U.S. President Trump and Vice President Pence recently “Hiti” tweeted hot searches: one is golfing in Florida and the other is skiing in Vaner. The “vacation duo” instantly set off an “tsunami of anger”.
“Which is our president and vice president when the country is suffering its worst week since the pandemic?” “One in 1,000 Americans die of the virus, but Trump is playing golf and Pence is skiing!” Comments under the hot search are full of ridicule and abuse.
I don’t know if it was to “fire the fire”, Trump, who was playing golf, suddenly decided to agree to sign the epidemic relief bill he had rejected. Trump is still the Trump who doesn’t follow the routine, and the United States is also the United States struggling under the epidemic.
The rescue bill has twists and turns
“Stay tuned for good news about the Coronavirus Relief Act!” Trump knows the way to mobilize popular sentiment. About two hours before the official announcement of the signing of the bill, he launched a “considerate” tweet. The White House later confirmed that Trump signed a $2.3 trillion pandemic relief bill and a large-scale spending bill to avoid the government’s “stop”.
The road to “break through the barrier” of the bill can be said to be full of twists and turns.
After months of negotiations, the U.S. Congress finally passed the pandemic relief bill last week, which includes $900 billion in anti-epidemic relief funds and $1.4 trillion in combined spending to avoid the federal government’s “closure down”.
But Trump tweeted the next day in a video directly criticizing the bill, which was very different from expectations. “It’s really a shame”.
This has caused panic in American society. Because many spring relief provisions in the United States will expire at the end of the month, the “bailout cliff” will have a huge impact on the American people and the economy.
According to the data of the Brookings Institution, about 10 million Americans will lose unemployment benefits immediately on the 26th, and another about 3.8 million people will suffer the same fate in a few weeks. If the federal government’s comprehensive spending bill is pending, the exhausted federal government may be forced to close the door at midnight on the 28th.
Trump was under pressure from congressmen from both parties due to the delay in signing the bailout bill. President-elect Biden also urged Trump to sign the bill immediately, accusing “the devastating consequences of this irresponsible behavior”.
Now Trump’s attitude has reversed, which makes Americans feel a little relieved. Unemployment benefits originally issued through the anti-epidemic plan expired on the 26th.
After Trump signed the bailout bill, the payment of unemployment benefits will be extended to mid-March next year, and the federal government has also avoided the dilemma of “stoppage”.
Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Political Center, analyzed Trump’s motivation: “He raised unemployment benefits to $2,000 because he might see it as the highest achievement after leaving office, and he defeated Congress and his own party.” CNN believes that “the bailout bill has undoubtedly become a tool for American politicians to fight.”
December became the most “fatal” month.
Trump signs the bill as Americans are experiencing an unusually painful “holiday season”.
At present, the epidemic has killed nearly 330,000 people in the United States, and more than 3,000 new deaths every day.
In December, more than 63,000 new deaths were added in the United States, and the U.S. media lamented that December was the most “deadly” month.
The New York Times reported that intensive care units in hospitals across the United States are being filled quickly.
Hospitals with more than 95% of intensive care unit usage have accounted for one-fifth of all hospitals, doubling from the beginning of October.
At the same time, two-fifths of hospitals have more than 85% of intensive care unit utilization.
And the peak of large-scale travel accompanied by the Christmas and New Year holiday has also made the epidemic prevention and control work in the United States more difficult.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has long begun to urge people to avoid crowding on holidays, but on the 23rd, the number of air travelers in the United States approached 1.2 million, the highest since the outbreak. Public health experts are worried about this and expect a new wave of “holiday epidemics” in the United States.
Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in an interview with CNN on the 27th: “The epidemic in the United States is already very serious, and people’s travel and gatherings during holidays will put more pressure on the health care system, so the next few weeks will be worse.”
Even though the U.S. has launched a coronavirus vaccination this month, the scene still shocks Americans: calm presidents and vice presidents are enjoying the joy of sports, completely disregarding the painful struggles of the people.
As Fauci sighed, “The darkest moment in the fight against the epidemic is not over, but not yet.”
