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And "How to respond to COVID-19": https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/How-to-respond-to-COVID-19 https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/How-to-respond-to-COVID-19

bamboozled 7y ago
"In any crisis, leaders have two equally important responsibilities: solve the immediate problem and keep it from happening again. " First line here got me. In the past, I think this is what was expected of leaders; However, in 2020? It feels like the definition needs to be updated. I'm not so sure what people expect of leaders these days. I remember what was expected of leaders, now look at the type of leaders that are getting elected and see if that first sentence makes sense. Maybe in 2020, leaders are supposed to just tell you what you want to hear. I'd even argue that it's poor leadership that got us here in the first place. Yes there is a virus, yes it is spreading, could it have been handled better? Most likely.
- CobrastanJorji 7y ago
  I agree with your sentiment on what leaders should be, but I suspect your glorious rosy past of yesteryear does not exist. Terrible leaders focused mostly on staying in power have been a thing since the days of bread and circuses.
  - bamboozled 7y ago
    I guess you're right in saying that I probably only based my expectations on the defintition as written in the dictionary: a person or thing that leads. I actually wonder if the reason we have so many issues with leadership is because the definitions of a leader or leadership are out of step with reality. We're basically tricked by the word and it's meaning.
- joe_the_user 7y ago
  Well, I don't think those responsibilities are necessarily equal. So situations are so dire immediate action is the priority and some situations are mild enough that they are more like calls to future action. That said, I'd agree that US leadership, in general, seems to have an attitude of total irresponsibility for anything. I think that extreme income and power inequalities are to blame - ruling class doesn't care, they don't have to.
  - pstuart 7y ago
    US leadership may have inertia but are significantly impacted by the administration leading it. The current one is actively calling the whole thing a hoax and blaming it on its political enemies, as per most recent news reports.
    - pstuart 7y ago
      Hmmm, all I did was state facts germane to the conversation. It's a pity that we can't discuss uncomfortable truths without getting tribal about it. Political discourse has reached an apex of toxicity and that will only worsen if we can't find some way to seek shared goals in a respectful manner. I'm worried that it may be too late to achieve this but one must always remember the words of Commander Peter Quincy Taggart: "Never give up, never surrender!"
- mrmonkeyman 7y ago
  I expect government to work as mandated. I don't need "leaders". I need them all to do their jobs as best they can. Nothing more, nothing less. "Leaders" play sports or run businesses. The rest is medieval bullshit.
- onetimemanytime 7y ago
  Leaders are one thing but the state machine is/should be running all the time in the background. Trump, for example, might make a call (quarantine x county or state for example) but presumable CDC /Pentagon /FEMA etc already have plans and supplies in place.
- pbourke 7y ago
  The Obama administration did a number of things right in response to the Ebola epidemic. They quickly ramped up US capacity to treat Ebola patients, delivered substantial resources (people and money) to affected countries, established a presence on the ground in numerous countries specifically for pandemic readiness and staffed a position on the NSC for interagency pandemic readiness. The Trump administration cut that position from the NSC and substantially scaled back the presence in other countries. So, there has been leadership in this area (and others) in the past.
- drenginian 7y ago
  “In any crisis, leaders have two equally important responsibilities: deflect responsibility and hold on to power.”
  - sputr 7y ago
    Could not have said it better myself. Leaders will only do other things if they help the two drenginian pointed out.
    - paulryanrogers 7y ago
      Technically that may be true. But if one must deflect responsibility or go to extremes to hold power then it's likely they are not the ones who should be in power to do the other things. EDIT: meat to say "may be true" not "is true"
- Razengan 7y ago
  Throughout human history the primary role of leaders has been to convince their subjects that all their problems are because of some other tribe. That continues to be the case.

bamboozled 7y ago

"In any crisis, leaders have two equally important responsibilities: solve the immediate problem and keep it from happening again. " First line here got me. In the past, I think this is what was expected of leaders; However, in 2020? It feels like the definition needs to be updated. I'm not so sure what people expect of leaders these days. I remember what was expected of leaders, now look at the type of leaders that are getting elected and see if that first sentence makes sense. Maybe in 2020, leaders are supposed to just tell you what you want to hear. I'd even argue that it's poor leadership that got us here in the first place. Yes there is a virus, yes it is spreading, could it have been handled better? Most likely.

CobrastanJorji 7y ago
I agree with your sentiment on what leaders should be, but I suspect your glorious rosy past of yesteryear does not exist. Terrible leaders focused mostly on staying in power have been a thing since the days of bread and circuses.
- bamboozled 7y ago
  I guess you're right in saying that I probably only based my expectations on the defintition as written in the dictionary: a person or thing that leads. I actually wonder if the reason we have so many issues with leadership is because the definitions of a leader or leadership are out of step with reality. We're basically tricked by the word and it's meaning.
joe_the_user 7y ago
Well, I don't think those responsibilities are necessarily equal. So situations are so dire immediate action is the priority and some situations are mild enough that they are more like calls to future action. That said, I'd agree that US leadership, in general, seems to have an attitude of total irresponsibility for anything. I think that extreme income and power inequalities are to blame - ruling class doesn't care, they don't have to.
- pstuart 7y ago
  US leadership may have inertia but are significantly impacted by the administration leading it. The current one is actively calling the whole thing a hoax and blaming it on its political enemies, as per most recent news reports.
  - pstuart 7y ago
    Hmmm, all I did was state facts germane to the conversation. It's a pity that we can't discuss uncomfortable truths without getting tribal about it. Political discourse has reached an apex of toxicity and that will only worsen if we can't find some way to seek shared goals in a respectful manner. I'm worried that it may be too late to achieve this but one must always remember the words of Commander Peter Quincy Taggart: "Never give up, never surrender!"
mrmonkeyman 7y ago
I expect government to work as mandated. I don't need "leaders". I need them all to do their jobs as best they can. Nothing more, nothing less. "Leaders" play sports or run businesses. The rest is medieval bullshit.
onetimemanytime 7y ago
Leaders are one thing but the state machine is/should be running all the time in the background. Trump, for example, might make a call (quarantine x county or state for example) but presumable CDC /Pentagon /FEMA etc already have plans and supplies in place.
pbourke 7y ago
The Obama administration did a number of things right in response to the Ebola epidemic. They quickly ramped up US capacity to treat Ebola patients, delivered substantial resources (people and money) to affected countries, established a presence on the ground in numerous countries specifically for pandemic readiness and staffed a position on the NSC for interagency pandemic readiness. The Trump administration cut that position from the NSC and substantially scaled back the presence in other countries. So, there has been leadership in this area (and others) in the past.
drenginian 7y ago
“In any crisis, leaders have two equally important responsibilities: deflect responsibility and hold on to power.”
- sputr 7y ago
  Could not have said it better myself. Leaders will only do other things if they help the two drenginian pointed out.
  - paulryanrogers 7y ago
    Technically that may be true. But if one must deflect responsibility or go to extremes to hold power then it's likely they are not the ones who should be in power to do the other things. EDIT: meat to say "may be true" not "is true"
Razengan 7y ago
Throughout human history the primary role of leaders has been to convince their subjects that all their problems are because of some other tribe. That continues to be the case.