Going viral

In the absence of any credible leadership in the executive branch of the federal government, governors and local authorities have stepped up to deal with the coronavirus crisis.  Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York knows our hospitals are inadequate, and we're not set up to build instant structures like the ones in Wuhan, China.  He has called for the Army Corps of Engineers to start equipping buildings such as schools and military bases as temporary medical facilities.  He also wants the states to take over the testing process.  New York has 613 cases, with two deaths as of yesterday.

The governor of California is being so polite to Trump that people are asking, "Who are you and what have you done with Gavin Newsom?"  Newsom appears to have learned from Benjamin Netanyahu and others that flattery may be the best policy in a state regularly hit by natural disaster.  Nevertheless, Newsom isn't waiting for the cavalry -- he issued an executive order allowing the state to commandeer hotels and medical facilities when necessary.  There have been 399 cases in California and five deaths.

Meanwhile, at the national level:

"It is my great honor to declare Sunday, March 15th as a National Day of Prayer.  We are a Country that, throughout our history, has looked to God for protection and strength in times like these...No matter where you may be, I encourage you to turn towards prayer in an act of faith.  Together, we will easily PREVAIL!"

Is that all?  Of course not.  He also found time to praise Judicial Watch for continuing its never-ending "investigation" of BENGHAZI! and her emails.  It's too dispiriting to quote.

Is that all?  No no no!  Ever alert -- some might say exclusively alert -- to a money-making opportunity, Trump reportedly tried to get the German biotech company CureVac to make its coronavirus drug (if and when it has one) exclusively available in the US.  It wouldn't be the first time we imported German scientists.

Money expert Steve Mnuchin would like us to know that COVID-19 has been a blessing to the economy, if you don't count airlines, hospitality, entertainment, or other stuff that involves people being around other people.  Now is the perfect time to invest your spare cash in cheap stocks which can only increase in value.  Or go out to eat -- the restaurants and pubs are surprisingly vacant, according to Devin Nunes.  If your server is coughing because the pitiful paid sick leave bill Mnuchin hashed out with Nancy Pelosi hasn't kicked in yet, just move to someone else's table.  Really, can't you people work things out for yourselves?

He'll tell us when it's time to panic.