Pres. Trump playing politics with Federal Coronavirus response

[SimplyMe]

I don't think this is surprising to most people who have followed the situation -- though Republicans have attempted to explain it away. But a few of the examples, Pres. Trump telling VP Pence not to call governors that aren't appreciative enough.

We now have another example. Colorado had heeded Trump's request to order the supplies they needed, ordering 500 ventilators. Of course, the FEMA cancelled the order and bought the ventilators. This is something states have complained about, Trump states need to buy the supplies themselves, but then the Federal government either outbids the states, or just cancels their orders and then buys the supplies.

Of course, once the FEMA "stole" the ventilators Colorado had ordered, Colorado tried to work with the Federal Government to get them, or at least some of them, for their state. However, since Colorado has a Democrat as a governor they could not get any of what they requested. However, when Colorado's Republican Senator Cory Gardner requested ventilators, Trump quickly responded by sending 100 ventilators to Colorado based solely on the Senator's request -- ignoring that Colorado's government had been working for a few weeks trying to get them.

I've tried to keep an open mind about Trump's response -- but it is increasingly clear that Trump is playing politics with his virus response -- using it to "reward" his friends and Republicans (particularly those up for re-election) while, at the same time, denying requests made by Democrats (or at least limiting the numbers of what is actually sent).

 

[Kentonio]

I don't think this is surprising to most people who have followed the situation -- though Republicans have attempted to explain it away. But a few of the examples, Pres. Trump telling VP Pence not to call governors that aren't appreciative enough.

We now have another example. Colorado had heeded Trump's request to order the supplies they needed, ordering 500 ventilators. Of course, the FEMA cancelled the order and bought the ventilators. This is something states have complained about, Trump states need to buy the supplies themselves, but then the Federal government either outbids the states, or just cancels their orders and then buys the supplies.

Of course, once the FEMA "stole" the ventilators Colorado had ordered, Colorado tried to work with the Federal Government to get them, or at least some of them, for their state. However, since Colorado has a Democrat as a governor they could not get any of what they requested. However, when Colorado's Republican Senator Cory Gardner requested ventilators, Trump quickly responded by sending 100 ventilators to Colorado based solely on the Senator's request -- ignoring that Colorado's government had been working for a few weeks trying to get them.

I've tried to keep an open mind about Trump's response -- but it is increasingly clear that Trump is playing politics with his virus response -- using it to "reward" his friends and Republicans (particularly those up for re-election) while, at the same time, denying requests made by Democrats (or at least limiting the numbers of what is actually sent).

There have also been reports of red states getting their full requests from the federal stockpile met while blue states get just a fraction. Utterly despicable.

 

[whatbogsends]

There have also been reports of red states getting their full requests from the federal stockpile met while blue states get just a fraction. Utterly despicable.

During this crisis, Trump has shown us again and again that he's only the President for those who already support him. If you've ever criticized him, then it's fair game for him to withhold medical supplies.

This behavior is criminal, yet his supporters continue to applaud this behavior. I haven't seen any of his supporters - here, in my social media accounts, or people I speak to directly - criticize Trump playing favorites (and, more importantly, actively impeding his political enemies) during this pandemic.

 

[JackRT]

There have also been reports of red states getting their full requests from the federal stockpile met while blue states get just a fraction. Utterly despicable.

Donald Trump simply does not understand that in a democratic republic government is supposed to be "of the people, by the people and for the people". It does not exist for him to feed his own ego or play political favourites in the face of a national emergency ---- or at any other time. He is unstable man who is actually destroying the very fabric of the nation.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Trump has been politicizing the crisis since the very beginning. Back at the outset when he called it the Democrat’s “new hoax” he was playing politics. All the times he tried to downplay the coming disaster was him playing politics. His press briefings where he rails against reporters and news channels he doesn’t like, various governors in critical need, the previous administration... all he’s done this entire crisis is show his true colors and that he is not about to let this crisis go to waste. Since he can’t have his Nuremberg rallies with big crowds anymore, he’s turned the daily pressers into his own virtual rallies where he picks on his enemies, shows off his bravado and fires up his supporters.

 

[Hank77]

I don't think this is surprising to most people who have followed the situation -- though Republicans have attempted to explain it away. But a few of the examples, Pres. Trump telling VP Pence not to call governors that aren't appreciative enough.

We now have another example. Colorado had heeded Trump's request to order the supplies they needed, ordering 500 ventilators. Of course, the FEMA cancelled the order and bought the ventilators. This is something states have complained about, Trump states need to buy the supplies themselves, but then the Federal government either outbids the states, or just cancels their orders and then buys the supplies.

Of course, once the FEMA "stole" the ventilators Colorado had ordered, Colorado tried to work with the Federal Government to get them, or at least some of them, for their state. However, since Colorado has a Democrat as a governor they could not get any of what they requested. However, when Colorado's Republican Senator Cory Gardner requested ventilators, Trump quickly responded by sending 100 ventilators to Colorado based solely on the Senator's request -- ignoring that Colorado's government had been working for a few weeks trying to get them.

I've tried to keep an open mind about Trump's response -- but it is increasingly clear that Trump is playing politics with his virus response -- using it to "reward" his friends and Republicans (particularly those up for re-election) while, at the same time, denying requests made by Democrats (or at least limiting the numbers of what is actually sent).

I agree. The President clearly gave all the credit for the 100 ventilators to Sen. Gardner and Gardner accepted that praise never giving any credit to Gov. Polis.
In 2018 I didn't vote for Polis I voted for Stapleton but I can promise you this I will not be voting for Cory Gardner in 2020 and will be voting for John Hickenlooper. This move has cleared up any doubts I had about who to vote for in the fall.