Is It Over Yet?

Restarting America: The political battle over corona’s exit strategy

The first wave of the deadly coronavirus is behind us, and now the discussion has turned to an exit strategy from a pathogen that has so far killed more than 160,000 people worldwide and almost 40,000 in the United States. But getting from here to there won’t be so easy, especially in America, where the federal government and state capitals often hold competing interests.

In sparsely populated states like Wyoming, Alaska, and Montana, there have been a total 1,000 cases and 21 deaths as of this writing. In New York, on the other hand, there were 7,000 new cases on Saturday alone. Different regions, with different population densities, demand different solutions.

But how do you decide which policy is appropriate for each city and state? And is the decision entirely separate from political considerations? The presidential elections are almost six months away, and there’s nothing President Trump would like more than to see a fully functioning economy by November. Trump wants to open up the United States for business again, but Democratic governors in Minnesota, Michigan, and Virginia oppose that idea, claiming it will cost lives.

Michigan, for instance, is ranked fifth in the nation in the total number of cases and third in the number of deaths, though it is only the tenth most populous state. In New York, Trump has accused Governor Andrew Cuomo of being unprepared for the crisis, and he tweeted last week that states should be responsible for administering additional tests. Several governors have countered that instead of the states competing for equipment, the federal government should take charge and coordinate the effort.