , he wasted at least two months in self-serving fantasies , claiming the pandemic would disappear of its own accord , or was Fake News , or a “ new hoax ” of Democrats plotting his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had become increasingly erratic , obtuse , combative , and often just flat-out nasty .
In April , he abandoned altogether his most pressing presidential duty , first claiming “ total power ” as president and then shifting the job of testing and protecting the people from an unrestrained pandemic onto state governors already struggling to find basic medical supplies for frontline health care personnel in their own states .
Worse , he roused his most militant followers , some heavily armed , to defy the emergency directives of several states led by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first unloaded the responsibilities of his office onto state governors , then made it his mission to undermine and threaten some of them .
For good measure , he cut off US funding for the World Health Organization , the single UN agency best equipped to deal with global health emergencies .
Trump already had a proud record of getting away with highly offensive , even criminal , acts in plain sight .
Now , through egotism , bravado , and just plain ignorance he ’ s made an epidemic great again ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fatalities in the United States have by now far outstripped those anywhere else on Earth .
On March 11 , as Oslo was shutting down , President Trump issued an order to take effect in 72 hours : No one flying from Europe would be allowed to enter the United States .
It sounded crazy , but—worried about worse to come—I changed my flight home to meet the deadline .
The next day , the American embassy clarified the president ’ s ultimatum : The travel ban did not apply to US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course , it was impossible for me to change my ticket back .
So I left Oslo on March 14 , after assuring friends that I would be okay because Massachusetts , home of Elizabeth Warren , is a progressive state .
Changing planes in London , I found myself in a different world : packed into the tail section of that flight among a crowd of American students summoned home from European universities by their anxious parents .
Some were in transit from Northern Italy , already the heartland of the European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me came insistent sounds of boys coughing .
The flight attendants wore rubber gloves and made themselves scarce .
I wrapped a long scarf round and round my face , feeling as if somehow I ’ d been suckered into a trap .
Seven hours later , we stumbled into Boston ’ s Logan Airport , destined to spend a few more all-too-intimate hours together .
I crept along a zigzag trail , amid those coughing boys , with no way of putting distance between us , to the passport inspectors and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we were ushered into a curtained area to experience that airport ’ s first night of official “ screening.
” I was pleased to think that we were all , at least , to be tested for the virus .
But no such luck .
When my turn came , the official screener voiced no greetings , asked no questions , offered nothing but a single order : “ Go home and take your temperature.
” Had I been held all that time among those coughing boys for this ?
Later that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the new airport screening , the first line of defense against the foreign plague , took “ less than a minute.
” I was angry to have been forced onto that dangerous flight by the president ’ s arbitrary edict and doubly angry that he had terminated travel from Europe without consulting any of his European counterparts .
By the look of things that evening , no one from his administration had even informed key American airports receiving flights from Europe until the last minute .
I saw a bunch of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into Boston and others grabbing taxis .
And so we all went off into the night , apparently leaving behind no trace of the state of our health or where we were headed .
Some days later , I was not merely angry but very ill .
Ten days after that , in a hospital parking garage , a masked nurse worked a giant Q-tip up my nose .
A doctor told me to quarantine myself at home ( as I had been doing anyway ) until I got the test results in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it take so long ?
Wasn ’ t the whole point of a test to learn what was going on as quickly as possible ?
The speed of the test result had been the very point in Norway .
Combined with the immediate work of the tracers , it enabled the National Health Service to stay ahead of the pandemic and , in the end , essentially , to shut it down .
I went home and got worse .
Five days passed with no word .
On the 12th day , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who tracked down the result of my test ( “ just in ” ) .
It was positive , but almost two weeks old .
So , over the telephone , the doctor gave me the all-clear to put on my mask ( a souvenir of my trip to the ER ) and go forth to shop .
Knowing no Norwegian doctor would turn me loose so soon without another test , I asked for one .
Sorry , short supply , only one to a customer .
I ’ ve kept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On April 10 came news of the death of 59-year-old Vitalina Williams , an immigrant from Guatemala , who worked a full-time job at a Walmart in Lynn , Mass.
, as well as a part-time job at a supermarket in Salem .
Like the nurse and doctor in the ER , this cashier was an “ essential worker , ” the first grocery store employee in Massachusetts to work herself to death .
Here ’ s an immense difference between Massachusetts and Norway .
In that country , one job would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also given her paid leave to see her own doctor in the National Health Service when she first felt ill. She would have been taken in , diagnosed , cared for , and very likely saved .
That is simply how a national health care system works in a social democracy .
So what was my Covid-19 test for ?
What useful information did it give anyone ?
I had walked home from the ER in the dark ( so as not to endanger others by taking a bus ) and gone to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because nobody knew my test was positive—something I , of course , didn ’ t know either .
And throughout those nearly two weeks of waiting for the test results , no tracer called to learn if I lived with other people who might be endangered and available for testing .
( There were , in fact , no tracers then . )
No one asked me a single question about my family , friends , or others I might have contacted since that “ screening ” at the airport .
And had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one would or could have traced that bright red line between me , those coughing boys , and Donald Trump ’ s compulsory flight to a state caught totally off guard in a country both dysfunctional and unprepared .
On April 20 , five weeks after I returned to Boston , Massachusetts was designated a Covid-19 “ hot spot.
” With 38,077 cases and 1,706 deaths at that time , the state stood in third place behind New York and New Jersey .
This was not an honor , but it may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to testing—and belatedly to tracing .
The number of new cases in this state was rising every day , as it has from the first reported case in February .
The governor , who also holds a press conference every day , explained that we are now “ right in the middle of an expected surge , ” apparently unaware that a “ surge ” is what you get when you have missed the moment for preventive testing and tracing .
( This is also what you get when , as in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than scientists run the show . )
Belatedly , Massachusetts started testing people at the rate of about 9,000 per day , while private agencies funded by the state are in the process of hiring perhaps 1,000 tracers to conduct phone interviews with the contacts of all Massachusetts residents who have already tested positive .
Today , May 6 , we official “ positives ” number 70,271 , though 4,212 of us are already dead .
In the first few days of May , the number of positive patients hospitalized fell slightly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cautious optimism.
” Presumably , something of importance will be learned from those belated tests .
As Norway recognized , however , if you don ’ t jump on this virus fast , it rapidly disperses beyond simple person-to-person contacts .
It spreads out sociably like so many Norwegian skiers—or American students .
It rides the chairlift and the bus .
It gets on the plane .
It hangs out at the airport .
It hitches a ride with someone stopping at the grocery store .
To tally its contacts may become simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tracers in Norway have already moved on to other tests to find asymptomatic carriers who may be contagious or perhaps have developed antibodies .
Anyone in that country with even the mildest symptoms may ask for a test .
These precautionary studies are essential in case the virus should find new life as the quarantine is lifted .
What scientists might learn from such studies , like the new tracing one in Massachusetts , remains to be seen , but surely one inescapable conclusion is that this virus is smarter , more agile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any of its associates we ’ ve met before or , for that matter , than most of our public officials , from a failed president on down .
And for any readers who believe in politics more than science , let me just say that without science , you won ’ t even know what hit you .

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Nation believes that helping readers stay informed about the impact of the coronavirus crisis is a form of public service. For that reason, this article, and all of our coronavirus coverage, is now free. Please subscribe to support our writers and staff, and stay healthy. This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To stay on top of important articles like these, sign up to receive the latest updates from TomDispatch.
Subscribe to The Nation Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month!
Get The Nation’s Weekly Newsletter Fridays. The best of the week. Email By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Fridays. The best of the week.
Thank you for signing up for The Nation’s weekly newsletter.
Repro Nation A monthly newsletter on the global fight for reproductive freedom. Email By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here.
Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue
Subscribe to The Nation Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month!
Support Progressive Journalism The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter.
Sign up for our Wine Club today. Did you know you can support The Nation by drinking wine?
