Democratic hopefuls former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders held press conferences to share their plans for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. And both men presented coherent, thoughtful, and comprehensive policy ideas that were a marked contrast to the shitshow that the Trump administration is offering us.
Biden delivered his plan from a conference in Delaware, saying, “The core principle is simple: public health officials must be the ones making our public health decisions.” His proposal includes free and widely available testing for anyone who wants it, with an emphasis on quick testing for healthcare workers, as well as drive-thru and mobile testing centers. He also laid out a plan to provide economic relief to workers and families affected by the crisis.
Biden called Trump’s failure to distribute tests, “a failure of planning, leadership, and execution. The White House should measure and report … each and every day how many tests have been ordered, completed, and how many have tested positive.” He also called out the Trump administration for willfully spreading misinformation and downplaying the crisis.
Bernie Sanders presented his own plan, which called for a halt on evictions, foreclosures, and utility shut-offs. Sanders also reiterated the importance of Medicare for All, saying, “Our country is at a severe disadvantage compared to every other major country on earth because we do not guarantee health care to all people as a right … And when you are uninsured or underinsured, you hesitate about getting the medical care you need because you cannot afford to get that care.”
Sanders said, “The American people deserve transparency, something the Trump administration has fought day after day to stifle. We need daily information—clear, science-based information—from credible scientific voices, not politicians.”
What a refreshing change of pace to see what actual leadership looks like. Both Sanders and Biden advocated for free, readily available testing and, once a vaccine is developed, free vaccines for anyone who wants them. While each candidate may have differing policies, both are driven by science and medical expertise.
Both candidates are also driven by what is best for humanity, and what will save the most lives, not the stock market. It’s a sobering reminder that, no matter where your loyalties lie, it is more important than ever to rally around whichever candidate secures the nomination in July. The stakes are just too damn high for purity politics.
In the midst of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, the response from the Trump administration has been less than reassuring. That’s putting it mildly: it’s been nothing short of disastrous. In times like these, when people are panicking, it is important to be able to look to our leaders for stability and security. But Trump and his loyal goons have none to offer. Sanders and Biden give us hope for what the future could hold, if we’re smart enough to vote.
(image: screencap/ABC News/NBC News)
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