Donald Trump not the leader we need in a crisisMore than 80,000 Americans have died from coronavirus — far more than in any other nation — and the toll is rising fast. The US has 4 per cent of the total world population but 30 per cent of virus deaths. It may have fewer deaths per capita than Italy, Britain or France, but this is a phony comparison. The US should be compared with nations that have been more effective in containing the virus and limiting economic damage such as Germany, Denmark, South Korea, Japan and Australia. The US has lost 20 million jobs and has the highest unemployment rate — 14.7 per cent — since the Depression.
Moreover, the US is the wealthiest, most powerful, most scientifically and technologically advanced nation on Earth. It should have been the nation best equipped to manage the virus outbreak. The US always has set a high standard for itself — the belief in American exceptionalism. This belief infuses the revolution of 1776 and reflects the ambitions of America’s founders. The US is, as Ronald Reagan said, supposed to be a shining “city on a hill”.
This is not an anti-Trump rant. Many of the US presidents I most admire are Republicans: Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower. I’m riveted by the tragedy of Richard Nixon, I find Reagan’s transformation into a conservative Republican icon endlessly interesting, and I hugely admire the commitment to public service of Bush 41 and Bush 43.
Trump exhibits none of the virtues of past presidents and is not interested in learning from them. While presidents are carved into rock and sculpted in marble, they all had flaws and made mistakes. There is no need to be a dewy-eyed admirer because these flaws make them more compelling. But all presidents respected the office. They subscribed to Harry Truman’s dictum that “the buck stops here”. The greats sought to unite and uplift the nation with a shared vision for the future.
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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/donald-trump-a-liar-a-failure-a-fool-unfit-for-purpose/news-story/c6e92fe241f038e51e7ccbde1beac20b