Donald Trump is not a president. He can’t even play one on TV. He’s a corrupt and dangerous braggart with ill-concealed aspirations for a crown, and with an election coming up, he’s been monopolizing prime time every day, spouting self-congratulation and misinformation. (No, don’t inject that Lysol!) His never-ending absurd performances play out as farce against the tragic background of the Covid-19 pandemic sweeping the nation. If we had a real president, which is to say, almost anybody else, things would be different. We would have seen the pandemic coming. It would not have attacked me in my old age. And most of the dead might still be alive.
The records of other countries make this clear. South Korea, Taiwan, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, New Zealand, and Norway have all had commendable success in protecting their people. Could it be by chance that seven out of eight of the most successful nations in combating the Covid-19 pandemic are headed by women? Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan, Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, Sanna Marin of Finland, Angela Merkel of Germany, Katrín Jakobsdóttir of Iceland, Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand, and Erna Solberg of Norway have all been described in similar terms: as calm, confident, and compassionate leaders. All of them have been commended for thorough preparations, quick decisive action, and clear, empathetic communication. Erna Solberg has even been hailed as the “landets mor,” the mother of her country.
Perhaps in such disturbing times as these, we feel some primal yearning for a capable, comforting mother, but we need not resort to such psychological speculation. The fortunate countries turn out to be those with the fairness and foresight to have welcomed women into government decades ago.
What seems anachronistic in this critical time is the presence in leadership posts of so many self-aggrandizing, sociopathic male autocrats: Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, Viktor Orbán of Hungary, Vladimir Putin of Russia, Donald Trump of the United States, and more. Faced with the pandemic, none of these “powerful” men had a clue. They encountered an invader that could not be bullied, bribed, banished, or bombed. And for their ignorance and vanity, the people pay (and pay and pay).
Lessons in Leadership
I know something about the difference good leadership makes because I’ve been locked down now in two different countries. One kept me safe; the other nearly killed me. I happened to be in Norway when the virus arrived and saw firsthand what a well-run government can actually do. (Yes, I know Norway seems small indeed when compared to the United States, but both of the governments that locked me down, Norway and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, where I now reside, represent roughly 5.5–6.5 million people, and Norway’s capital, Oslo, is only slightly more populous than Boston. So some comparisons may be revelatory.) Popular "swipe left below to view more authors"Swipe → The Evisceration of a Public University The Evisceration of a Public University Lisa M. Corrigan The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks Chris Lehmann “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash Dave Zirin How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection Chris Lehmann Popular "swipe left below to view more authors"Swipe → The Evisceration of a Public University The Evisceration of a Public University Lisa M. Corrigan The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks Chris Lehmann “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash Dave Zirin How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection Chris Lehmann
More to the point, with any population, the difference between success and failure is preparation, swift action, and the techniques applied to overcome the pandemic. On February 26, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health announced the first case of Covid-19: a woman who had returned a week earlier from China. The next day, it reported two cases in travelers returning from Italy and another from Iran. After that came two skiers also back from Italy. One of them, an employee of Oslo’s largest hospital, went right back to work, where tracers would soon witness just how fast the unseen virus could move.
And here’s the key that escapes political leaders in America: In Norway, testers and tracers were on the job from the start. As February rolled into March, they were already testing and tracking some 500 Norwegian skiers returning from the Austrian Alps and Northern Italy. Some had frequented convivial après-ski taverns there and, once back home, were quick to catch up with friends. One Norwegian tracer labeled such skiers “very sociable people.” Current Issue View our current issue
Systematically, Norway would test all its returning travelers (every one of them!), then track down all the contacts of those who had tested positive and test them and their contacts as well, and so on down the line. Working with remarkable speed, the tracers used immediate test results—a tool apparently available in the United States only to the rich and famous—to track the trajectories of the virus as it spread. When cases began to multiply without known contacts, the tracers knew that the virus had begun to hitchhike through an unwitting community and were quick to surround it and shut it down.
In response to the pandemic, the government gradually closed down the capital and other centers of contagion. In Oslo, places of assembly went first: theaters, cinemas, concert halls. Norwegians were even asked to stay away from the World Cup Ski Championships being held at Holmenkollen, on the edge of Oslo.
Universities and schools moved online, while offices of all sorts soon followed suit. Restaurants and bars shut their doors. By March 12, only two weeks after the first reported case, the capital and much of the country had closed down. On that day, in fact, officials reported the death of an elderly man, the first Norwegian casualty of Covid-19.
By mid-April, some five weeks after the shutdown went into effect, the government began to open up public life again, proceeding carefully step by step. Toddlers were the first to return to their preschools on April 20, with grade schoolers to follow. By April 30, Norway had administered 172,586 tests and recorded 7,667 positive cases of Covid-19, 2,221 of them in Oslo. The dead numbered 207, suggesting a per capita mortality rate lower than that of any other European country and far from America’s tragic loss of life. But how to explain this Norwegian record?
Experts attribute it to the government’s early and deep preparations, enabling it to respond immediately to the very first case to appear in the country, and to its quick, unrelenting testing and tracing of the contagion. This painstaking effort, backed by Norway’s universal health care system, enabled the state to get ahead of the virus, save lives, and stop the pandemic short.
The country’s remarkably effective welfare system has bolstered its population throughout the shutdown. Furloughed workers drew full pay from the government for 20 days, and about 62 percent of their full salaries after that. They’ll return to their jobs ready for work in factories, shops, and businesses as the quarantine is lifted. The government’s effective and well-targeted expenditures are ensuring smooth transitions, a quick return to production, and, best of all in this troubled time, some peace of mind for employers, workers, and families. The shutdown is bound to be costly, perhaps the worst blow to the economy since World War II, but such thoroughgoing, bottom-up arrangements are less expensive—in both financial and human terms—than America’s striking neglect of marginal (aka “essential”) workers, thrown under the bus of crony capitalism with nothing but lectures on the overrated American freedom to fend for yourself.
In Norway, the invasion of Covid-19 was seen from the outset as a national problem and part of a global emergency. It was never politicized. Norway’s conservative prime minister, Erna Solberg, is now receiving high marks indeed, even from opposition parties, for her calm leadership. Children like her too. During the crisis, she gave two nationwide “press conferences” to children to answer questions they submitted about the pandemic. (“Can I have a birthday party?” “How long does it take to make a vaccine?”) From the outset, she told them it was OK to be scared. And then she set an example of what a smart, hard-working leader and a collaborative, many-partied parliament can do for all the people, even in scary times.
Remarkably, Norway very quickly achieved the lowest rate of contagion in Europe. From the start, it aimed to stifle the virus to the point where one infected person might infect only one more. In scientific terms, it aimed for an R0 rate (a rate of reproduction) of 1.0. By the time Solberg announced that goal on March 24, however, the magic number had already fallen to 0.71. Today, with only 81 Covid patients hospitalized and their contacts already traced and tested, Norwegians can begin to return with considerable confidence to something that edges ever closer to normal life.
Amateur Night
The United States has become an example for the world of just the opposite: a corrupt government unprepared for and even in denial of warnings from within and without. Years ago, President Barack Obama created within the National Security Council a directorate for global health security and biodefense to prepare for the pandemics sure to come. That directorate even briefed the incoming Trump team on the urgency of pandemic preparations before the president’s inauguration. But on taking office, Trump eliminated the threat by eliminating the directorate.
As president, he was also informed of a viral outbreak in Wuhan, China, in early January of this year, but he ignored the message. As has been widely reported, he wasted at least two months in self-serving fantasies, claiming the pandemic would disappear of its own accord or was fake news or a “new hoax” by Democrats plotting his downfall. By March, his conduct had become increasingly erratic, obtuse, combative, and often just flat-out nasty. In April, he abandoned altogether his most pressing presidential duty, first claiming “total power” as president and then shifting the job of testing and protecting the people from an unrestrained pandemic onto state governors already struggling to find basic medical supplies for frontline health care personnel in their own states.
