Cuomo, Inslee Have the Better Grasp on Reopening Than Trump
They closed their states while the president dallied. It’s only fitting that they make this call, too.
Somebody has to take the lead.
Photographer: Bloomberg; Jim Watson/AFP
Two powerful groups of governors are beginning to work on plans to reopen regional economies. A group of a half-dozen governors of northeastern states, led by New York’s Andrew Cuomo, is crafting a plan for ending shutdowns. And on the West Coast, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, along with his counterparts in California and Oregon, have formed a similar pact. Whatever plans they come up with may well serve as models for other states to follow -- or avoid.
This is only the latest way that the coronavirus crisis is showcasing the virtues of federalism. When a country’s policy is entirely determined by the central government, it’s possible for bad leadership to lead to disastrous policy. President Donald Trump's administration has bungled many aspects of this pandemic -- recognizing the danger much too late, failing to implement widespread testing, suggesting unrealistic timelines for reopening the economy, hawking unproven treatments and making various other mistakes. Trump also has declared that the governors have no power to reopen their economies, but as is often the case, he seems to be confused and incorrect.