Historians and other Americans who believe in the efficacy of our democracy like to say that if politicians just level with voters, they can cope with a crisis. After the election of President Trump, however, you would be entitled to doubt that proposition. An electorate who would pick a congenital liar who promises to bring back the past, you might conclude, is not ready to handle the truth. But let’s remember that a majority of Americans did not vote for Trump. And even among those who did, a growing portion reject the magical thinking that all we need to do is declare America open to put the covid-19 pandemic behind us.
A new Pew Research poll finds that “most Americans believe the economic problems arising from the coronavirus outbreak will persist for months to come. A majority (71%) says the economic problems resulting from the outbreak will last for at least 6 months, including 39% who say they will last a year or more. Just 29% expect these problems to last 6 months or less.” Perhaps as a result of their correct assessment of the severity and duration of the pandemic, more than three-quarters support the stimulus plans that have already passed and “77% of the public thinks it will be necessary for the president and Congress to pass another bill to provide more economic assistance for the country.” That includes 66 percent of Republicans. We are all Keynesians now.
Americans understand how serious the health situation and, unlike Trump, do not think we can snap our fingers and get everything back to normal. We see widespread sobriety about the pandemic/recession in the latest Post-University of Maryland poll.
“Most Americans expect no immediate easing of the health risks associated with the coronavirus pandemic, despite calls by President Trump and others to begin reopening the economy quickly. A majority say it could be June or later before it will be safe for larger gatherings to take place again,.” As in other polling, the public gives a hearty thumbs up to governors’ performance (72 percent approve, 26 percent disapprove) and negative marks to Trump’s (44 percent approve, 54 percent disapprove).
Stand by trumpsters, the next post will report on the Trump miracle drug Hydroxychloroquine...people are saying it was a complete failure.