Worse, he roused his most militant followers, some heavily armed, to defy the emergency directives of several states led by Democratic governors. In short, he first unloaded the responsibilities of his office onto state governors, then made it his mission to undermine and threaten some of them. For good measure, he cut off US funding for the World Health Organization, the single UN agency best equipped to deal with global health emergencies. Trump already had a proud record of getting away with highly offensive, even criminal acts in plain sight. Now, through egotism, bravado, and just plain ignorance, he’s made an epidemic great again (MEGA!), for Covid-19 cases and fatalities in the United States have by now far surpassed those anywhere else on Earth.
Welcome to America
On March 11, as Oslo was shutting down, Trump issued an order to take effect in 72 hours: No one flying from Europe would be allowed to enter the United States. It sounded crazy, but—worried about worse to come—I changed my flight home to meet the deadline. The next day, the American embassy clarified the president’s ultimatum: The travel ban did not apply to US citizens. By that time, of course, it was impossible for me to change my ticket back.
So I left Oslo on March 14, after assuring friends that I would be OK because Massachusetts, home of Elizabeth Warren, is a progressive state.
Hah!
Changing planes in London, I found myself in a different world: packed into the tail section of that flight among a crowd of American students summoned home from European universities by their anxious parents. Some were in transit from Northern Italy, already the heartland of the European Covid-19 outbreak. From the seats behind me came insistent sounds of boys coughing. The flight attendants wore rubber gloves and made themselves scarce. I wrapped a long scarf round and round my face, feeling as if somehow I’d been suckered into a trap.
Seven hours later, we stumbled into Boston’s Logan Airport, destined to spend a few more all-too-intimate hours together. I crept along a zigzag trail, amid those coughing boys, with no way of putting distance between us, to the passport inspectors and then beyond. Finally, one by one, we were ushered into a curtained area to experience that airport’s first night of official “screening.”
I was pleased to think that we were all, at least, to be tested for the virus. But no such luck. When my turn came, the official screener voiced no greetings, asked no questions, offered nothing but a single order: “Go home and take your temperature.” Had I been held all that time among those coughing boys for this? Later that week, a local paper reported approvingly that the new airport screening, the first line of defense against the foreign plague, took “less than a minute.”
I was angry to have been forced onto that dangerous flight by the president’s arbitrary edict and doubly angry that he had terminated travel from Europe without consulting any of his European counterparts. By the look of things that evening, no one from his administration had even informed key American airports receiving flights from Europe until the last minute. I saw a bunch of those coughing boys board a Silver Line bus into Boston and others grabbing taxis. And so we all went off into the night, apparently leaving behind no trace of the state of our health or where we were headed. Some days later, I was not merely angry but very ill.
Ten days after that, in a hospital parking garage, a masked nurse worked a giant Q-tip up my nose. A doctor told me to quarantine myself at home (as I had been doing anyway) until I got the test results in about five days. But why should it take so long? Wasn’t the whole point of a test to learn what was going on as quickly as possible? The speed of the test result had been the very point in Norway. Combined with the immediate work of the tracers, it enabled the National Health Service to stay ahead of the pandemic and, in the end, essentially to shut it down.
I went home and got worse. Five days passed with no word. On the 12th day, I felt well enough to call my doctor, who tracked down the result of my test (“just in”). It was positive, but almost two weeks old. So, over the telephone, the doctor gave me the all-clear to put on my mask (a souvenir of my trip to the ER) and go forth to shop. Knowing no Norwegian doctor would turn me loose so soon without another test, I asked for one. Sorry, short supply, only one to a customer. I’ve kept myself in quarantine at home ever since.
Covid-19 Hitches a Ride in America
On April 10 came news of the death of 59-year-old Vitalina Williams, an immigrant from Guatemala, who worked a full-time job at a Walmart in Lynn, Mass., as well as a part-time job at a supermarket in Salem. Like the nurse and doctor in the ER, this cashier was an “essential worker,” the first grocery store employee in Massachusetts to work herself to death. Here’s an immense difference between Massachusetts and Norway. In that country, one job would have paid her a good wage and also given her paid leave to see her own doctor in the National Health Service when she first felt ill. She would have been taken in, diagnosed, cared for, and very likely saved. That is simply how a national health care system works in a social democracy.
So what was my Covid-19 test for? What useful information did it give anyone? I had walked home from the ER in the dark (so as not to endanger others by taking a bus) and gone to bed. Nobody checked up on me because nobody knew my test was positive—something I, of course, didn’t know either. And throughout those nearly two weeks of waiting for the test results, no tracer called to learn if I lived with other people who might be endangered and available for testing. (There were, in fact, no tracers then.) No one asked me a single question about my family, friends, or others I might have contacted since that “screening” at the airport. And had I died in my bed, no one would or could have traced that bright red line between me, those coughing boys, and Donald Trump’s executive order, which resulted in my compulsory flight to a state caught totally off guard, in a country both dysfunctional and unprepared.
On April 20, five weeks after I returned to Boston, Massachusetts was designated as a Covid-19 “hot spot.” With 38,077 cases and 1,706 deaths at that time, the state stood in third place behind New York and New Jersey. This was not an honor, but it may be what prompted Governor Charlie Baker to turn to testing—and belatedly to tracing.
The number of new cases in this state was rising every day, as it has from the first reported case in February. The governor, who also holds a press conference every day, explained that we are now “right in the middle of an expected surge,” apparently unaware that a “surge” is what you get when you have missed the moment for preventive testing and tracing. (This is also what you get when, as in the nation’s capital, politicians rather than scientists run the show.)
Belatedly, Massachusetts started testing people at the rate of about 9,000 per day, while private agencies funded by the state are in the process of hiring perhaps 1,000 tracers to conduct phone interviews with the contacts of all Massachusetts residents who have already tested positive. Today, May 6, our official “positives” number is 70,271, though 4,212 of us are already dead.
In the first few days of May, the number of Covid-positive patients hospitalized fell slightly, and state officials adopted an attitude of “cautious optimism.” Presumably, something of importance will be learned from those belated tests. As Norway recognized, however, if you don’t jump on this virus fast, it rapidly disperses beyond simple person-to-person contacts. It spreads out sociably like so many Norwegian skiers—or American students. It rides the chairlift and the bus. It gets on the plane. It hangs out at the airport. It hitches a ride with someone stopping at the grocery store. To tally its contacts may become simply a matter of counting the dead.
Tracers in Norway have already moved on to other tests to find asymptomatic carriers who may be contagious or perhaps have developed antibodies. Anyone in that country with even the mildest symptoms may ask for a test. These precautionary studies are essential in case the virus should find new life as the quarantine is lifted. What scientists might learn from such studies, like the new contact-tracing one in Massachusetts, remains to be seen, but surely one inescapable conclusion is that this virus is smarter, more agile, and faster on its feet than any of its associates we’ve met before or, for that matter, than most of our public officials, from a failed president on down. And for any readers who believe in politics more than science, let me just say that without science, you won’t even know what hit you.


thenation--2020-05-08--‘Mass Unemployment Is a Policy Choice’

‘Mass Unemployment Is a Policy Choice’

More than 20.5 million American workers just lost their jobs in a single month .
“ The U.S. unemployment rate jumped to 14.7 percent in April , the highest level since the Great Depression , as most businesses shut down or severely curtailed operations to fight the deadly coronavirus , ” reported The Washington Post on Friday morning .
“ If anything , the report understates the damage , ” the Post explained .
“ The government ’ s definition of unemployment typically requires people to be actively looking for work .
And the unemployment rate doesn ’ t reflect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their hours slashed or their pay cut.
” Lance Lambert , a data editor with Fortune magazine , offered an even more sobering set of numbers when he wrote this week , “ Before this seven-week stretch of 33.5 million initial jobless claims , there were already 7.1 million unemployed Americans as of March 13 .
When those figures are combined , it equals more than 40 million unemployed , or a real unemployment rate of 24.9 percent .
