THREAD: Okay kids, here we go--> Trump’s Refusal to Provide Equal Federal Coronavirus Support to Blue States is Murder. “When do we start calling this what it is?” https://medium.com/@remakingmanhood/trumps-refusal-to-provide-equal-federal-coronavirus-support-to-blue-states-is-simply-murder-18ed1c4c2739 /1

Donald Trump has made it absolutely clear that he is less inclined to send PPE, ventilators, or other health care equipment to states with Democratic Governors who have criticized the White House’s failure to coordinate a Federal response to the pandemic /2

Here are some of the delivery disparities thus far from Citizens for Ethics who has filed a lawsuit. https://twitter.com/CREWcrew/status/1245765508156268560?s=20 /3

When Donald Trump intentionally punishes Democratic Governors by withholding crucial Federal supplies and equipment from their states, likely already resulting in unnecessary loss of life, what do we call that? /4

From CNBC on March 27th:
“President Donald Trump said Friday that he instructed Vice President Mike Pence not to reach out to governors who aren’t ‘appreciative’ of his administration’s efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus in their states." /5

(more CNBC) "The President mentioned Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, both Democrats who have been critical of the White House’s actions to combat the deadly pandemic.” /6

Trump’s message is to Democratic governors is clear: bend the knee or pay the price. This threat, made in a very public way when Trump says he expects “them to be appreciative,” shows clear intent to punish Democratic leaning states by withholding crucial supplies. /7

Since the alarm was first raised publicly about the coronavirus in early January Donald Trump has repeatedly mischaracterized the threat. In early February called the pandemic “a hoax.” Weeks later, he declared the threat very limited. /8

Trump has wasted months doing nothing to ramp up PPE production while the pandemic spreads. Trump’s State Department donated 17 tons of the US stockpile of PPE supplies to China in February. /9

Trump’s lack of Federal coordination now has states bidding against each other and the Federal government for desperately needed supplies instead of using the buying power of the Federal government months ago to insure adequate supplies at a fair price. /10

And finally, Trump is arguing against several Democratic Governor’s estimates of what is needed in their states while also accusing heath care workers in New York City of stealing supplies. /11

The President of the United States has this to say about front line health care workers in New York City, “Something’s going on…Where are the masks going? Are they going out the back door?” /12

I am writing now from shelter in place in New York City. All US Citizens are being advised by the CDC that we should wear masks. Yet, here in Trump’s America, there are no masks to be had. /13

I ordered my own masks three months ago. They still have not arrived. They likely never will. And frankly, if they do arrive, I will donate them to our front line doctors and nurses who have been reduced to wearing garbage bags when they enter the coronavirus wards. /14

But now something even darker is becoming evident. As the coronavirus is racing like wildfire through our major cities, be they in so called red states or blue, President Trump is playing favorites in distributing supplies and support. /15

From Salon: “‘When they disrespect me, they’re disrespecting our government,’ Trump said ... of governors who had been critical of his lagging response. ‘I want them to be appreciative,’ he said days earlier, explaining why some states had gone ignored by the White House ... /16

...potentially endangering the lives of millions of people…”

More from Salon: "Thursday night, (March 26th) after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, called for tens of thousands of ventilators, Trump dismissed his request in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity... /17

...‘I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators,’ Trump claimed. He repeated his …assurance on “Fox & Friends” Monday morning. ‘New York should be fine. Based on the numbers that we see, they have more than enough,’ he said.” /18

President Donald Trump has refused to adequately supply New York State ventilators and other equipment from the federal stock pile, leaving the state to find its own supply. Governor Andrew Cuomo understands this. /19

Cuomo is finding other sources for supplies and equipment, mounting the nations most significant testing program, green lighting field hospitals in convention centers. More and more Americans are tuning in to his briefings to get brutally honest information about the pandemic /20

In the few short days since Salon published the article quoted above, the number of hospitalized cases in New York City has soared, threatening to collapse the health care system here. /21

The price being paid by doctors and healthcare workers on the front lines in NYC and other cities who are forced to risk their lives without adequate PPE or other supplies is heartrending to witness. And the worst is yet to come. This is all happening in real time. /22

Because of President Trump’s abject failure to get ahead of the coronovirus early and effectively, the final numbers are going to be catastrophic across the United States, potentially bringing the global economy to the brink. /23

Trump declaring the coronavirus “a hoax,” was amplified for weeks by Fox News. The results will be devastating. Because of these lies stated by the President and amplified by Fox News to its largely older conservative viewership, states like Florida will be hit hard /24

In the thrall of the larger Trump narrative, Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, a Trump ally, left the beaches open during spring break and continues to fail to order a complete shut down, leaving churches open for people to congregate. /25

Trump's motivations? Early on, he seemed most concerned about the impact of a pandemic on the stock market, and by extension, his reelection, preferring to deny the pandemic existed. He certainly made no effort to coordinate the kind of massive Federal response required. /26

It’s deeply ironic that Trump might well have insured his reelection by mounting a powerful coordinated Federal response, but Trump chose instead to call the global pandemic a hoax. The precious months we needed to stave off a massive loss of American lives are gone. /27

But now something even darker is emerging. While denying any personal responsibility for the scale of the epidemic, Trump is no longer denying the scope of this catastrophe. /28

Yet Trump refuses to use the full power of the Federal government to get much needed medical supplies and equipment to the front line cities who are the first to fight. Cities are in so called “blue states” with governors that are not endorsing Trump’s coronavirus policies. /29

But these cities are fighting a battle that will soon spread to every county in every state. Governor Cuomo has already said that when the wave passes New York State, equipment sent here first would be shifted to places across the nation where the wave hits next. /30

Cuomo’s suggestion is just one small example of what a coordinated Federal response would look like were Trump to actually implement one. /31

Studies indicate that people of color are dying at higher rates then whites. Men are dying at higher rates then women. But the Americans now dying by the thousands are not from any single party or political affiliation. The coronavirus doesn’t care about that. /32

But President Trump does. The President’s own public statements and the resulting distribution of supplies from the Federal stockpile, clearly indicate that Trump is dramatically under supplying requests from the Democratic Governors he says should be more “appreciative.” /33

In this moment, Trump is punishing millions of Americans who live in states represented by Governors who refuse to endorse the White House’s failed Federal response. Who refuse to "bend the knee." /34

Here’s the bottom line: Trump is committing political payback on a catastrophic scale, and innocent people have already begun to die.

So, how much longer do we beat around the bush? How much longer do we wait before we call it what it is?

Murder.

/35

If you prefer this thread in article form, it is here. Oh, and RIP my mentions. https://medium.com/@remakingmanhood/trumps-refusal-to-provide-equal-federal-coronavirus-support-to-blue-states-is-simply-murder-18ed1c4c2739?source=friends_link&sk=c1e7119d372be32c9337fa54944c4d2f