I Don't Take Responsibility

“I don’t take responsibility at all” are words said by President Trump that will be quoted and written by historians and students of history until the cows come home. Someone will need to remind the nation the last(first?) time a president has said that he “doesn’t take” responsibility for his actions during a national crisis that will only get worse. The coronavirus or COVID-19 as it is medically known has turned the lives of billions of people the world over upside down, as the world heads into an unknown/uncertain future. Few things can bring a powerful nation literally to a standstill as the virus has, but as we see these are not normal times, just as we don’t have a normal presidency. At a time when the nation needs strong, decisive leadership from a president, what does America’s president do---he shirks responsibility. And he says it for the whole world to hear. Imagine if any other Democrat president had said what President Trump said during a deadly crisis, Republicans would be having impeachment proceedings. Instead of taking responsibility for his actions and perceived non-actions, the president as always puts the blame on you know who. There is one thing that President Trump appears to be incapable of understanding and learning is that one who becomes a leader is supposed to be better than his predecessor. That is the nation should have progressed, the government is functioning at full capacity and hopefully the nation is not at war with someone. President Trump not having any experience in government got into something that he wasn’t ready. The president may have been in control of his business empire, but he has long found out that with leadership, comes responsibilities. And that means being held accountable.

When one accepts responsibility, that individual has been taught morals. An individual that has morals becomes a better leader because it builds character and strength and can set a good honorable example for others to follow. We are taught at an early age by our parents to “own up” to for what we do if our actions have some detrimental effect on someone else, especially if we could have taken a different kind of action. By the time that person matures into adulthood, they know that, they will be open to criticism because they have been taught what to expect. Someone who has experience in leadership will accept criticism and listen to others and take constructive advice. But this president through every day of his presidency has shown a propensity to ignore his advisors who know more than he does, all because he wants to take all of the credit when something good happens. President Trump’s time in office has been a bumpy ride, as practically every decision made by him that didn’t get the results that he wanted, the responsibility was passed to someone else. Judging from Trump’s handling of the coronavirus crisis, we will not hear the president tell an anxious public that the “buck” stops at his desk. That would mean taking responsibility for what happens on his watch.

If the president will not take responsibility for what he has done concerning the virus, then it will be up to the voters to hold Mr. Trump responsible. Democrats will use Trump’s quote in the presidential campaign as they should. No amount of double talk by the president’s surrogates can erase his words. The president may argue that he didn’t say what we all know he said. And he will still look for someone else to blame. The president wants to preserve the image of a “self-made” man who can do no wrong. But it seems to be a façade of someone who wants to be adored despite his many shortcomings. We have seen it in his failed businesses bankruptcies and a turbulent three years in office. The coronavirus may well be the defining moments in Trump’s presidency right with his impeachment. “Taking responsibility” means just that, taking ownership of one’s action. No one should know that any better than the president of the United States. Remember, the world is watching. And listening. So is God.