That ’ s just under the Great Depression peak of an unemployment rate that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mince words .
The Labor Department Is Sacrificing Workers on the Altar of ‘ Reopening ’ Bernie Sanders Reflects on the Power of International Solidarity The Most Consequential Decision of Biden ’ s 2020 Campaign Let ’ s acknowledge , as does Congressional Progressive Caucus ( CPC ) cochair Mark Pocan , that “ we face an economic crisis.
” The dangerously misguided efforts by President Trump and his allies to “ reopen ” the economy in the midst of a pandemic are not going to address that crisis .
Let ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this crisis has been woefully inadequate .
It has not stemmed mass unemployment or the shuttering of small and medium-sized businesses .
How should congressional Democratic leaders , who are currently crafting their proposal for the next Covid-19 relief package , react as this country sinks into a new Depression ?
Senate minority leader Charles Schumer is right when he says , “ We need Franklin Rooseveltian-type action.
” But tossing around FDR ’ s name and talking about a new New Deal—ideally a Green New Deal—only gets us so far .
Unfortunately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ the willingness to think big about what we have to do and just get past this inertia is challenging for some people.… People are being put in a terrible economic bind and our systems aren ’ t designed to deliver the level of relief that ’ s needed.
” The answer , says Jayapal , who holds degrees in economics and business administration , and who has a background in finance and development work , is to create new systems .
And she has a plan for immediately addressing the reality of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the threat that the crisis will grow dramatically worse in the weeks and months to come .
With support from Pocan and other members of the CPC , Jayapal has proposed the Paycheck Guarantee Act , a sweeping plan “ to end mass layoffs , keep workers in their jobs and connected to their health care and other benefits , prevent employers of all sizes from being forced to close permanently , and ensure that the economy is ready to restart when the COVID-19 pandemic ends.
” How ?
By borrowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germany , Denmark , and the United Kingdom , who have used their resources to assure that workers are kept on payrolls .
Jayapal has outlined “ a streamlined program to provide a three-month federal guarantee for 100 percent of worker salaries of up to $ 100,000 to ensure employers of all sizes keep workers on the payroll and continue to provide employer-sponsored benefits .
This paycheck guarantee would automatically renew on a monthly basis until consumer demand rebounds to pre-crisis levels.
” Her measure establishes strong protections for workers and includes fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost-effective , and , Jayapal notes , has been designed to recognize and address racial disparities in layoffs and access to benefits .
That final component is vital , because , as Jennifer Epps-Addison , co–executive director at the Center for Popular Democracy , notes , “ During the last recession , unemployment and under-employment hit black and brown communities the hardest , and the scale of our current unemployment crisis will deepen our racial wealth gap .
Keeping working people on payroll at their employer ’ s is the best way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dislocation that is compounding our public health crisis.
” If the UK Can Protect Workers From Covid-19 Layoffs , Why Not the US ?
Jayapal ’ s detailed plan , which she has been working on with top economists since March , has drawn widespread support from union leaders and economic , social , and racial justice advocates .
Noting the staggering number of unemployed workers , and the threat that jobless rolls will expand if action is not taken to protect threatened workers , former secretary of labor Robert Reich says , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paycheck Guarantee Act is the fastest and most efficient way of getting it to them.
” Nobel Prize–winning economist Joseph Stiglitz explains that “ COVID-19 is wreaking economic havoc and causing massive layoffs that imperil our economy and any efforts to get America working again .
We need aggressive action that keeps people on payroll , preserves their healthcare , and creates the flexibility for businesses to stay afloat even as they remain partially shut down or totally closed .
Helping businesses to keep paying their workers , as Rep. Jayapal ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most efficient way to stop millions of Americans from being laid off , protect access to health care at a time when it is especially needed , and keep businesses of all sizes from permanently shuttering.
” The bottom line , argues Stiglitz , is that the Paycheck Guarantee Act is “ the smartest way to stop our economic free fall.
” Representative Jayapal has the right plan at the right time .
If congressional Democrats want to respond with Franklin Rooseveltian–type action to mass unemployment , they need to recognize , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paycheck guarantee is a real solution that matches the scale of the crisis .
Mass unemployment is a policy choice .
We can and should choose differently .
”

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Nation believes that helping readers stay informed about the impact of the coronavirus crisis is a form of public service. For that reason, this article, and all of our coronavirus coverage, is now free. Please subscribe to support our writers and staff, and stay healthy.
Subscribe to The Nation Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month!
Get The Nation’s Weekly Newsletter Fridays. The best of the week. Email By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Fridays. The best of the week.
Thank you for signing up for The Nation’s weekly newsletter.
Repro Nation A monthly newsletter on the global fight for reproductive freedom. Email By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here.
Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue
Subscribe to The Nation Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month!
Support Progressive Journalism The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter.
Sign up for our Wine Club today. Did you know you can support The Nation by drinking wine?
More than 20.5 million American workers just lost their jobs in a single month.
“The U.S. unemployment rate jumped to 14.7 percent in April, the highest level since the Great Depression, as most businesses shut down or severely curtailed operations to fight the deadly coronavirus,” reported The Washington Post on Friday morning. “If anything, the report understates the damage,” the Post explained. “The government’s definition of unemployment typically requires people to be actively looking for work. And the unemployment rate doesn’t reflect the millions still working who have had their hours slashed or their pay cut.”
Lance Lambert, a data editor with Fortune magazine, offered an even more sobering set of numbers when he wrote this week, “Before this seven-week stretch of 33.5 million initial jobless claims, there were already 7.1 million unemployed Americans as of March 13. When those figures are combined, it equals more than 40 million unemployed, or a real unemployment rate of 24.9 percent. That’s just under the Great Depression peak of an unemployment rate that topped 25.6 percent.”
No one should mince words. More From John Nichols A GOP Debate Without Trump Is the Definition of Pointlessness August 11, 2023 A Win for Abortion Rights, a Win for Democracy: Ohio Voters Reject Issue 1 August 9, 2023 The Biggest Threat to Donald Trump Could Be the Constitution Itself August 4, 2023
Let’s acknowledge, as does Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) cochair Mark Pocan, that “we face an economic crisis.” The dangerously misguided efforts by President Trump and his allies to “reopen” the economy in the midst of a pandemic are not going to address that crisis.
Let’s also acknowledge that the federal response to this crisis has been woefully inadequate. It has not stemmed mass unemployment or the shuttering of small and medium-sized businesses.
How should congressional Democratic leaders, who are currently crafting their proposal for the next Covid-19 relief package, react as this country sinks into a new Depression? Senate minority leader Charles Schumer is right when he says, “We need Franklin Rooseveltian-type action.” But tossing around FDR’s name and talking about a new New Deal—ideally a Green New Deal—only gets us so far. Popular "swipe left below to view more authors"Swipe → The Evisceration of a Public University The Evisceration of a Public University Lisa M. Corrigan The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks Chris Lehmann “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash Dave Zirin How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection Chris Lehmann Popular "swipe left below to view more authors"Swipe → The Evisceration of a Public University The Evisceration of a Public University Lisa M. Corrigan The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks Chris Lehmann “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash Dave Zirin How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection Chris Lehmann
Unfortunately, says CPC cochair Pramila Jayapal, “the willingness to think big about what we have to do and just get past this inertia is challenging for some people.… People are being put in a terrible economic bind and our systems aren’t designed to deliver the level of relief that’s needed.” Current Issue View our current issue
The answer, says Jayapal, who holds degrees in economics and business administration, and who has a background in finance and development work, is to create new systems. And she has a plan for immediately addressing the reality of mass unemployment, as it now exists, and the threat that the crisis will grow dramatically worse in the weeks and months to come.
With support from Pocan and other members of the CPC, Jayapal has proposed the Paycheck Guarantee Act, a sweeping plan “to end mass layoffs, keep workers in their jobs and connected to their health care and other benefits, prevent employers of all sizes from being forced to close permanently, and ensure that the economy is ready to restart when the COVID-19 pandemic ends.” How? By borrowing ideas from other countries, such as Germany, Denmark, and the United Kingdom, who have used their resources to assure that workers are kept on payrolls.
