The virus could finally kill off Trump and boost Sanders

Why COVID-19 is more insidious than other coronaviruses

The “genomic packing” mechanism of COVID-19 may be more like Ebola and HIV, researchers in the US and China say

I think the enormity of a full blown pandemic in America could finally kill off Trump while boosting Sanders.

There’ve been so many false hopes that Trump’s malfeasance & malicious corruption would end him but that press conference he gave was so appalling and his ineptitude so apparent – if a pandemic erupts, the lived misery of Trump’s supporters could backlash against him.

Coronavirus may have spread undetected for weeks in US

The coronavirus has been circulating undetected and has possibly infected scores of people over the past six weeks in Washington state, according to a genetic analysis of virus samples that has sobering implications for the entire country amid heightening anxiety about the likely spread of the disease.

Many American’s barely survive week to week with no sick leave, mass lay offs and closures combined with sickness and plummeting stock markets demand a leadership Trump is simply incapable of.

Recession fears grow as Wall St investors predict wild week

There’s growing concern that the steep market losses and mounting death toll will trigger broader alarm, prompting American consumers to rein in their spending, beyond just cancelling vacations and cruises. For a decade, consumer spending propped up not just the US economy but the global economy, keeping factories around the world humming and giving US business owners optimism.

But the momentum of fear is a powerful force — in the markets and the broader economy. About half of Americans have money invested in the stock market, often in a retirement plan that baby boomers are now tapping, and even those without market exposure are often influenced by big drops.

Coronavirus has also caused significant supply chain disruptions of toys, medical equipment, auto parts and smartphones from China, none of which will be easy to smooth out, even if the virus ebbs within a month or two. The twin blows to consumer confidence and supply chains have significantly raised the chance of a recession, according to economists.

“The odds of a recession are roughly a coin toss, and that’s exceptionally high,” said Edward Al-Hussainy, an analyst at Columbia Threadneedle Investments. “Conferences are getting cancelled. Corporations are asking people to work from home. Schools are getting closed. That is a massive hit to demand.”

Trump’s obscene mishandling of the virus could well be the moment Americans see the Emperor has no clothes and that sight will be burnt into their souls in a way that turns them against Republicans for a generation.

Sanders call for free health care will never resonate so aggressively as it does in the shadow of Trump’s appalling narcissism.

Good news is that the NZ Twitter elites can stop pretending that the virus isn’t serious and that any criticism is xenophobic.