Everyone involved with health care, first responders, essential transportation personnel, and others risking their lives because they are required to (including meat packers): A+ and a standing ovation. Summa Cum Laude!
Congress: B. They argued too much and inserted pork that slowed things down, but they understood that helping employers who would keep paying employees who are staying home is MUCH better than one time $1,200 checks. Democrats and Republicans worked it out together. Terrific! That’s what they should be doing all the time, right? My sons are sitting at home receiving paychecks, and when things reopen, they will return to jobs they have held for years instead of having to start over. Great move Congress! Great move, businesses. (And if you think it is wrong to support businesses, wait three or four months and watch what happens when the next quarter’s earnings come in.)
CDC, FDA, and scientists working on this around the world: A. Thank you! Some missteps, but that is to be expected under pressure.
State and city governments: A to D. It varies. Open or closed, early or later, many state governments have done the right thing for their states when the federal government couldn’t be expected to understand their local circumstances.
White House: D. Dismantling and under-supporting pandemic preparedness offices and failure to push for scientific preparedness and supply preparedness was a horrible mistake, even though it would have been difficult to foresee the gigantic need for ICUs, masks, gloves, etc. Hiding the seriousness of the situation from the public was a mistake that cost thousands of lives, probably. Putting a hopeful face on things was helpful: FDR did the same thing during the Depression and WWII. Not trusting the scientists and the doctors and casting doubt on them and offering treatments that didn’t work was a horrible mistake. Using press conferences for endless self-congratulation or name-calling was embarrassing to the entire country, or should have been. However, it is not too late to raise this grade. Let’s give the White House an Incomplete, maybe.
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