Jayapal has outlined “a streamlined program to provide a three-month federal guarantee for 100 percent of worker salaries of up to $100,000 to ensure employers of all sizes keep workers on the payroll and continue to provide employer-sponsored benefits. This paycheck guarantee would automatically renew on a monthly basis until consumer demand rebounds to pre-crisis levels.” Her measure establishes strong protections for workers and includes fraud prevention measures. It is flexible, cost-effective, and, Jayapal notes, has been designed to recognize and address racial disparities in layoffs and access to benefits.
That final component is vital, because, as Jennifer Epps-Addison, co–executive director at the Center for Popular Democracy, notes, “During the last recession, unemployment and under-employment hit black and brown communities the hardest, and the scale of our current unemployment crisis will deepen our racial wealth gap. Keeping working people on payroll at their employer’s is the best way to allow working people to minimize the economic dislocation that is compounding our public health crisis.” Jobs During Covid-19 If the UK Can Protect Workers From Covid-19 Layoffs, Why Not the US? John Nichols
Jayapal’s detailed plan, which she has been working on with top economists since March, has drawn widespread support from union leaders and economic, social, and racial justice advocates. Noting the staggering number of unemployed workers, and the threat that jobless rolls will expand if action is not taken to protect threatened workers, former secretary of labor Robert Reich says, “They need help immediately. The Paycheck Guarantee Act is the fastest and most efficient way of getting it to them.”
Nobel Prize–winning economist Joseph Stiglitz explains that “COVID-19 is wreaking economic havoc and causing massive layoffs that imperil our economy and any efforts to get America working again. We need aggressive action that keeps people on payroll, preserves their healthcare, and creates the flexibility for businesses to stay afloat even as they remain partially shut down or totally closed. Helping businesses to keep paying their workers, as Rep. Jayapal’s Paycheck Guarantee Act does, is the most efficient way to stop millions of Americans from being laid off, protect access to health care at a time when it is especially needed, and keep businesses of all sizes from permanently shuttering.”
The bottom line, argues Stiglitz, is that the Paycheck Guarantee Act is “the smartest way to stop our economic free fall.”
Representative Jayapal has the right plan at the right time. If congressional Democrats want to respond with Franklin Rooseveltian–type action to mass unemployment, they need to recognize, as Jayapal does, that “a federal paycheck guarantee is a real solution that matches the scale of the crisis. Mass unemployment is a policy choice. We can and should choose differently.”


thenation--2020-05-08--How to Caricature a Cartoon Presidency

How to Caricature a Cartoon Presidency

For political cartoonists , Donald Trump is not just a challenge but a rival .
Trump ’ s political success owes much to the fact that he ’ s a walking , breathing caricature .
His entire career is a triumph of the image-maker ’ s art : Through manipulation of press coverage , ghostwritten books , movie cameos , and carefully edited reality-TV shows , Trump crafted an image of himself as the quintessential American wheeler-dealer , the billionaire with the popular touch .
As with any iconic figure , he is as much a stylization as a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in repose , instead constantly switching between now-familiar tics and mannerisms .
His very grotesqueness , the shock of implausible hair and the strangely orange skin , make him distinctive , a useful trait in a profession that requires gaining and holding attention .
Trump is not the first cartoon president .
Writing in Harper ’ s in 1984 , the literary critic Hugh Kenner noted that Ronald Reagan was closer to being a puppet than a man .
“ Reagan ’ s successor might be Kermit the Frog , ” Kenner argued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Johnny Carson , no one noticed .
Yes , we ’ re governed by caricatures , because we perceive by them.
” Cartoonists work by exaggeration .
But how do you exaggerate what is already grotesque ?
How do you mock a human gargoyle ?
Matt Bors , one of the most talented political cartoonists around , proves he ’ s up to the job in his new collection , We Should Improve Society Somewhat , a gathering of satirical strips from the past few years .
One of the valuable aspects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us to track Bors as he struggles with depicting Trump .
The early drawings are competent but work merely at a surface level , with Trump as a blow-dried blowhard , a puffed-up bully no different from many other politicians .
Over time , Bors moves away from verisimilitude , with his Trump becoming a sinister homunculus whose beach-ball head dominates a dwarfed body .
Sweaty , purse-lipped , with hair that leaps up in unison with the steam coming out of his head when he ’ s angry , this version of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Throughout the Trump years , we see Bors letting loose more and more , moving away from strict reactions to the day ’ s events and increasingly inclined to borrow tropes from science fiction to depict the unfolding dystopia .
Trump becomes Eternal Overlord Trump , presiding over a dying , post-apocalyptic planet .
Wearing a face mask modeled after Immortan Joe from Mad Max : Fury Road , Trump achieves his true destiny as a monarch over a hellworld .
In another strip , Trump is merely a giant floating head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many of Bors ’ s strongest strips are set in this dystopia , called the Wasteland , where the problems are even more severe than our reality—but political attitudes remain the same .
In one strip , the citizens of the Wasteland hold a town hall meeting on the threat of “ the swarms of mutant locusts stripping the flesh from the bones of anyone not wearing their armor.
” It quickly devolves into an argument over whether the problem is real .
“ There ’ s always been locusts !
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mutant ones !
” And what about the jobs ?
A man named Gorm , with a festering hole in his bald scalp , notes , “ I earn my rations flamethrowing the locust hordes .
You—you ’ d be rid of me !
” As a panel cartoonist , Bors belongs to the tradition of Jules Feiffer and Tom Tomorrow , artists concerned with narrative and characters .
This is distinct from the dominant form for newspaper cartoonists , who generally do single-image caricatures riffing on daily news .
As with Feiffer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in topical events than he is in the recurring attitudes that underlie politics .
Bors has a real gift for distilling reactionary thought patterns into recognizable character types .
One recurring character , featured in the strip that gives the book its title , is Mr. Gotcha , a glib know-it-all who tries to refute social criticism by highlighting purported hypocrisy .
Seeing someone posting a complaint about how Apple isn ’ t paying Chinese factory workers enough , Mr. Gotcha notes that this comment was “ said on an iPhone.
” Bors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ First , he sees someone complaining , “ Cars should have seat belts !
” He responds , “ Yet you bought one .
Hypocrite much ?
Owned.
” Sent back to the Middle Ages , Mr. Gotcha hears an impoverished peasant say , “ We should improve society somewhat.
” Mr. Gotcha , pouncing out of a well , proclaims , “ Yet you participate in society .
Curious !
I am very intelligent !
” Mr. Gotcha is a telling encapsulation of an irritating figure we ’ ve all encountered , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to argument .
Time and again , Bors invents characters who embody common attitudes .
Mr. Gotcha ’ s cousin is perhaps the MAGA-head who , offended at Trump ’ s being called a racist , says , “ That attitude is what ’ s pushing me to be racist !
” With vacant-eyed fanaticism , he ends up getting a swastika tattoo .
This focus on attitudes is the perfect approach to the Trump era .
Trumpism isn ’ t really a coherent philosophy so much as a set of irritable mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sneers and catchphrases .
Bors ’ s ability to give life to these attitudes , to make them visible and highlight how ridiculous they are , makes him the ideal portraitist of the Trump era .

Subscribe to The Nation Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month!
Get The Nation’s Weekly Newsletter Fridays. The best of the week. Email By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Fridays. The best of the week.
Thank you for signing up for The Nation’s weekly newsletter.
Repro Nation A monthly newsletter on the global fight for reproductive freedom. Email By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here.
Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue
Subscribe to The Nation Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month!
Support Progressive Journalism The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter.
Sign up for our Wine Club today. Did you know you can support The Nation by drinking wine?
