Letter: President is most deserving of criticism – not governors

To the Editor:
If past experiences with my letters to the Editor are anything to go by, several weeks often elapse before they are printed. That is why I give the benefit of a doubt to Steve Bellmore, who yesterday said "Today 100 people died in the U. S. from coronavirus." On March 27, the national death count topped 1,000. And predictions are that the death toll may reach 80,000 nationwide by July unless the spread of the virus has been contained by then.
 
I would also appreciate it if Bellmore's facts are checked by the Chronicle before being printed in order avoid disseminating misinformation to its readers. He accosts Gov. JB Pritzker for asking the federal government to order masks for Illinois without realizing that the states do not have the authority (nor the budget) to do that, wisely restricted in order to avoid a bidding war for those few that are available. Neither do the states have the authority to invoke the Defense Production Act to increase the manufacture of desperately needed masks, gloves, protective gear and ventilators, which President Donald Trump could do with the stroke of a pen but currently "sees no need for." 
 
Bellmore, for reasons known only to himself, criticizes the Democratic governors for "closing down" their states instead of appreciating their efforts at containing this worst of all viruses. By associating those governors with their party he is sending the suggestion that Republican governors don't have the intelligence or concern for their citizens' health to do it themselves.
 
Finally, I would appreciate clarification from Bellmore when he says "Money, power and greed is all they want." Without more clarification of the "they" I can only presume that he is referring to the party of Trump. That seemed obvious during the negotiations of the $2.2 trillion relief package haggled out by the Congress over the last couple of days. In House SpeakerNancy Pelosi's words, the bill was changed from a Republican one that favored corporations to a bipartisan one that brings some financial relief to all our citizens.
 
Dr. Jan Bach
DeKalb