Robert Miller: Meade would be outraged by a Democrat president acting similarly

To The Daily Sun,

In Mr. Meade’s most recent column, he asks readers “to think how each of the candidates will represent your interests and the interests of this wonderful nation.” What better way than to consider one candidate’s response to our countries current threat.

We’ve known of the coronavirus for months, but it is just within the past two weeks that Trump and his administration have taken it seriously. It has escalated from a “Democratic new hoax” to a national emergency. Trump, the “genius,” initially told the American public that, “I know more than the doctors. Wash your hands and you will be fine.” As he declined a national emergency over the COVID-19 outbreak Trump attempted to deflect criticism of his administration’s inadequate response with false claims and blaming others. It was Trump who fired key officials connected to the U.S. Pandemic Response Team, and they were never replaced. All of Trump’s budget proposals have called for cuts to CDC funding, but fortunately Congress has intervened each time. His administration has proposed additional budget cuts to the CDC’s activities related to chronic disease in their 2021 budget.

After weeks of downplaying the seriousness of the risk to the nation, dodging blame for poor outcomes on his watch — “No, I don’t take responsibility at all” — do we really feel comfortable with a leader who refuses to accept responsibility? A leader who is so insecure that he can’t accept accountability for decisions that have been made and are being made under his supervision isn’t a leader at all.

We elect presidents and trust they will be able to deal with a real crises. So far, Trump has not risen to the occasion. His address to the nation highlighted his failure to do any homework and continued to feature the same sort of scapegoating and barely-veiled xenophobia that he has reached for in the moments of crises during his presidency.

Trump’s overall approval rating stands at 43 percent and his approval rating in the handling of COVID-19 wavers between 37 and 44 percent — both not good. While at the same time, the stock market continues to display its lack of confidence as it plunges to historic depths.

While Trump’s response has been marked by chaos, confusion and misinformation, fortunately our local officials are providing information that surpasses that dispensed in White House briefings, which remain filled with self-congratulations and fawning praise for our non-leader.

Meade and other Republican/conservatives would be outraged if a Democratic administration displayed such incompetence, but they have cast aside integrity and continue to follow Trump like ants carrying bread crumbs.

Robert Miller

Alton