New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference alongside the National Guard at the Jacob Javits Center that will house a temporary hospital in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Monday, March 23, 2020, in New York. New York City hospitals are just 10 days from running out of “really basic supplies,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said late Sunday. De Blasio has called upon the federal government to boost the city’s quickly dwindling supply of protective equipment. The city also faces a potentially deadly dearth of ventilators to treat those infected by the coronavirus. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
So when will the economy reopen? And how? And…where?
How about New York?
On Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, threatened to sue the White House in response to the notion that Trump has authority to require states to open up in spite of any governor’s opposition. And before experts have declared the threat of a second wave is behind us.
In a press conference Monday, the President explained he has “total” authority to open states, but, as noted by The Daily Wire, “most experts agree (that) runs contrary to Constitutional protections in place for states.”
Trump had asserted he could possibly step in and force states to end their shutdowns if it appeared economically necessary.
Most states, at the moment, have closures in place until at least May 1st.
To be clear, Andrew’s on board with opening, but he refuses to be forced.
Here’s what he told CNN’s New Day Tuesday morning:
“If he ordered me to reopen in a way that would endanger the public health of the people of my state, I wouldn’t do it. And we would have a constitutional challenge between the state and the federal government and that would go into the courts and that would be the worst possible thing he could do at this moment.”
He’s pleading the 10th:
“We have the Tenth Amendment that is explicit. Certain responsibilities are state responsibilities. Health, welfare, quarantine, those are health responsibilities. So the president should not even think of going there.”
Cuomo also claimed the President’s statements Monday contradicted those he’d previously made, recognizing governors’ rights to steer their states as they see fit:
“You know the first position, he stepped back and said it’s up to the states. This is stepping forward and trying to step over the states which is, frankly, I think, more partisan, more divisive, and more dangerous.”
Now here’s a shock — Trump had something to say about Andrew’s remarks:
“Tell the Democrat Governors that Mutiny On The Bounty was one of my all time favorite movies. A good old-fashioned mutiny every now and then is an exciting and invigorating thing to watch, especially when the mutineers need so much from the Captain. Too easy!”
Tell the Democrat Governors that “Mutiny On The Bounty” was one of my all time favorite movies. A good old fashioned mutiny every now and then is an exciting and invigorating thing to watch, especially when the mutineers need so much from the Captain. Too easy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 14, 2020
That’s Trump.
The Young Turks head Cenk Uygur took the social media opportunity to insult the Commander-in-Chief.
And you:
“Threatening governors with the power you wield while they are trying to save the lives of their citizens is exactly why your followers love you. You’re a sadistic, power hungry, sociopath-and that’s what they get off on. Easy to criticize Trump but 40% of the country loves this.”
Threatening governors with the power you wield while they are trying to save the lives of their citizens is exactly why your followers love you. You're a sadistic, power hungry, sociopath-and that's what they get off on. Easy to criticize Trump but 40% of the country loves this.
— Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) April 14, 2020
That’s TYT.
Back to people in office, Andrew and Donald have indeed been talking, and Trump made sure to mention it:
“Cuomo’s been calling daily, even hourly, begging for everything, most of which should have been the state’s responsibility, such as new hospitals, beds, ventilators, etc. I got it all done for him, and everyone else, and now he seems to want Independence! That won’t happen!”
“I got it all done for him,” the Leader of the Free World pointed out, “and everyone else, and now he seems to want Independence! That won’t happen!”
Cuomo’s been calling daily, even hourly, begging for everything, most of which should have been the state’s responsibility, such as new hospitals, beds, ventilators, etc. I got it all done for him, and everyone else, and now he seems to want Independence! That won’t happen!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 14, 2020
Oy.
Despite some friction, Cuomo and Trump have, in my view, been better than most in terms of leaders maintaining an opposite-party relationship. And I’m sure this’ll all get worked out.
As for reopening, it seems to me that every state — even every city — is in a different predicament, and may therefore benefit from opening in different ways at different times.
As for the Big Apple, what do you believe? Cuomo’s made a few good points: You can’t open working environments without opening daycares and public transportation, where social distancing certainly won’t be observed.
What are your thoughts? Let us all know in the Comments section.
-ALEX
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