For political cartoonists, Donald Trump is not just a challenge but a rival. Trump’s political success owes much to the fact that he’s a walking, breathing caricature. His entire career is a triumph of the image-maker’s art: Through manipulation of press coverage, ghostwritten books, movie cameos, and carefully edited reality-TV shows, Trump crafted an image of himself as the quintessential American wheeler-dealer, the billionaire with the popular touch.
As with any iconic figure, he is as much a stylization as a person. His face is rarely if ever in repose, instead constantly switching between now-familiar tics and mannerisms. His very grotesqueness, the shock of implausible hair and the strangely orange skin, make him distinctive, a useful trait in a profession that requires gaining and holding attention.
Trump is not the first cartoon president. Writing in Harper’s in 1984, the literary critic Hugh Kenner noted that Ronald Reagan was closer to being a puppet than a man. “Reagan’s successor might be Kermit the Frog,” Kenner argued. “The night Kermit filled in for Johnny Carson, no one noticed. Yes, we’re governed by caricatures, because we perceive by them.”
Cartoonists work by exaggeration. But how do you exaggerate what is already grotesque? How do you mock a human gargoyle? Matt Bors, one of the most talented political cartoonists around, proves he’s up to the job in his new collection, We Should Improve Society Somewhat, a gathering of satirical strips from the past few years.
One of the valuable aspects of the book is that it allows us to track Bors as he struggles with depicting Trump. The early drawings are competent but work merely at a surface level, with Trump as a blow-dried blowhard, a puffed-up bully no different from many other politicians. Over time, Bors moves away from verisimilitude, with his Trump becoming a sinister homunculus whose beach-ball head dominates a dwarfed body. Sweaty, purse-lipped, with hair that leaps up in unison with the steam coming out of his head when he’s angry, this version of Trump is an embodiment of porcine malevolence.
Throughout the Trump years, we see Bors letting loose more and more, moving away from strict reactions to the day’s events and increasingly inclined to borrow tropes from science fiction to depict the unfolding dystopia. Trump becomes Eternal Overlord Trump, presiding over a dying, post-apocalyptic planet. Wearing a face mask modeled after Immortan Joe from Mad Max: Fury Road, Trump achieves his true destiny as a monarch over a hellworld. In another strip, Trump is merely a giant floating head held aloft by a tiny robotic body.
Many of Bors’s strongest strips are set in this dystopia, called the Wasteland, where the problems are even more severe than our reality—but political attitudes remain the same. In one strip, the citizens of the Wasteland hold a town hall meeting on the threat of “the swarms of mutant locusts stripping the flesh from the bones of anyone not wearing their armor.” It quickly devolves into an argument over whether the problem is real. “There’s always been locusts!” one citizen proclaims. “Maybe even mutant ones!” And what about the jobs? A man named Gorm, with a festering hole in his bald scalp, notes, “I earn my rations flamethrowing the locust hordes. You—you’d be rid of me!”
As a panel cartoonist, Bors belongs to the tradition of Jules Feiffer and Tom Tomorrow, artists concerned with narrative and characters. This is distinct from the dominant form for newspaper cartoonists, who generally do single-image caricatures riffing on daily news. As with Feiffer and Tomorrow, Bors is less interested in topical events than he is in the recurring attitudes that underlie politics.
Bors has a real gift for distilling reactionary thought patterns into recognizable character types. One recurring character, featured in the strip that gives the book its title, is Mr. Gotcha, a glib know-it-all who tries to refute social criticism by highlighting purported hypocrisy. Seeing someone posting a complaint about how Apple isn’t paying Chinese factory workers enough, Mr. Gotcha notes that this comment was “said on an iPhone.”
Bors sends Mr. Gotcha back in time. First, he sees someone complaining, “Cars should have seat belts!” He responds, “Yet you bought one. Hypocrite much? Owned.” Sent back to the Middle Ages, Mr. Gotcha hears an impoverished peasant say, “We should improve society somewhat.” Mr. Gotcha, pouncing out of a well, proclaims, “Yet you participate in society. Curious! I am very intelligent!”
Mr. Gotcha is a telling encapsulation of an irritating figure we’ve all encountered, the glib points-scorer who prefers ad hominem to argument. Time and again, Bors invents characters who embody common attitudes. Mr. Gotcha’s cousin is perhaps the MAGA-head who, offended at Trump’s being called a racist, says, “That attitude is what’s pushing me to be racist!” With vacant-eyed fanaticism, he ends up getting a swastika tattoo.
This focus on attitudes is the perfect approach to the Trump era. Trumpism isn’t really a coherent philosophy so much as a set of irritable mental gestures, a grab bag of reflexive sneers and catchphrases. Bors’s ability to give life to these attitudes, to make them visible and highlight how ridiculous they are, makes him the ideal portraitist of the Trump era.


thenation--2020-05-08--Hit Hard by Covid, Nursing Home Workers Threatened to Strike—and Won

The Illinois nursing home where Chris Brown works was frequently short-staffed even before the coronavirus crisis hit .
But now it ’ s chaotic .
“ It ’ s been drastic , ” he said .
“ It ’ s been very hectic.
” At first it felt like no one had a real plan for how to handle the virus , he said .
“ The rules changed every five minutes.
” This led to an atmosphere that “ was very tense all the time , ” with people arguing with each other .
It ’ s a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scared .
There ’ s an entire floor in his building devoted to residents with Covid-19 ; it ’ s now completely full , and they ’ ve had to start putting infected patients on a second floor .
Personal protective equipment was already in short supply before the pandemic .
“ Now we don ’ t really have any PPE , ” Brown , a certified nursing assistant ( CNA ) , said .
He has a hard time finding masks , especially because managers are rationing them .
The ones he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks that are the most protective ; instead , employees are given surgical masks .
The gowns he gets , he says , are cheap and still don ’ t keep his clothes from getting wet .
The gloves are so flimsy that they frequently break while he ’ s working with residents .
They ’ re out of face shields .
“ Of course I ’ m exposed to it , ” he said of Covid-19 .
“ At this point I believe that everybody in the building has already had it.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it too , since he lost his sense of taste and smell for 16 days , even though he hasn ’ t been able to get tested .
He ’ s worried he may have brought it home to his mother , who has been staying with him off and on as they try to get her into a home , and that he ’ ll experience long-lasting effects from having had it .
But he can ’ t afford to stay home from work .
He has bills and rent that need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t gotten his stimulus check , either .
“ If we had the luxury to not be here…I ’ d have done it , ” he said .
“ I feel helpless in a lot of ways.
” But Brown didn ’ t stay helpless .
Along with employees at 64 facilities across the state who are members of SEIU Healthcare Illinois , he prepared to go on strike to prod management to act and protect both residents and employees .
They garnered support from residents ’ families , who staged a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their demands .
Their demands included that employees be given more personal protective equipment , that more stringent safety protocols be put in place , and that employees receive hazard pay and better base compensation .
They demanded a one-year contract with a wage floor of $ 16 an hour for CNAs and $ 15 for everyone else , plus a 50 percent hazard pay bonus for anyone who works during the coronavirus crisis .
They wanted 80 hours of paid sick leave for anyone who gets Covid-19 , as well as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take leave to protect their own or their families ’ health will still get health insurance .
They also wanted owners to be more transparent about the Covid-19 cases at their facilities and to ensure that staffing levels are adequate to offer quality care .
Will the Pandemic Lead to Better Treatment for Drug Users ?
The Heartbreaking Choices Faced by Child Care Providers on the Front Lines Covid Is About to Become the Newest Excuse for Police Brutality More in this series The solidarity between employees and residents paid off .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ nursing home facilities announced a tentative agreement with concessions that the union called “ significant ” and will avert the strike if approved by a majority of members .
The two-year contract , which will cover over 10,000 union members , includes a $ 15 baseline wage for all workers ; $ 2 per hour hazard pay for all employees for the duration of the crisis ; more paid sick days for Covid testing , illness , or quarantine ; and provisions to ensure that workers get adequate PPE that follows regulatory guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest wage hike in our history for our employees , ” Bob Monitor , CEO of the Alden Network and member of the Illinois Association of Health Care Facilities , said in a statement .
