By 32 points (60-28%), Americans are more concerned that social distancing will end too soon than go on too long — the latest indicator that the right-wing protests against stay-at-home orders are widely out-of-step with public opinion.
Despite Trump’s messaging, even Republicans oppose the protests 47% to 36%. 76% of Republicans believe we are currently doing the right amount of social distancing or think we should do more.
As millions lose their jobs and livelihoods, we all want to move past this outbreak and begin to return to normal — but the only way to do that is to listen to experts and do what it takes to defeat the virus now. Re-opening the economy too soon will be counterproductive.
“If you jump the gun and go into a situation where you have a big spike, you’re gonna set yourself back. Unless we get the virus under control, the real recovery economically is not going to happen.”
Dr. Fauci, as quoted in AZCentral.
If we open non-essential businesses before we can test and track effectively, cases and deaths will spike and the economy will suffer a more extended setback. A majority of Americans (56%) are seriously concerned that Trump overrules experts.
Trump’s chaotic response in this pandemic matches his approach to governing in general as he rushes testing, blames governors for shortfalls, and ignores experts — even as they warn the worst of the virus is still ahead.
- Trump’s testing czar got fired from his last job after being known for making “sweeping statements” and someone who “over-promised and under-delivered.” (Washington Post)
- Trump’s failure to issue a national stay at home order has left mayors struggling to contain the spread of coronavirus when governors won’t act. (Atlantic)
- WSJ: Coronavirus Testing Hampered by Disarray, Shortages, Backlogs
- By March 15, South Korea had tested nearly 10 times as many people as the U.S., and now they return to work after reporting “13 new cases on Monday” (Reuters)
As we move closer to another relief package, Trump is refusing to ensure money is getting to those who truly need it, putting big corporations ahead of workers and people who need the most help:
- POLITICO: “The legislation also likely won’t tackle controversial elements of the program’s structure, chiefly an exemption that allowed large companies such as Shake Shack and Ruth’s Hospitality Group to obtain tens of millions of dollars in loans, as well as rules that encouraged banks to favor their existing customers… Now, with controversy swirling around big companies taking advantage of the first rounds of loans, small businesses may be in for another shock with funding set to run dry again shortly after it’s made available to the program.”
- NYT EDITORIAL: Essential Workers Deserve Better Protection
The “protests” Trump is shamefully encouraging are actually engineered by corporatist front groups to pressure states to force workers back on the job — this is absolutely the wrong approach to helping workers and saving the economy.
We leave you with this visualization for the New York Times. Share it: “If Trump had implemented social distancing two weeks earlier, 90% of projected coronavirus deaths could have been prevented”
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