JFK initiated the innovative mission to the moon; Obama facilitated the feat for electric cars; and today under the reckless leadership of Donald Trump, America cannot even afford facemasks.
No doubt, the coronavirus pandemic has placed extraordinary demands on leaders all over the world. This is the real test of visionary leadership, preparedness, and response to a global crisis.
But in the United States of America, citizens perceived the foul and fishy odor of organizational leadership calamity soon after she elected Donald Trump – an unscrupulous capitalist, and a hardhearted scoundrel who could trade a spouse for a casino contract. The dumbness of Trump unfolded during his quest for his current designation, yet voters went for him and made a risky choice that is currently penetratingly wearing off the foundation that sustains the structure of America’s greatness.
The greatness of America was not discovered, modified, or co-authored by Trump for this nation was structured by the founding fathers to be great. I knew America’s greatness from birth and had always been fascinated with its position in leading the globe in politics, economy, and humanitarian causes. In fact, I was in Kindergarten in mid-sixties in Nigeria, when we performed a satirical popular song, “Come and See America’s Wonder.”
Also, I recall in 1981 – my second year in college – when the US took down two Soviet-built Libyan Air Force jets after the Libyan planes made what the Pentagon called an “unprovoked attack” on the U.S. jets over international waters some 60 miles off the Libyan coast. Libya had claimed the Gulf of Sidra, designated as “international territory”, in 1973 as a closed bay and part of its territorial waters, but the United States objected. Thus, Ronald Reagan was clear in setting the rules, that “If our men are fired upon, they’re going to fire back.”
I also witnessed America’s Leadership during the Gulf War when it tested the most prolific war toys. I watched the Patriot Missile live, as it shielded the American troops in Saudi Arabia and also Israeli civilians. Patriot was made in the late 1970s as an antiaircraft weapon but was modified in the 1980s to neutralize incoming short-range ballistic missiles. It was successfully tested during the Gulf War.
I also witnessed America’s Leadership during the Gulf War when it tested the most prolific war toys. I watched the Patriot Missile live, as it shielded the American troops in Saudi Arabia and also Israeli civilians. Patriot was made in the late 1970s as an antiaircraft weapon but was modified in the 1980s to neutralize incoming short-range ballistic missiles. It was successfully tested during the Gulf War.
Today, the passion for America throughout the world has eroded. From January 20, 2017, when he assumed office to date, Donald J. Trump has fumbled every given hour with his mandate, but the current coronavirus Pandemic has thoroughly exposed the capacity of his inexperience and stupidity toward matters of governance. But, let me be clear that leaders do not manufacture challenges. Most challenges are unforeseen trials that await any leader. The propensity to mitigate or manage these matters are baseline tests of good leadership.
Every crisis tests a leader. It is critical that a leader demonstrates empathy and also open to empathy from others while remaining attentive to the well-being of citizens in crisis. Naturally, stress, fatigue, and uncertainty would build up during a crisis that tests leadership preparedness and pragmatic posture in crisis. Visionary Leaders build a strong knowledge-based network of teams to ensure the capacity to process information, remain levelheaded, and exercise good judgment. Consequently, they would stand a better chance of countering functional declines when they encourage expertise network to provide the required support to sustain effectiveness over the weeks and months in a crisis.
During a crisis, it is most important for leaders to uphold a vital aspect of their role: making a positive difference in people’s lives. Doing this requires leaders to acknowledge their personal and professional capacities and challenges, and reaching out to the reservoirs of knowledge and expertise wherever they are available to save the lives of citizens. The sacredness of life and the trust of citizens in leadership drive the core desire to soothe the hurting and save the dying.
Precisely put, a good leader must be equipped with the ‘Bones’ and ‘Vision’ to manage unexpected challenges. In political governance, a good leader must possess a significant knowledge level of his constitutional duties. And, as a measure of transformational necessities, he must recognize the structures and values of innovation. But, if I may ask, how could a President who does not believe in science manage any disaster?
President Donald Trump has clearly expressed his distaste for innovation and has atrociously rundown existing transformational programs and systems established by his predecessors.