“ We are grateful a walkout was avoided , and that our heroic staff members will continue caring for our vulnerable seniors as we fight this battle together.
” These gains “ will help safeguard the health and safety of workers and the residents for which they care—at a time when both are vulnerable to the risks associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release stated .
They “ are a testament to the courage and commitment of workers who were poised to strike.
” But this crisis didn ’ t start with the coronavirus .
Wages have been low and benefits minimal throughout Brown ’ s employment .
He started out earning just $ 9 an hour and got a raise to $ 13 only after Illinois nursing home workers nearly went on strike back in 2017 .
He now makes $ 13.90 .
His brother , who works at a grocery store , makes more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health insurance through the union .
“ For the most part we don ’ t really have any benefits , ” he said .
Wages at nursing homes have long been low .
Across the country , nursing assistants who work at nursing care facilities can expect to earn less than $ 28,000 a year .
Those who keep the buildings and sheets clean make even less .
Laverne Johnson makes just $ 14.10 an hour in the laundry room after working for her Chicago nursing home for 10 years .
At 65 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to retire soon .
“ I don ’ t want to be working at 70 years old , ” she said .
But “ I can ’ t retire because I ’ m not making enough money.
” She often has to prioritize which bills she ’ ll pay in a given month .
“ You got to pinch here , pinch here , pinch here .
That ’ s not fair we got to do that.
” Now she fears she ’ s putting her health at risk .
She has to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her facility originally offered extra hazard pay only to people assigned to work the Covid floor , other staff members have to go to the floor as well ; Johnson delivers linens , and the dietary staff delivers meals .
And while the Covid patients ’ laundry isn ’ t supposed to be sent down the general chute , it often gets mixed in , so she ’ s never sure what she ’ s getting exposed to .
The facility has been waiting two or three days to tell staff when someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t know if I ’ m working with somebody that has it , ” she said .
Because she ’ s unsure if she ’ s been exposed , she hasn ’ t visited her 91-year-old mother , whom she used to see once or twice a week , in two months .
“ I talk to her on the phone everyday , but that ’ s not the same , ” she said .
When the nurses and nursing assistants are overwhelmed at her facility because of a lack of staff , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents their lunches and taking them outside for smoke breaks .
Employees are stretched even more thinly than usual with the coronavirus .
This past Sunday “ was just chaos , ” Johnson said .
“ They were so short-handed.
” “ We ’ re just overworked and underpaid , ” she added .
For-profit nursing homes often keep staffing levels low in order to increase profits , putting a heavier burden on the remaining employees , who have to care for more patients .
Seventy percent of the country ’ s 15,400 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been true at the facility where Brown works , where the situation before the pandemic was much the same as during it .
“ We were dealing with these things way before Covid , ” he said .
His facility was frequently short-staffed , leaving CNAs like him to care for 15 to 20 residents per shift .
It ’ s not just backbreaking work—it ’ s also time-intensive .
Brown gets residents out of bed , bathes them , grooms them , dresses them , changes their diapers or helps them go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they don ’ t get bed sores , feeds them , and brings them into common areas for meals or activities .
It typically takes him an hour or two to complete everything a resident needs .
His eight-hour shift doesn ’ t leave him enough time to care for everyone .
Residents are “ not receiving the care that they ’ re supposed to get , ” he said .
“ We ’ re trying to do the best we can , but we ’ re understaffed and overworked.
” It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into this line of work after caring for his grandfather , who was suffering from cancer ; watching his grandfather die in his arms cemented his passion for caregiving .
“ I want to be there for somebody else ’ s family , ” he said .
Supplies at the facility already ran low even before having enough equipment became a matter of life and death .
Brown often couldn ’ t find enough towels or soap for every resident .
He sometimes receives just one bariatric diaper , even though he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite his low pay , he often buys things out of his own pocket .
Nursing home owners run on thin margins in part because Medicaid and other government programs provide low reimbursement rates , which owners say have not kept up with the cost of care .
Many nursing homes are owned by Wall Street investment firms , private equity shops , or real estate investment trusts , which typically make the facilities rent their properties from the investors .
The contracts usually mandate rent increases every year , creating lucrative profits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ costs that are fixed even in the middle of a recession or , now , a pandemic .
These underlying economics meant that many residents already lived in low-quality settings before Covid hit .
More than half a million people lived in facilities that were rated below average , according to The New York Times .
The lowest-rated ones are disproportionately for-profit .
Now , the disinvestment in nursing homes is creating deadly conditions .
Nursing homes across the country have been ravaged by Covid-19 outbreaks .
As of April 28 , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than one in six facilities nationwide , had reported cases among residents or staff , according to a Washington Post analysis .
As of April 21 , more than 36,500 residents and staff had contracted Covid-19 .
Some states haven ’ t even released this information yet .
The death count so far is staggering : More than 7,000 residents and staff have died .
In Illinois , where the workers had planned to strike , nursing homes account for 44 percent of the state ’ s total deaths .
But at some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t find out that coworkers had died from Covid-19 until they heard about it on the evening news .
For weeks , nursing home employees sent management dozens of letters and made public appeals asking for better protections and pay .
But when they got no answer , they voted to go on strike and gave management a notice on April 27 .
Brown was prepared to strike in hopes of securing the basics : “ Better pay , better PPE , better benefits , ” he explained .
“ I do what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And I ’ ll continue to do what I do because I love it .
But I just want to be appreciated.
” “ I ’ m putting my life on the line , ” he added .
“ You talk about heroes… Superheroes are appreciated .
But not in health care .
In health care , superheroes just get sick .
”

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Nation believes that helping readers stay informed about the impact of the coronavirus crisis is a form of public service. For that reason, this article, and all of our coronavirus coverage, is now free. Please subscribe to support our writers and staff, and stay healthy.
Subscribe to The Nation Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month!
Get The Nation’s Weekly Newsletter Fridays. The best of the week. Email By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Fridays. The best of the week.
Thank you for signing up for The Nation’s weekly newsletter.
Repro Nation A monthly newsletter on the global fight for reproductive freedom. Email By signing up, you confirm that you are over the age of 16 and agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here.
Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue
Subscribe to The Nation Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month!
Support Progressive Journalism The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter.
Sign up for our Wine Club today. Did you know you can support The Nation by drinking wine?
The Illinois nursing home where Chris Brown works was frequently short-staffed even before the coronavirus crisis hit. But now it’s chaotic. “It’s been drastic,” he said. “It’s been very hectic.” At first it felt like no one had a real plan for how to handle the virus, he said. “The rules changed every five minutes.” This led to an atmosphere that “was very tense all the time,” with people arguing with each other. It’s a little calmer now, but employees are still scared. There’s an entire floor in his building devoted to residents with Covid-19; it’s now completely full, and they’ve had to start putting infected patients on a second floor.
Personal protective equipment was already in short supply before the pandemic. “Now we don’t really have any PPE,” Brown, a certified nursing assistant (CNA), said. He has a hard time finding masks, especially because managers are rationing them. The ones he can find aren’t the N95 masks that are the most protective; instead, employees are given surgical masks. The gowns he gets, he says, are cheap and still don’t keep his clothes from getting wet. The gloves are so flimsy that they frequently break while he’s working with residents. They’re out of face shields.
“Of course I’m exposed to it,” he said of Covid-19. “At this point I believe that everybody in the building has already had it.” He thinks he’s had it too, since he lost his sense of taste and smell for 16 days, even though he hasn’t been able to get tested. He’s worried he may have brought it home to his mother, who has been staying with him off and on as they try to get her into a home, and that he’ll experience long-lasting effects from having had it. But he can’t afford to stay home from work. He has bills and rent that need to be paid. He still hasn’t gotten his stimulus check, either. “If we had the luxury to not be here…I’d have done it,” he said. “I feel helpless in a lot of ways.”
