My fear from the moment that Trump launched his guidelines for re-opening last week was that they were not a re-opening plan but a blame-the-governors plan. This reinforces that.
The plan contains no hard metrics for re-opening, only vague trajectories - and then kicks the judgments on that to the governors.
That sets up the President perfectly to blame governors for the economic pain that is required to contain the virus.
That sets up the President perfectly to blame governors for the economic pain that is required to contain the virus.
If a state doesn't re-open upon meeting the (vague and inadequate) gating criteria that Trump laid out, he will say - it's the governor who's delaying.
If a governor follows the guidelines and re-opens prematurely, Trump can say - it was the governor who jumped the gun, not me.
If a governor follows the guidelines and re-opens prematurely, Trump can say - it was the governor who jumped the gun, not me.
And Barr's comments show what this is really about. If it were truly about deferring to the governors' judgment, you wouldn't have the AG threatening legal action against governors who wait.
Rather, it's mob logic: the governors can "choose," but Trump is making an offer they can't refuse.
This enables Trump to put economic priorities ahead of public health, without bearing the political risks if doing so leads to a resurgence of the virus.
That's the gameplan.
This enables Trump to put economic priorities ahead of public health, without bearing the political risks if doing so leads to a resurgence of the virus.
That's the gameplan.
