Written by Mark S. Singel
At some time, every leader who takes on an executive authority role must deal with a crisis. Leaders are expected to step up when necessary, whether it means responding to man-made or natural disasters or deciding to go to war. Leaders have to be leaders.
When lives are on the line, those in the political sphere discover that there is no time for pointless activities or typical partisan squabbling. The most recent instance of a terrible circumstance that begged for all leaders to act with dignity and bravery is the California firestorm.
A first-hand report by Washington Post columnist Rick Reilly documented the incredible devastation caused by the flames. He saw terrified people fleeing for their lives. At Sunset Boulevard and Palisades Drive, he witnessed a bulldozer slam abandoned Teslas, BMWs, and Porsches aside, pushing them to the side of the road like Hot Wheels to create room for emergency cars. The advice, “Get out of your cars if you want to live,” was heard by these individuals.
The scene continued to deteriorate. Dogs bark, glass oven doors break, metal street signs pound a dirge on parking lot railings, propane tanks explode, and the unrelenting gales scream.
“Welcome to Apocalypse Los Angeles,” Reilly stated.
But last week, when the flames killed at least five people and displaced tens of thousands, Donald Trump attempted to blame Democratic governance for the disaster by pointing to Governor Gavin Newsom’s water management choices, a claim that water experts vehemently disagreed with. It brought back memories of Trump’s first-term accusations against Newsom over wildfires. He said at the time that California ought to have done a better job of raking its woods.
The truth is that water management did not deteriorate. Rather, the experts pointed out that the hazardous conditions were brought on by strong gusts and a lack of rain. Due to the incredibly high demand placed on them during the crisis, some fire hydrants lost pressure. Four distinct fires totaling 50,000 acres brought about that fact, overwhelming any available resources in the area.
The current president contacted Governor Newsom right away. Apart from maintaining continuous communication, Biden dispatched air tankers to spray the fires with hundreds of thousands of gallons of water. He directed the Department of Defense to offer any necessary assistance.
Another supporter was Republican Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida. As someone who has experienced natural disasters like hurricanes and floods, DeSantis is aware of the stress that leaders face during crises. His sincere concern for his colleague and the Californian people overshadowed any political differences. According to DeSantis, it’s very easy: we must band together to support one another in every way we can when calamity strikes.
According to Winston Churchill, a man’s character may be judged by the decisions he makes under duress. Leaders must take the lead while people are dying in a windy hellfire that eats up all they own. Joe Biden, Ron Desantis, and Gavin Newsom are aware of this. They exhibited the moral qualities expected of leaders. It is disgusting that President-elect Trump decided to use the catastrophe as a chance to attack a political opponent. Naturally, his facts were incorrect, and his mocking of Governor Newscum was merely juvenile.
Even those of us who did not support Trump have a legitimate expectation that he will change his previous negative actions. At the absolute least, he ought to have some empathy for people who are still in pain and at least be decent enough to those who had terrible difficulties during a life-or-death situation.
Whether or not he is under pressure, the person we are about to inaugurate is still preoccupied with his own problems and appears unable to exhibit genuine character. When necessary, 45 previous presidents have been able to rise above partisan or trivial issues. Each of them has experienced catastrophes and crises that called for the bravery that Churchill advocated. It appears that only one president and one president-elect think that a catastrophe that reaches catastrophic proportions is merely another chance to make political points.
As he takes over as the world’s most powerful person, let’s all hope that his behavior improves. It is essential to people’s life.
Mark S. Singel has served as Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor and acting governor.