April 2020

Veterans’ and nursing homes are experiencing many deaths among residents; and healthcare workers represent 20 percent of the Coronavirus-cases.  Deaths in long-term care-facilities are estimated, as of 4/18/20, at about 6,000 across the nation, but many states are not providing information, citing privacy concerns.  Most nursing homes did not start barring visitors until mid-March; most have now ceased all group-activities; some are trying to screen their workers for fevers or respiratory-symptoms at every shift.  The federal government isn’t really tracking these deaths, even though the Federal Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the oversight-agency for regulating nursing homes, declares states must comply with state & local reporting requirements for Coronavirus-cases.  The agency recommends that homes use separate staffing-teams for residents, keeping the infected patients separate from those that test negative.  There’s still a huge gulf between the number of tests needed and those available, and we need more sophisticated testing.  The U.S. has just announced a test that only takes five minutes to determine if one is positive, about nine minutes for a negative reading.  It’s estimated that at least 25 percent of all people infected show no symptoms, so it seems unavoidable to keep residents from contracting this highly-contagious, deadly-disease.  Despite staff-members energetically sanitizing and trying to social-distance as much as possible, many workers are out-sick; with missing staff and makeshift or no personal protective equipment, it’s really no wonder that bodies are piling-up.  How are our morgues dealing with all these corpses, and in this time of great financial need?   Where will the Midwest’s ‘Hart Island’ be?   Our elderly, our parents and grandparents deserve compassionate-care, dignity and respect.  And the public deserves to know the extent of these cases & deaths.

These facilities need more state & federal oversight.  Other hot-spots across the states are correctional institutions and meat-packing plants; these are two places in our area of Illinois that are showing higher incidents of contagion.  Florida reopened beaches on day of biggest Coronavirus-case increase, and they were packed!  Republican governors are rushing to cooperate with president Trump’s demands to reopen our economy by May 1st.   April 17, 2020, brought armed-protestors out in several states, responding to Trump’s tweets to “LIBERATE MICHIGAN.  LIBERATE MINNESOTA.   LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege!”   That date was the 159th year-anniversary of Virginia seceding from the union, following the attack on Fort Sumter.  Is insurrection really what Trump is seeking to incite?  INCREDIBLE!

Trish Forsyth Voss

Is there a doctor in the house?  Yes, a spin-doctor!  As we’ve nervously watched the White House press conferences for current pandemic revelations,  we’ve heard Trump spinning wildly: on how awesomely he’s handled the crises, his hunches for wonder-drugs, his enviable Facebook numbers, and his rants against Democrat governors, Impeachment, whistle-blowers, even a Navy Captain who wrote a letter endeavoring to save his sailors.  As most of the states have put closures in place, Trump is daily unraveling, chanting, “We MUST get everyone back to work!  America wasn’t made for this!”  Even as the Surgeon General solemnly warned “this next week may be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment, our hardest, saddest week!”  What causes this inconceivable disconnect?   Self-interest?

As workers have been let-go amid this horrendous plague, many businesses that specialize in tourism are floundering.  Trump has been hard-hit as his hotels and golf resorts have shuttered; lost revenues approximated at $650,000 daily.  “The Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, FL, is on nearly 300 acres that Trump Organization leases from Palm Beach county.”  Trump Org. is seeking to delay those payments, and is also reportedly seeking debt relief, possibly restructured loans, on his currently estimated outstanding $350 million, from Deutsche Bank, Trump’s largest creditor. Deutsche has reportedly been used for Trump’s Chicago Tower,  Trump International Golf Course, and his Washington D.C. hotel; reportedly lending him some $2 billion since 1998.  Trump was basically forced to personally guarantee these loans, meaning the bank has recourse to seize his personal assets.  To complicate the situation further, Deutsche Bank is supposedly being investigated by DOJ, over its failure to report suspicious activities involving Jared Kushner’s family business and Trump’s former charitable foundation (closed due to ethics violations).  Deutsche officials have worried about just such a scenario, and is torn amongst a few negative options:  the bank can do what’s right by itself and its regulators, or protect someone who has the ability to inflict enormous damage on the institution; opting not to seize assets would essentially be a huge financial gift to Trump.  Bank operations in the U.S. are supervised by federal regulators.  This is the “absolute nightmare” that was warned about by former ethics officials.   “This highlights the perils of having someone in the Oval office who owns huge swaths of businesses and has refused to divest from them.”   Will he get a bail-out?    Read DARK TOWERS, book authored by David Enrich on Deutsche Bank.

Trish Forsyth Voss

“America’s governor”, Andrew Cuomo, NY, has been a reassuring voice for many of us, as he speaks truth & facts with a calm voice and forthright demeanor.  In his daily press-conferences he explains all that his team’s doing to protect New Yorkers and those close-by.  His folksy, Italian, ‘family-man style’ is positive, not so political.  He has declared this crises an issue of: red, white & blue.  Suddenly Trump has turned an about-face, saying he’s “relying on the advice of experts”, extending his social-distancing plan through the end of April.  Joe Biden on MSNBC 3/30/20  said, “Trump must move rapidly to get more equipment to N.Y. and other places in immediate distress: ventilators, respirators, face-shields, masks, gowns, testing apparatus, more front-line healthcare workers.”  In this war against Covid-19, a rapid response is crucial to save lives; Biden urges, “Trump should invoke the Defense Production Act, compelling companies to produce needed equipment NOW!  Use your office to get the constructive things done that America needs from a president.  Stop name-calling and picking fights with Democrat governors, stop making foolish accusations.  Let Dr. Fauci speak more often, listen to the experts, don’t mislead!”   President Trump had a conference-call with the nation’s governors today; most are calling for Stay-at-Home orders or extended orders, and increased social-distancing measures.  Many southern states, slow to affect such measures, are now seeing their numbers explode and grow exponentially.  Mardi-gras, Spring-Break festivities, and unimpeded travel have all contributed to the rapid spread of pandemic.   Many states are still not getting the testing they needed weeks and months ago.

Our IL governor, J.B. Pritzker, has been proactive about this crises, putting stringent measures in place early to save lives, ordering schools and nonessential businesses closed, and directing Illinoisans to Stay-at-Home, unless they’re participating in essential activities (extended through 4/30/20).  Pritzker gave a press-briefing 3/30/20; dispensing new information, and he will update us on any further directives & extensions.   (Critical thinking is always imperative; be aware that scam-artists flourish in any crises-situation.)

Governor Cuomo stated, “Everyone is afraid, including doctors, nurses, first-responders; we need to manage the fear and the virus.  Look for the silver-lining in every situation; enjoy your time with your loved ones, and save lives by social distancing.”  Cuomo seeks to reassure, “We will get through this!”

We must all pull-together to do so, and let’s keep checking on our loved ones & neighbors…. by phone, texts, Skype, virtual-visits, however.   Yes, we can!

Trish Forsyth Voss