Jonathan Bernstein, Columnist

Trump Deserves Kudos and Criticism on Stimulus

The president has minimized the public-health impact of the coronavirus, but at least he’s responding to the economic pain.

It’s not nothing.

Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg
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Give President Donald Trump credit: He’s been quick to jump on the idea of a major economic stimulus package in response to the coronavirus. Indeed, he seems more convinced that the economy needs help than he is that the epidemic is a public health problem, which doesn’t make much sense, but good for him anyway. Is he responding out of self-interest, because he wants to win re-election? I have no idea, but that’s as good a reason for presidents to take action as any. Representative democracy works because politicians try to keep constituents happy, not because politicians try to do the right thing.