THANK YOU, GOV. WALZ (and others)!

MARCH 19, 2020 – FIRST, A TRIGGER WARNING: An anti-Trump rant!

Not decades ago when I first learned about Trump, was I impressed by the man.  When in my banking days I learned about his financial disasters—long before they were broadly publicized—I developed wariness about him. When he hatched his groundless “birther” hoax against Obama, I held him in contempt.  In the course of his presidential campaign, I found The Orange Man too mean, dumb, and otherwise unfit for any position of responsibility, let alone the presidency. For the past three years and counting, my disgust for Trump has been rivaled only by my contempt for his enablers and sycophants on the web, FoxGoebbels, right-wing radio, and among Republicans.

Okay. There.  I got that off my chest.

Now I can turn to the positive: Minnesota’s Governor Tim Walz.  I’ve met him, talked to him eye-to-eye, and I can attest “he’s home.” He listens, he thinks—fast, as well as deliberatively.  I’ve watched his news conferences on the novel coronavirus. He’s candid and factual. He imparts confidence by advising caution.  He prioritizes and acts decisively, yet reserves flexibility.  And he accepts responsibility.  In handling a reporter’s question about Republican push-back on his order to close bars/restaurants, Walz stepped up—not as a partisan but as a responsible leader.

Moreover, he’s surrounded himself with people who exude competence. Smart attracts smart, just as dumb and crooked attract dumb and crooked.

Here in Minnesota, at least, we have exactly the right leadership at the right time, in the right place.  For this we can be grateful.  Because of this we can be hopeful.

Walz is not alone.  He has company among other governors. Salvation of the nation will come down to the able, decisive leadership of these people.  I wish—I pray for—them (and us!) every success.  Henceforth, I’m betting on them.

After venting, I’ll jettison my anger and contempt for what 60 million people did to this country by electing a patently nasty, ignorant, uninspired, unimaginative, contemptible stooge to the White House. The ship of our long-time life-style struck the proverbial iceberg. Leave the Idiot in Chief on the bridge. Let him think the wheel is still connected to the rudder.  Let him think he invented the ocean, that China put the iceberg in it and Democrats pushed the iceberg into our ship. Let him chew on the shards of the ship’s gold-plated china bearing his name. Allow him every delusion that falls off his poisonous tongue.  Let Republican deniers and skeptics and the homicidal hosts on FoxGoebbels sing his praises. Let them sip their cognac in the mahogany paneled bar while the orchestra slides against the outer wall.

We passengers, meanwhile, will look to the governors, the scientists, the caregivers, the essential service providers (and soon the national guard)–the men and women who are busting their butts to load and lower the lifeboats in the most orderly manner possible. By the agency of these heroes, we passengers can hope for rescue.

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© 2020 by Eric Nilsson