US Elections: America Has a Serious Case of Leadership Envy

OPINION: America has a serious case of leadership envy. Donald Trump has not only been a failure, he has not only been, according to polls, the worst president in the history of the United States, but he has actively betrayed the country. He has been a traitor.

In the meantime, let’s take New Zealand, for example. In October 2017, the same year we got Trump, Jacinda Ardern became his youngest head of government in 161 years, promising a government that was both “focused” and “empathetic,” two concepts totally unknown to Trump eight months later gave birth to a daughter, and within three years she was seen as one of the most successful leaders in the world, having handled a mass shooting, an earthquake, the Covid pandemic, and presented and implemented an active legislative program. .

At the same time, Trump has obstructed justice, rewarded Russia for supporting his election, mocked Vladimir Putin, put immigrant children in cages on our border, undermined the international system in which the United States had been working. for three-quarters of a century. he helped build, destroyed our environmental regulations, worked hand in hand with our gun lobby, supported white supremacists, was indicted, and did not respond with focus or compassion to the pandemic.

As a result, more than 230,000 Americans have died from the disease, 9 million have had it, tens of millions are unemployed, and today, months after New Zealand celebrated its bona fide victory over the virus, the US is setting records. infections and there is an estimate that by next spring between 400,000 and 500,000 of us will have died from the virus.

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This latest catastrophe, worse than the death toll from all of our modern wars put together, was, as the New Zealand example shows, entirely avoidable if our President had listened to scientists and medical professionals and encouraged sensible policies of mask-wearing and distancing. while funding testing and locating and supplying adequate supplies to hospitals.

But Trump felt that this type of activity would draw attention to the disease, that reporting data and being honest with the American people would undermine his chances of re-election. So once again, he put himself first, ahead of the country, ahead of his oath; and the result has been the worst economic and public health crisis the United States has faced in a century.

But that betrayal was not, of course, the only one. In fact, his presidency began with the original sin of publicly reaching out to America’s most notable adversary, our Cold War enemy for 75 years, Russia, for help in winning the election. Subsequent investigations have shown that there were more than 270 interactions between his team and the Russians, more than 40 meetings in which more than 30 members of his campaign and his family participated.

Those investigations have produced dozens of accusations. They have made it clear that to hide his collaboration with the Russians he obstructed justice. He publicly rewarded Putin time and time again, withdrawing from Syria, withdrawing from a key nuclear deal, undermining the NATO alliance, attacking and discrediting the US intelligence community and the FBI.

His closest advisers, including both his campaign manager (now in jail) and his lawyer (a possible target for future prosecution), actually had people on their teams who were active Russian spies.

In all of American history, of all the betrayals that have occurred, it has been the most damaging. Not only was our national security compromised and not only our national interests suffered, but to protect himself, Trump, working with a corrupt attorney general and a docile majority in the United States Senate, placed himself above and beyond. beyond the reach of the law.

And he has actively sought to undermine American democracy ever since, including dispatching federal forces against peaceful protesters and actively making it difficult for voters, especially those of color, who are most likely to oppose this racist president, to cast their votes.

Worse, perhaps there is still a chance Wednesday (New Zealand time) that the United States can re-elect this traitor. This will undoubtedly lead to massive requests from US citizens to move to New Zealand.

Americans are not such bad people. But it is clear that some of us, tens of millions of Americans, lack impeachment and have seriously compromised values.

Maybe that won’t happen. Perhaps we will come to our senses and take a better path.

Former Vice President Joe Biden leads the polls. He would be a competent, level-headed, and, yes, a compassionate and focused leader. But, since he’s faced with a corrupt, inept, misogynist, racist, incompetent, ignorant, traitor, he hasn’t even had to focus much on those things. Instead, Biden’s campaign has really been based on one fact: he’s a decent human being.

As surprising as it is, in the United States right now, that may be enough. It would certainly be a respite from the horror show of the past four years. Our leaders may not lead the world like the Prime Minister of New Zealand does.

But it is a step back into the civilized world and into an era when America may one day aspire to the kind of Kiwi wisdom and judgment that would truly return it to the path of greatness and play a constructive role in the global community. of nations.

David Rothkopf is an author and commentator on politics and international affairs, and host of the Deep State Radio podcast. His latest book is Traitor: A History of Betraying America from Benedict Arnold to Donald Trump.