Now Is the Time for Accountability

Abnormal Times

Among the subsidiary debates raging as the virus rages among us is whether or not now is the time to cast blame, or the time to come together. This is a false proposition: to come together, we need to hold those responsible for our plight accountable. Now.

In normal times, it makes sense for opposing sides to put aside their differences in a crisis to forge a united front against a common enemy or natural disaster. Matters of accountability for lack of preparedness or an initial inadequate response could be considered later, after the crisis has passed.

But these are not normal times, and there is no “later.” This administration has avoided the very notion of accountability from its inception. The president takes no responsibility for his lies, for his emoluments, for the pain and suffering he has visited on immigrants, asylum seekers, and those unable to afford health services, among others, or for breaking laws and ignoring subpoenas.

He has avoided any accountability for the ten plus acts of obstruction cited in the Mueller Report, or for the attempted corruption of the Ukrainian alliance. Instead, the administration has sought to silence, condemn and whenever possible, punish its critics. Its mantra is simply that the president, and his whole administration, is above and beyond the law.

Under these circumstances, it is absurd to assume there will ever be a time when a dispassionate review of the handling of the Covid-19 emergency will have any impact. While much of the public might find its worst fears confirmed, the Republican base and elected officials will shrug it off as partisan. In any event, there would be no consequences.  

A Chamberlain, Not a Churchill

We are living through tumultuous times that demand inspiring leadership. Instead, we have a Chamberlain, not a Churchill: A man unwilling to accept the reality of the situation, just as the doomed prime minister refused to acknowledge the real threat posed by Hitler. A man unable to formulate a bold plan, too timid to take the necessary actions, and too focused on maintaining his own grip on power to serve as the bulwark that the nation so desperately craves.

The argument to “hold the blame” might have some validity if the president had taken responsibility for the delayed response and somehow transformed himself into a Churchill. Neither has happened. 

Seeking accountability for the earlier failures of the administration, from firing the pandemic experts and ignoring multiple warnings about a potential outbreak, to taking no action for weeks once the threat had emerged, is not a trivial exercise in hindsight. Democracy depends on accountability. Especially in a case like this.

These initial failures may have enormous consequences. Maybe a million more Americans will die than might have had the government taken the necessary actions as soon as the virus erupted.

Even more alarming, the president’s response continues to be abysmal. There is no clear, overall strategic plan. He has refused to mobilize the federal government to organize and manage the response, taking only piecemeal steps reluctantly. He continues to spread false information and hopes, leaving his aides and experts to correct or clarify his comments after the fact. 

Worse, he has subverted what should be medical briefings into a platform to showcase himself and spin his own theories, as well as attack his critics. He portrays himself as a wartime leader, but in fact it is only an act he plays poorly. For him, the briefings are just another campaign opportunity. And he continues to undermine the credibility of the media just when the public needs a source they can trust.

Many have begged him to leave the stage and let Mike Pence, who at least seems to have some sense of how to work with experts and a wide range of government officials, and how to establish consistent policies, take control. Yes, he praises Trump too much, but that comes with the territory. Or even better, let a non-political healthcare administrator run the show. 

But this will never happen. Trump will never yield the limelight, no matter how many people die or how strong the criticism even from some Republicans. His singular goal is reelection, and for now the best “role” he can play is wartime leader. 

In a parliamentary system, we would like to believe he would have been canned long ago, certainly after his multiple claims that the virus was “under control” proved false. But then, Chamberlain wasn’t forced to resign until long after Munich, and the die was already cast for a long, bloody, war.