to feel for the USA under Trump at the moment

[chomalungma]

I know that there are divisions here. Johnson could have done better. But our briefings aren't political and generally everyone is working together.

Anyone who is following Trump and the USA at the moment will know that division is rife in the USA. Trump is still talking about fake news and is using his briefings as a rally.

I just feel for people in the USA at the moment having to deal with all this as well as the virus.

Their Teeth

Haha yeh

Yes, also their work ethic & their philanthropic mindset to name but two things.

He reminds me of the mayor in Jaws.The one who keeps wittering on about keeping the beaches open.
He really isn’t fit for office. I feel so sorry for Americans, rich and poor. The man is a superficial idiot.

Not envy, I assure you. I love the US and have visited many, many times. I firmly believe Trump was originally elected be in the same vein that the Brexit vote won here. Too many smug, complacent people thinking they knew best and willing to overlook the too many that were really pissed off. That's not to say I would've voted for either, I can just see why it happened.

Good news though that companies can still pay employees and healthcare won't get withdrawn adding additional anxiety. Does anyone know whether that was a Trump down initiative if state by state?

I'm interested about your comments about Governors eg Florida; you'd think they'd be following the majority - what are your thoughts why not? Not criticising, genuinely interested.

What are your thoughts on NYC and the mayors handling of the situation? I felt for him last week when he called out for ventilators.

I think what grates with many is the 'America is the greatest' mantra. The idea that everything in the US is bigger and better which Trump just exemplifies. It's cringe worthy and not something the Brits appreciate at all. As a whole, it's the opposite here, our syce is to not be boastful, we find it embarrassing and prefer to be recognised by others and often to our detriment tend to hide our abilities.
I have been to the USA several times and really enjoyed my time there, I have also known several Americans mainly as work colleges, whom I got on with really well, but we definitely have cultural and political differences. I would say as a Tory voting leave voter I have little in common with the right wing of US politics and much more in common with the democrats.

The man is a superficial idiot.
No, he's an idiot right through, not just superficially!

@TSSDNCOP the plan that is going out to help people started as a Republican Plan (Trump is Rep) that was only helping Big Business (and hoping for "trickle down" which NEVER happens) and where the poorer you were the less help you got. The Democrats fought that and the 2 sides finally came up with the plan that has passed which actually helps the people who need it and Trump signed it. As for States like Florida and Mississippi, they have Republican Governors who believe this is just "over blown". In Florida they want people coming there from NYC to quarantine for 14 days (GOOD IDEA) BUT, they still have locals flocking to beaches. Mississippi is the worst I've seen. The Governor refused to do anything so the Mayors of some cities put in their own rules closing Restaurants and stuff and the Governor then put in a mandate saying they can not do that and reopening stuff. WTF!!! And Mississippi is right next to Louisiana who is surging in cases because they had Mardi Gras in New Orleans as the beginning of Feb.

Wanted to add it's not ALL Republican Governors that are endangering their citizens. My Governor is Republican but he is taking this very seriously, as most are. It just seems that all the States that are not taking it as seriously, they have Republican Governors

@britwifeintheusa the trouble with that comparison is the US doesn't centrally collate data. Your numbers are guess work at best. There are hotspots popping up all over. Just wait till it hits poor states (poor healthcare due to lack of affordability) and Florida. Your numbers are going to skyrocket. In the middle of this, you've got a president calling governors names and saying they aren't being nice enough to him, that they should be more appreciative, or be won't call, how very presidential of him. States, counties, and federal government competing for the same supplies therefore driving the price up rather than using collective bargaining power. You're President was also pushing to open up the country by Easter, one republican said he was willing to die of the virus for the sake of the economy, now that's devotion. You've got a big shock coming your way, and your President is making it worse.

Yes,I know it's your not you're. Auto correct and lack of proof reading.

