Trump Says He Downplayed COVID Because He Didn't Want to Create a Panic; We've Been Panicking for 6 Months

Recorded conversations between President Trump and Bob Woodward of the Washington Post in February revealed that President Trump knew that COVID-19 could be five times more deadly than the flu. Despite this, Trump told Woodward the following month, "I wanted to always play it down," I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic."

Well, President Trump utterly failed because we've been panicking for nearly six months. Our panic truly began on the evening of March 11th when the NBA shut down its regular season and Tom Hanks revealed he and his wife Rita Wilson had tested positive for COVID-19. 

The following night I remember waiting in line for nearly an hour at the Westerly Market just to get groceries.

Six days later, the law firm where I worked shut down when an employee tested positive for COVID-19. By April 3rd, I would be out of a job as would tens of millions of other Americans. Seventy-two hours later I moved to an upstairs apartment so as to maintain social distancing from my Dad. Others were far less fortunate.

Congress and the President did give us the HEROES Act, but the $1200 stimulus check was a pittance and the $600 in enhanced unemployment benefits expired more than a month ago and people are in a panic about food insecurity and rent/mortgage payments. House Democrats did pass the HEROES Act in mid-May which would have provided a $2000 stimulus and kept enhanced unemployment benefits through January 31, 2021. But President Trump and Senate Republicans are only prepared to offer $300 for three weeks. Even if a new package is negotiated Trump and the GOP have created further panic and instability.

Mind you, President Trump wanted to have the country reopened by Easter. Many state governors unwisely followed his lead at the end of April despite 1 million cases and the deaths of more than 50,000 people. A month later the number of deaths doubled. By this time a week from now COVID will have claimed 200,000 people and we will have exceeded 6.5 million cases. 

When one throws in Trump's claim that COVID is 99% totally harmless while promoting hydroxychloroquine, oleandrin, convalescent plasma not to mention injecting oneself with bleach while relying on a radiologist to advise him on matters pertaining to epidemiology and immunology he creates an environment of sustained panic. I have yet to take into account the deteriorating state of race relations, police misconduct and civil unrest amid corruption and abuse of authority. 

Trump might claim he didn't want to create a panic but by not acting sooner and acting calmly and candidly we aren't safe in Trump's America and won't be so long as he remains in office. 

The only chance for our national panic to stop is the electing Joe Biden the next President of the United States.