So, there's now a West Coast group of states, a Northeast group of states, and a Midwestern group of states coordinating on COVID-19 response. Here's what that looks like on a map: https://t.co/bmbTimJbps pic.twitter.com/9XKWEQhJUk
— Mark Miller (@markdmiller2) April 16, 2020
It interesting to note that the area that was most active, 160 years ago, in forming “regional coalitions” has yet to form one for covid-19. The confederacy still exists, but is much more interested in dealing with the plague of minority voters than some pesky virus.
Hopefully all these coalitions are not the start of the Balkinization of the US. At least there is no extramural tussling going on between regional groups, as all share the same goal. Where it could get testy is when various regional groups are competing over the same supplies.
This whole situation calls for central response coordination, which Trump seems unwilling to do. He had a chance to come out of this looking like a hero, but has blown it completely.
Yes, that’s something, isn’t it? If the states of the Old Confederacy choose to follow Trump’s exhortations, rather than sound public health advice, they’ll find themselves worse off for it. (Really, though, the tragedy is that the least advantaged in those states will bear the heaviest losses. Then as now, it seems…)