But Brown didn’t stay helpless. Along with employees at 64 facilities across the state who are members of SEIU Healthcare Illinois, he prepared to go on strike to prod management to act and protect both residents and employees. They garnered support from residents’ families, who staged a protest ahead of the strike to underscore their demands.
Their demands included that employees be given more personal protective equipment, that more stringent safety protocols be put in place, and that employees receive hazard pay and better base compensation. They demanded a one-year contract with a wage floor of $16 an hour for CNAs and $15 for everyone else, plus a 50 percent hazard pay bonus for anyone who works during the coronavirus crisis. They wanted 80 hours of paid sick leave for anyone who gets Covid-19, as well as a guarantee from owners that workers who have to take leave to protect their own or their families’ health will still get health insurance. They also wanted owners to be more transparent about the Covid-19 cases at their facilities and to ensure that staffing levels are adequate to offer quality care. The Coronavirus Crisis Will the Pandemic Lead to Better Treatment for Drug Users? Michelle Chen The Heartbreaking Choices Faced by Child Care Providers on the Front Lines Bryce Covert Covid Is About to Become the Newest Excuse for Police Brutality Elie Mystal
The solidarity between employees and residents paid off. On Thursday, the union and the nursing home facilities announced a tentative agreement with concessions that the union called “significant” and will avert the strike if approved by a majority of members. The two-year contract, which will cover over 10,000 union members, includes a $15 baseline wage for all workers; $2 per hour hazard pay for all employees for the duration of the crisis; more paid sick days for Covid testing, illness, or quarantine; and provisions to ensure that workers get adequate PPE that follows regulatory guidelines. Popular "swipe left below to view more authors"Swipe → The Evisceration of a Public University The Evisceration of a Public University Lisa M. Corrigan The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks Chris Lehmann “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash Dave Zirin How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection Chris Lehmann Popular "swipe left below to view more authors"Swipe → The Evisceration of a Public University The Evisceration of a Public University Lisa M. Corrigan The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks The Patronizing Moralism of David Brooks Chris Lehmann “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash “The Blind Side” Was Always Trash Dave Zirin How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection How the “Brooks Brothers Riot” Set the Stage for Insurrection Chris Lehmann
The pay increase is “the largest wage hike in our history for our employees,” Bob Monitor, CEO of the Alden Network and member of the Illinois Association of Health Care Facilities, said in a statement. “We are grateful a walkout was avoided, and that our heroic staff members will continue caring for our vulnerable seniors as we fight this battle together.” Current Issue View our current issue
These gains “will help safeguard the health and safety of workers and the residents for which they care—at a time when both are vulnerable to the risks associated with COVID-19,” an SEIU press release stated. They “are a testament to the courage and commitment of workers who were poised to strike.”
But this crisis didn’t start with the coronavirus. Wages have been low and benefits minimal throughout Brown’s employment. He started out earning just $9 an hour and got a raise to $13 only after Illinois nursing home workers nearly went on strike back in 2017. He now makes $13.90. His brother, who works at a grocery store, makes more than he does. He gets his health insurance through the union. “For the most part we don’t really have any benefits,” he said.
Wages at nursing homes have long been low. Across the country, nursing assistants who work at nursing care facilities can expect to earn less than $28,000 a year. Those who keep the buildings and sheets clean make even less.
Laverne Johnson makes just $14.10 an hour in the laundry room after working for her Chicago nursing home for 10 years. At 65, she would like to be able to retire soon. “I don’t want to be working at 70 years old,” she said. But “I can’t retire because I’m not making enough money.” She often has to prioritize which bills she’ll pay in a given month. “You got to pinch here, pinch here, pinch here. That’s not fair we got to do that.”
Now she fears she’s putting her health at risk. She has to take city buses to work. Although her facility originally offered extra hazard pay only to people assigned to work the Covid floor, other staff members have to go to the floor as well; Johnson delivers linens, and the dietary staff delivers meals. And while the Covid patients’ laundry isn’t supposed to be sent down the general chute, it often gets mixed in, so she’s never sure what she’s getting exposed to. The facility has been waiting two or three days to tell staff when someone tests positive. “I don’t know if I’m working with somebody that has it,” she said.
Because she’s unsure if she’s been exposed, she hasn’t visited her 91-year-old mother, whom she used to see once or twice a week, in two months. “I talk to her on the phone everyday, but that’s not the same,” she said.
When the nurses and nursing assistants are overwhelmed at her facility because of a lack of staff, Johnson often pitches in, serving the residents their lunches and taking them outside for smoke breaks. Employees are stretched even more thinly than usual with the coronavirus. This past Sunday “was just chaos,” Johnson said. “They were so short-handed.”
“We’re just overworked and underpaid,” she added.
For-profit nursing homes often keep staffing levels low in order to increase profits, putting a heavier burden on the remaining employees, who have to care for more patients. Seventy percent of the country’s 15,400 facilities are for-profit.
That’s been true at the facility where Brown works, where the situation before the pandemic was much the same as during it. “We were dealing with these things way before Covid,” he said. His facility was frequently short-staffed, leaving CNAs like him to care for 15 to 20 residents per shift. It’s not just backbreaking work—it’s also time-intensive. Brown gets residents out of bed, bathes them, grooms them, dresses them, changes their diapers or helps them go to the bathroom, rotates them so they don’t get bed sores, feeds them, and brings them into common areas for meals or activities. It typically takes him an hour or two to complete everything a resident needs.
His eight-hour shift doesn’t leave him enough time to care for everyone. Residents are “not receiving the care that they’re supposed to get,” he said. “We’re trying to do the best we can, but we’re understaffed and overworked.” It’s hard on him. He got into this line of work after caring for his grandfather, who was suffering from cancer; watching his grandfather die in his arms cemented his passion for caregiving. “I want to be there for somebody else’s family,” he said.
Supplies at the facility already ran low even before having enough equipment became a matter of life and death. Brown often couldn’t find enough towels or soap for every resident. He sometimes receives just one bariatric diaper, even though he has multiple residents who need them. So despite his low pay, he often buys things out of his own pocket.
Nursing home owners run on thin margins in part because Medicaid and other government programs provide low reimbursement rates, which owners say have not kept up with the cost of care. Many nursing homes are owned by Wall Street investment firms, private equity shops, or real estate investment trusts, which typically make the facilities rent their properties from the investors. The contracts usually mandate rent increases every year, creating lucrative profits for investors but saddling facilities with extra costs that are fixed even in the middle of a recession or, now, a pandemic.
These underlying economics meant that many residents already lived in low-quality settings before Covid hit. More than half a million people lived in facilities that were rated below average, according to The New York Times. The lowest-rated ones are disproportionately for-profit.
Now, the disinvestment in nursing homes is creating deadly conditions. Nursing homes across the country have been ravaged by Covid-19 outbreaks. As of April 28, more than 2,700 nursing homes, or more than one in six facilities nationwide, had reported cases among residents or staff, according to a Washington Post analysis. As of April 21, more than 36,500 residents and staff had contracted Covid-19. Some states haven’t even released this information yet. The death count so far is staggering: More than 7,000 residents and staff have died.
In Illinois, where the workers had planned to strike, nursing homes account for 44 percent of the state’s total deaths. But at some of the facilities, employees didn’t find out that coworkers had died from Covid-19 until they heard about it on the evening news.
For weeks, nursing home employees sent management dozens of letters and made public appeals asking for better protections and pay. But when they got no answer, they voted to go on strike and gave management a notice on April 27. Brown was prepared to strike in hopes of securing the basics: “Better pay, better PPE, better benefits,” he explained. “I do what I do because I love it. And I’ll continue to do what I do because I love it. But I just want to be appreciated.”
“I’m putting my life on the line,” he added. “You talk about heroes… Superheroes are appreciated. But not in health care. In health care, superheroes just get sick.”