Earlier today we told you about MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace and a guest discussing, almost excitedly it seemed, how the coronavirus might turn into “Trump’s Katrina.”
There’s no shortage of media when it comes to attempts to throw fuel on the panic fire, but today brought with it one more such person in the form of New York Times columnist Paul Krugman:
There are now good reasons to believe that the coronavirus will hit America especially hard, even though it originated in China. Why? Because it plays into multiple pre-existing weaknesses 1/
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) March 7, 2020
On the plus side, Krugman’s prediction track record isn’t the greatest. Also, not unlike Rep. Ilhan Omar and others on the Left, Krugman used the virus as an opportunity to push some other progressive causes all while blaming Trump (of course):
First, we have a man-child as president: not only does he judge everything solely in terms of whether it makes him look good, he has a very short-term focus. Downplay the threat to win today's news cycle, never mind what might happen down the road 2/
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) March 7, 2020
He also can't admit mistakes. Every past decision was perfect. So no capacity to adjust. 3/
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) March 7, 2020
He demands obsequious displays of personal loyalty from all around him — which means that everyone with principles, and almost everyone with expertise, has been driven out. We're led by the team that couldn't think straight 4/
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) March 7, 2020
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But this goes beyond Trump's personal failings. The modern Republican Party hates investing in public goods of any kind except the military, in part because it doesn't want to admit that government can ever do good things 5/
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) March 7, 2020
Remember, the Bush administration crippled FEMA before Katrina; the degrading of epidemic response under Trump is the same kind of thing 6/
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) March 7, 2020
Also, the GOP has been at war with science for a long time. A party that denies climate science and evolution isn't going to be hospitable to good epidemiology 7/
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) March 7, 2020
Finally, a lot of what you need to contain a pandemic is social rather than strictly medical. You need to get people tested, and have them stay home if the test is positive. But we have a society in which cost deters people from getting tested 8/
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) March 7, 2020
And the absence of paid leave makes it hard, perhaps impossible, for many to take time off. 9/
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) March 7, 2020
I have American friends currently in Europe considering whether to extend their stay in the belief that universal health care and leave policies will make them safer. They may well be right 10/
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) March 7, 2020
Krugman thinks it’s Trump’s fault? Color us SHOCKED!
Our pre-existing weakness is a president that you never agree with? Gonna need some gloves for this hot take, I can't handle it.
— Malarkey Snark (@FoundersGirl) March 7, 2020
Only the hottest of takes from the New York Times’ Nobel laureate economist.
The panic being caused by the media is more dangerous than the actual Coronavirus itself. https://t.co/Y4QPWRtwKo
— The ? FOO (@PolitiBunny) March 7, 2020
Without question.
Given his track record, I find this prediction oddly comforting. https://t.co/i92EH2oges
— KeepCalmAndDrawl (@FormerlyFormer) March 7, 2020
If Krugman’s as right about the coronavirus as he was about what would happen to the markets when Trump was elected, that’s the correct takeaway:
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