That speech was a disaster. Hard to count the ways.
First, this, which has had the opposite effect of calming the markets.
Then there’s this, which reflects a failure to coordinate with the health insurance industry.
He’s asked for a payroll tax holiday with no buy-in from Congress. Just an ask. And no real pressure on lawmakers to meet a deadline or even come to the WH.
I just don’t know how this makes anyone happy. On the one hand, people who want a travel ban want a blanket ban. You’re gonna be criticized whatever level of ban you impose, so why not go all the way. The UK exemption renders this contingency riddled with holes.
On the other, those who are agnostic about a ban note, accurately to an extent, that the problem is now community spread. And trump didn’t outline a set of testing goals, ICU beds, or federal emergency guidelines. Relief efforts for displaced workers were left vague.
If I was an algorithm, I’d be selling, too. If the goal was reassurance, the president’s address had the opposite effect.
Maybe you should have blocked out more than 11 minutes.
Turns out I was being charitable. What an epic mess.
