Hope for the future

If Trump has taught us just one thing (although in fact he has taught us many) is it that the absence of good leadership in a crisis is why good leadership matters.

Had he been listening to expert advice, the covid-19 epidemic in the US would have been far less severe. Had he surrounded himself with competent people rather than sycophantic opportunists, implementation of the response to covid-19 would have been better. Had he not lied so consistently while in office, he could have sent a coherent message people might have believed. And had he been concerned with the country rather then his own ego and reelection, we might have had a policy response that saved lives and avoided unnecessary economic hardship.

The "who do you want to pick up the phone at 3am?", Hilary Clinton's 2008 primary campaign slogan is suddenly more than just an abstract idea. If there is one person who should not be answering the phone at 3am (or at any time for that matter), it's Trump.  He has shown us very clearly what leadership isn't and covid-19 has shown us why that matters.