President Donald Trump has clearly expressed his distaste for innovation and has atrociously rundown existing transformational programs and systems established by his predecessors. Pompous to the core, Trump has wrecked the values of the Republican Party which he represents and transformed the White House into an assemblage of moronic hangers-on and sycophants, whose only job is to lie and defend his glaring imbecility.
American is now reaping the fruits of their horrible political choices. They have watched as America’s title as the leader of the free world gradually and steadily slip away. This country is now the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, overtaking China to lead the world in COVID-19 cases. The virus described by Trump a “hoax” has persevered its exponential growth, surging to over 186,000 U.S. cases with more than 1,800 deaths. As I write, the death accelerates in geometrical progression, yet Trump continues to defy his scientific advisers and downplay this pandemic’s deadly reality.
Not just a “new hoax,” Trump also compared the killer-disease to the seasonal flu, and bragged, “We have it so well under control.” He was not finished, in another deadly miscarriage of his mandate, this dude at a press conference declared that chloroquine had “been approved” by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for COVID-19. To make it worse, he had lazily dwelled on the social media attacking the same people he was elected to defend.
It is worrisome that America’s greatness is crumbling under a leadership much more concerned about its ego than the masses currently going through the COVID-19 tragedy.
It is worrisome that America’s greatness is crumbling under a leadership much more concerned about its ego than the masses currently going through the COVID-19 tragedy. I could close my eyes, reflect and recall May 25, 1961 event when President John F. Kennedy proclaimed before a special joint session of Congress his vision of sending an American safely to the Moon before the end of that decade. On July 20, 1969, this mission was accomplished, when Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong stepped off the Lunar Module’s ladder and walked onto the Moon’s surface.
Similarly, I was an eyewitness in 2008, with gas prices averaging nearly $4 a gallon, when President Barack Obama set a goal of getting one million plug-in electric vehicles on the roads by 2015. At the Detroit Auto Show January 2016, General Motors Co (GM.N) showed off its new electric Bolt EV; Ford Motor Co (F.N) unveiled a new plug-in version of its Ford Fusion; and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV(FCHA.MI) unveiled its first plug-in hybrid, a version of its new Pacifica minivan.
Today, America’s novelty feat has crumbled under Trump. Just last week, Trump was on the Twitter bickering over the inability of his regime to provide ventilators to respond to the climax of the COVID-19 outrage. New York needed 30,000, but the Trump administration said it could afford 4,000 but delivered 400. Health workers lamenting shortage in supplies have resorted to improvised hand-made materials to save the lives of many.
Health workers use trash bags, for protective gear; paper towels for masks; and grocery bags for hand gloves. China, already the world’s largest producer of such gear by far, has ramped up factory output and is now signaling that it wants to help. Shame on Trump.
For instance, health workers use trash bags, for protective gear; paper towels for masks; and grocery bags for hand gloves. China, already the world’s largest producer of such gear by far, has ramped up factory output and is now signaling that it wants to help. Shame on Trump.
While America perseveres this pandemic, isolating Trump’s COVID-19 daily briefing from every news network could expedite progress. His daily misinformation and tommyrots over COVID-19 crucial matters are not helping any path to recovery. His communication channel infractions are not helping in curtailing the spread of this disease. Transparency and effective communication are fundamental in controlling this epidemic. This administration has flunked all dimensions of this test and must not be trusted.
Finally, let it be on record that the country which once initiated the innovative mission to the moon; facilitated the feat for electric cars; cannot even afford face masks today to save lives. Also, a Country which was foremost in humanitarian aids and noted as the savior of downtrodden weak nations cannot save itself from a pandemic because of a clueless and dumb albatross in the White House. The bleakness of America beclouds the world as developing countries facing this strange virus can only resort to local and traditional resources to help itself – because Great America has fallen flat on her face – comatose and helpless!
Thanks to the reckless and rudderless leadership of Donald Trump, the United States of American has been brought down to her knees.
♦ Professor Anthony Obi Ogbo, PhD is on the Editorial Board of the West African Pilot News.
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