I'm no fan of Donald Trump but I spotted this in the Guardian - his lawyers have sent 'cease and desist letters' regarding a video which edits his coronavirus statements;

^"On behalf of Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., President Trump’s principal campaign committee, this letter notifies you that your station is airing a patently false, misleading, and deceptive
advertisement, entitled “Exponential Threat,” which was paid for by the Priorities USA Action Fund (“PUSA”), a Super PAC formed by Barack Obama loyalists. PUSA stitched together fragments from
multiple speeches by President Trump to fraudulently and maliciously imply that President Trump called the coronavirus outbreak a “hoax.” As fully set forth in the enclosed facts sheet, and President Trump’s
full quote below, the facts show beyond reasonable doubt that he was talking about the Democrat’s politicization of the outbreak when he used the word “hoax.” Multiple independent fact checkers have
debunked the exact same false claim made in a Biden campaign ad. Because PUSA’s ad’s central point is deliberately false and misleading, your station has an obligation to cease and desist from airing it immediately to comply with FCC licensing requirements, to serve the public interest, and to avoid costly and time-consuming litigation."^ etc. etc. (link to the letter in the article);

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/27/donald-trump-coronavirus-response-us-advertisement

Not sure why the text has spaced out like that.

The (Republican) governor in our state is doing a great job in this crisis, giving a clear message during press conferences and not taking much notice of the President! There's no room for partisanship during this crisis, we simply need to do what's necessary to keep people safe.

We're lucky to have low rates of infection in this area (at the moment) and people are taking social distancing seriously.

TBF sending cease and desist letters regarding misleading political ads are not unique to Trump. Obama sent one in Feb.

www.cnn.com/2020/02/26/politics/obama-cease-and-desist/index.html

Frankly, as someone who has to tolerate these ads I'd like some standards applied to them all. The saturation of the airwaves with vicious lying is hideous.

I think what grates with many is the 'America is the greatest' mantra. The idea that everything in the US is bigger and better.

AKA Winthropism. It definitely grates. A quick glace at any of the key international indices would quickly dispel this delusion: Infant mortality, life expectancy, adult literacy, prison population (!) shows what a piddling little mediocre country that can't even provide its citizens with clean drinking water in many cases we are dealing with.

BTW I'm not defending Trump - he's a lying buffoon.

Regularly chat to my cousins there. Even if Article 25 is invoked and that dolt is dumped, tbe alternative is Mike Pence, a religious fundamentalist. At least he's a grown up religious fundamentalist.

Scary ti watch a president talking and think 'i coupd have done better than that!:(' Especially listening to the governer of new York, its a pity he isn't president

Sounds like you should probably worry about your own country.
We are just fine hun😉

Clavinova - I'm afraid there's a whole thing about lawyers using cease & desist even when the thing they're trying to block is perfectly OK. It creates delay & lets the richest person win. So - those letters are no indication of fact, on either side.

I live in MI, and we started social distancing, then quarantine, much more swiftly than in the UK. Individual states having a fair amount of autonomy does mean that the president has less direct influence than BoJo has.

Healthcare I'm afraid that I have at times been badly let down by the NHS, to the point that I lived with a life-long life- threatening condition with no treatment for years because doctors refuse to test me or treat me. This is because the NHS has underfunded my condition even by comparison with other European countries. When I moved to the US I got tested & treated quickly. I'm now on lifelong medication to control my condition, but I was very ill - actually, it was not guaranteed that I could recover - because of the delays with the NHS telling me it wasn't serious enough. It just happened that I moved otherwise I may not be here any more.

So - I would LOVE to see better care and availability in both nations. The current situation just goes to show how essential it is to fund healthcare generously. Too many countries & individuals see the cost of healthcare as some kind of luxury, and try to scrimp on it.

Well - healthcare is a bit like maintenance for your house or car - you can only cut corners for so long before it all goes tits up.

Infant mortality, life expectancy, adult literacy, prison population (!) shows what a piddling little mediocre country that can't even provide its citizens with clean drinking water in many cases we are dealing with.

That's definitely the case in some states, but as PP's have pointed out, the US is more like an entire continent than a single country. There's no point comparing average mortality rates in say Sweden with the US.

I live in a wealthier state and although I can't give you the stats without doing some digging, I'm sure they'd be completely different to a poorer state like Mississippi.

Clavinova - I'm afraid there's a whole thing about lawyers using cease & desist even when the thing they're trying to block is perfectly OK.

I checked Trump's coronavirus hoax quote myself - it does appear to be a disingenuous misquote.

You know - I'm so fed up of both sides doing that. I'm sure it's nothing new, but nowadays even if you watch the so-called live footage of an event you don't know if that's what really happened.

Poor America deserves better than Trump the Chump