<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/05/us/politics/trump-coronavirus.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">On Politics: What Reopening Really Means</a>  <font color="#6f6f6f">The New York Times</font>

Good morning and welcome to On Politics, a daily political analysis of the 2020 elections based on reporting by New York Times journalists.

Sign up here to get On Politics in your inbox every weekday.

Image

  • Internally, the Trump administration is projecting that the coronavirus could kill as many as 3,000 people a day by the start of next month. Externally, President Trump is pressuring states to reopen. This all raises a question that can feel hard to even ask out loud: Is the administration prepared for more Americans to die as it seeks a quicker economic recovery? The private predictions, presented on a chart by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, show the number of daily deaths nearly doubling by the start of June. And they have the number of total new cases per day skyrocketing, to 200,000 early next month from roughly 25,000 today. Defending Trump’s plans to reopen the country, a White House spokesman said the newly revealed government projection had not been vetted.

  • In California, the state government is in no hurry to return to normal. Instead, legislators there have been hard at work during the crisis, passing a raft of progressive reforms that strengthen the social safety net — and that could point to more lasting solutions down the line. California lawmakers have already passed temporary measures resulting in the release of thousands of nonviolent offenders from state jails and prisons, the elimination of cash bail for most crimes, housing for thousands of homeless people, and the distribution of tens of thousands of laptop computers to children in poor and rural areas. Democratic leaders hope to make many of these moves permanent, an acknowledgment of a sentiment by many voters in the state that even the pre-virus political normal was far from ideal.

  • Just eight months ago, when Trump selected John Ratcliffe to be his director of national intelligence, members of the president’s own party considered him too risky and extreme for the job. Trump withdrew his name before the nomination became official. But now Ratcliffe, a Republican congressman from Texas and a prominent Trump loyalist who appears regularly on Fox News, is back in the running for the same job. And his chances appear much rosier this time around. That’s partly because of a desire by some establishment Republicans to part ways with the acting intelligence director, Richard Grenell, also a vocal Trump backer, whose style has not exactly conformed to what was historically a relatively apolitical position. But there is little to indicate that Ratcliffe — whose confirmation proceedings today will be the Senate’s first hearing of any kind in more than a month — will be a less polarizing choice.

  • The Supreme Court made history on Monday just by showing up to work — or, really, by not showing up. The court heard arguments by phone for the first time in history, with Chief Justice John Roberts presiding and Pamela Talkin, the marshal of the court, calling the court to order. Over the next two weeks, the court will hear 10 cases by phone, including three next week regarding subpoenas that seek to open Trump’s financial records, which could lead to a decision with major political consequences.

Credit…Kena Betancur/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

A stroll in Liberty State Park in Jersey City on Saturday, when all state parks, golf courses and county parks reopened in New Jersey.

Political conventions, with all the attendant hoopla of nominating a candidate for the White House, have been a part of American campaign life for nearly 200 years. Politicians love them. Pundits love them. Reporters love them. And what’s not to like? Four days of talking and living politics in a hall filled with some of the biggest stars of politics and journalism. Did we mention the open bars and free food?

Not surprisingly, the idea of a convention — packing thousands of people into a crowded arena — seems a little less alluring these days. The Democrats are considering scrapping the event this year, and the Republicans might follow suit.

But would that really be so bad?

Even before the pandemic threatened to push the conventions off the 2020 stage, party members were wondering if their time had already passed. The days when real nominating decisions were made at conventions seem long gone. Live network coverage has dwindled to an hour a night.

But more than anything, the parties’ gatherings are a reminder of an old-school kind of politics that doesn’t seem to have the power to influence governance or ideas in this age of antiestablishmentarianism on both the left and the right. Trump’s victory in 2016 was very much a defeat of the Republican Party itself.

The open bars and free food are hard to resist, but the truth is, the Democratic and Republican Parties are no longer what they once were — and neither are their quadrennial conventions.

On Politics is also available as a newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

Is there anything you think we’re missing? Anything you want to see more of? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at onpolitics@nytimes.com.

    • What should I do if I feel sick?

      If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.

    • When will this end?

      This is a difficult question, because a lot depends on how well the virus is contained. A better question might be: “How will we know when to reopen the country?” In an American Enterprise Institute report, Scott Gottlieb, Caitlin Rivers, Mark B. McClellan, Lauren Silvis and Crystal Watson staked out four goal posts for recovery: Hospitals in the state must be able to safely treat all patients requiring hospitalization, without resorting to crisis standards of care; the state needs to be able to at least test everyone who has symptoms; the state is able to conduct monitoring of confirmed cases and contacts; and there must be a sustained reduction in cases for at least 14 days.

    • Should I wear a mask?

      The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing.

    • How does coronavirus spread?

      It seems to spread very easily from person to person, especially in homes, hospitals and other confined spaces. The pathogen can be carried on tiny respiratory droplets that fall as they are coughed or sneezed out. It may also be transmitted when we touch a contaminated surface and then touch our face.

    • Is there a vaccine yet?

      No. Clinical trials are underway in the United States, China and Europe. But American officials and pharmaceutical executives have said that a vaccine remains at least 12 to 18 months away.

    • What makes this outbreak so different?

      Unlike the flu, there is no known treatment or vaccine, and little is known about this particular virus so far. It seems to be more lethal than the flu, but the numbers are still uncertain. And it hits the elderly and those with underlying conditions — not just those with respiratory diseases — particularly hard.

    • What if somebody in my family gets sick?

      If the family member doesn’t need hospitalization and can be cared for at home, you should help him or her with basic needs and monitor the symptoms, while also keeping as much distance as possible, according to guidelines issued by the C.D.C. If there’s space, the sick family member should stay in a separate room and use a separate bathroom. If masks are available, both the sick person and the caregiver should wear them when the caregiver enters the room. Make sure not to share any dishes or other household items and to regularly clean surfaces like counters, doorknobs, toilets and tables. Don’t forget to wash your hands frequently.

    • Should I stock up on groceries?

      Plan two weeks of meals if possible. But people should not hoard food or supplies. Despite the empty shelves, the supply chain remains strong. And remember to wipe the handle of the grocery cart with a disinfecting wipe and wash your hands as soon as you get home.

    • Should I pull my money from the markets?

      That’s not a good idea. Even if you’re retired, having a balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds so that your money keeps up with inflation, or even grows, makes sense. But retirees may want to think about having enough cash set aside for a year’s worth of living expenses and big payments needed over the next five years.

Continue reading the main story