A feud has erupted between Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) and Donald J. Trump a Republican candidate for the 2020 Presidency of the United States, and current occupier of the property sitting at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20500.
It all stems from the coronavirus crisis, and the handling of said crisis by Donald Trump.
We’re already privy to the fact that Donald Trump knew about the impending doom much before he divulged it to the American people. We also know that many other politicians, including high ranking U.S. Senators on both sides of the aisle, were privy to what was to come financially as a result of the aforementioned impending doom.
Nobody showed one bit of concern for the American people and what they were about to get broadsided with, a full blown pandemic.
As the model coronavirus strain known as Covid-19 unleashed its wrath globally, the United States, its President, its politicians, and its movers and shakers watched in awe and disbelief, perhaps believing that other countries had contracted the aforementioned virus because of lack of hygiene, or because they are, or were akin to third world countries. Perhaps they just didn’t give a damn, because their time before the coronavirus hit was spent frantically selling stocks in companies that would clearly lose huge if a pandemic hit, and, stockpiling food reserves and sundries for their families.
Once the virus hit the United States and started to multiply exponentially, it was too late to prepare for the onslaught. You were left with states scrambling to get N-95 masks, PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), ventilators and a world of other medical equipment needed to treat the varying degrees of illness associated with a pulmonary virus such COVID-19. It was a free for all, states competing with other states, cities, countries, black market buyers, re-sellers etc.
The governors of each state took on the autonomy granted them through the United States constitution, and, adhering to that state’s constitution, the governors commenced the use of executive orders for a shut down of non-essential businesses, orders barring large gatherings etc. Sure safe measures to protect the citizens of their state.
After a thorough assessment of the projected cases of infection in their state, along with the projected cases of those that might have the most serious symptoms and may ultimately require a ventilator, the various governors started making demands of the Federal Government. Insisting that the Federal Government step up and do its part in preparing for the onslaught that was to come.
Unfortunately for Trump, this meant that that the Governors of various states were being openly critical of Trump’s administration and failure to provide medical supplies.
However, New York quickly became the focal point and the hot spot for a massive concentration of infected Covid-19 patients, many so severe, they require a ventilator.
Clearly, the emerging leader in the Covid-19 crisis is New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo, sits as Vice Chair of the National Governors Association and has been Trump’s nemesis during this crisis. Recently the Federal government offered to send New York 400 ventilators after Cuomo had made a demand for ventilators from the Federal Government claiming they were just stockpiled in an armory somewhere, and should be put to use, or supplied to the states immediately.
Cuomo has established a national platform from which to speak as he offers a daily morning brief on the coronavirus crisis in his state, and informs the American people on updates or analysis from virologists, and other experts on the Covid-19 crisis.
However, Cuomo has now used his national platform to push Trump on complying with providing the states with much needed resources, which is in fact the Federal Government’s responsibility in time of a declared national emergency, such as this one.
Cuomo called Trump out on his deficient offer of 400 ventilators, calling on Trump to let the rest of the thirty plus thousand projected New Yorkers in need of ventilators know why they wouldn’t have ventilators available when there are at least 16,000 ventilators sitting in what’s called the “Strategic National Stockpile.” This is traditionally used to supplement hospitals during a time of crisis.
In turn, Trump, responding to Cuomo’s request for ventilators, appeared on the Sean Hannity Show and questioned Cuomo’s request, stating, "I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators," Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday. "You know, you go into major hospitals, sometimes, they’ll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden they're saying, 'Can we order 30,000 ventilators?”
The following morning, during his daily briefing to New Yorkers and the American public, Cuomo said, "Everybody's entitled to their own opinion, but I don't operate here on opinion, I operate on facts and on data and on numbers and on projections,"
I find it amazing to observe Trump’s irresponsible and negligent behavior at a time when we are in crisis as a country, he continues to act in a divisive and selfish manner.
The model coronavirus COVID-19 does not differentiate between race, creed, color, nationality, religion, gender, Democrat or Republican. It infects indiscriminately.
This is a time when Donald J. Trump could unite the country, as a whole. He could empower all Americans, and act in the best interest of all Americans, uniting us as a whole, restoring a sense of belonging and self worth.
He could, but he can’t, because, he never has been Presidential material, nor will he ever be.
Carlos E. Galindo