'Let's all praise sensible leadership.'
By MARSHALL WARD
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, describes President Trump’s “decision to dismantle [Obama’s] National Security Council Directorate for Global Health and Security and Bio-defense in 2018 as unwise.”
Because of his flood of misinformation and lies, Trump has been benched as a bystander by school superintendents, sports commissioners, college presidents, governors and business owners across the country.
According to conservative columnist Bret Stephens of the New York Times, this virus pandemic has exposed the failures of Trump’s leadership and his pushing and encouraging a false narrative that claims:
- Experts are unnecessary
- Hunches are a substitute for knowledge
- Competence in administration is overrated
- Every criticism is a hoax
- Everything that happens in Washington is B.S.
Thank goodness for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) who has saved two Republican presidencies.
Veteran Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) says presidential leadership is the main difference between the economic crash of 2008 and the pandemic. He said Trump has failed "to provide any real leadership...I disagreed vigorously with George W. Bush, but he led and worked with his team. We’re here at this late hour because Donald Trump has provided no leadership, just obstruction.”
Just like in the 2008 crash, Speaker Pelosi and her team worked out a deal. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin agreed to 1) expand paid sick leave, 2) unemployment insurance, 3) provide food assistance, and 4) COVID-19 (coronavirus) testing.
Rep. Peter King (R-NY) describes Pelosi: “She believes in the institution, is a tough negotiator, but when it comes to the national interest, she’s good, and has done an ‘absolutely’ good job on this virus response.”
Robert Redfield, Director for the Center for Disease Control, reluctantly committed to free virus testing when confronted with his job description, facts, and figures by Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) in a congressional hearing last week.
Our own Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear has been lauded statewide and nationally for “his calm and sensible leadership.”
However, conspicuously absent has been “Machiavellian” Mitch McConnell who bragged about his self-imposed moniker “Grim Reaper” for ignoring House bills, many bipartisan, that he keeps bottling up.
The black-cloaked Grim Reaper rides a white horse and wields a scythe with a razor-sharp blade in one hand and an hourglass in the other. He represents the Black Death pandemic of old that killed millions in Europe. How clairvoyant, Mitch!
Retiring Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) “head faked,” gave us doublespeak and voted not to remove Trump. Will he block the mandated 14 days of paid sick leave?
Vice President Mike Pence, Trump’s ready-made scapegoat, declares that “when we tell people, ‘If you’re sick, stay home,’ the president has tasked the team with developing economic policies that will make it very, very clear that we’re going to stand by those hard-working Americans.”
Aren’t these the same Republicans fighting in federal court to deny health insurance to hard-working Americans with other types of preexisting medical conditions?
Also, Trump is dismantling the Affordable Care Act which may add additional 40 million people without health insurance.
It’s fascinating to watch how fear of this virus has finally caused awareness of the kind of problems that everyday citizens needing paid sick leave and health insurance have been enduring for years.
Let’s honor the leaders who can communicate effectively, observe and learn, command respect and trust, are honest, and will deliver hard truths. Let’s all praise sensible leadership.