Donald Trump goes berserk about the CDC

Attention Palmer Report readers: sign up for our free mailing list here
-----
Note from Bill Palmer: if each of you reading this can kick in $10 or $25, it'll help keep Palmer Report firing on all cylinders at this crucial time in our nation's history: Donate now


With his poll numbers in freefall and his presidency collapsing, Donald Trump thinks he’s finally found a wedge issue that’ll magically deliver him the election: reopening schools in the middle of a deadly pandemic. The thing is, even Trump’s own CDC isn’t willing to play this game.

First Trump threatened to cut off funding to schools if they don’t open in the fall, which seems a bit paradoxical, considering they won’t need funding if they don’t open: “In Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and many other countries, SCHOOLS ARE OPEN WITH NO PROBLEMS. The Dems think it would be bad for them politically if U.S. schools open before the November Election, but is important for the children & families. May cut off funding if not open!”

Then Trump decided that the CDC is the real problem: “I disagree with @CDCgov on their very tough & expensive guidelines for opening schools. While they want them open, they are asking schools to do very impractical things. I will be meeting with them!!!”

Donald Trump appears to be betting on the notion that parents are so worn out from having to take care of their kids all day, and having so much trouble figuring out what to do with their kids while trying to get back to their jobs, they’ll side with Trump’s plan to reopen schools despite the danger. But even if they do, it’ll quickly blow up in everyone’s faces. The kids will pass around the virus at school, then bring it home and infect their adult relatives – and this will certainly happen before election day in November. Trump has picked yet another issue where he’s on the morally wrong side and the politically wrong side.

Attention Palmer Report readers: sign up for our free mailing list here
-----
Note from Bill Palmer: if each of you reading this can kick in $10 or $25, it'll help keep Palmer Report firing on all cylinders at this crucial time in our nation's history: Donate now