President Donald Trump has laid out a three-phase approach for how states can end stay-in-place orders over the next several weeks or so, with hopes that doing so can help send people back to work, revitalizing an economy that has been significantly harmed by the spread of the coronavirus.
The president’s plan, unveiled on Thursday, provides a framework for states to follow in order to move from one phase to the next. The first phase is the situation most states find themselves in presently, where strict standards for social distancing should be followed in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The second phase starts when there appears to be no resurgence of cases throughout a given state. It allows for some non-essential travel to resume, including the reopening of schools, restaurants and bars, with some limits.
The final phase begins when there appears to be a downward trend in symptoms within the general populace. It allows for greater public interactions to commence, and for work to resume for most. Visitations to healthcare facilities, including hospitals, are allowed.
Trump’s plan, however, is advisory in nature, putting the onus on states to determine when they should move forward or not. “You’re going to call your own shots,” the president said.
The decision to design things in that manner, according to several current and former senior administration officials who spoke to The Washington Post about the plan, is partially to allow Trump to stave off future criticisms about the disease’s spread. If a resurgence happens in a state that moved ahead too quickly, for example, the president can shift blame toward that governor.
The plan is also missing an important aspect to it: a nationwide strategy for increasing testing for coronavirus. Without such testing, experts largely agree, no plan to end stay-in-place orders to “reopen the economy” can be feasible.
Many on social media have noted that the approach appears to be a way for Trump to blame others going forward if things go wrong.
“Americans are staying home and sacrificing in order to give the federal government time to come up with a post-lockdown plan, but Trump is refusing to do so in order to blame governors for whatever happens next,” Jon Favreau, podcast host and former Obama speechwriter, said.
Americans are staying home and sacrificing in order to give the federal government time to come up with a post-lockdown plan, but Trump is refusing to do so in order to blame governors for whatever happens next. https://t.co/0NGUI9j1n1
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) April 10, 2020
The three-phase plan that shifts focus to the states is a political risk for Trump, even if it allows him to assign blame elsewhere if things go wrong. Polling from the Kaiser Family Foundation indicates that the vast majority of Americans, 60 percent, want to see a federal response to the disease, not a state-by-state approach.
So far, Americans have been less-than-thrilled with the way the federal government has handled things. A CNN/SSRS poll published last week revealed that 55 percent of Americans believe the feds have done a poor job of responding to the crisis.
Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One
Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.
Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.
Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.
As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.
And if you feel uncertain about what to do in the face of a second Trump administration, we invite you to be an indispensable part of Truthout’s preparations.
In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.
We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.
We urgently need your help to prepare. As you know, our December fundraiser is our most important of the year and will determine the scale of work we’ll be able to do in 2025. We’ve set two goals: to raise $115,000 in one-time donations and to add 1365 new monthly donors by midnight on December 31.
Today, we’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.
If you have the means to make a substantial gift, please dig deep during this critical time!
With gratitude and resolve,
Maya, Negin, Saima, and Ziggy