Remember the 2008 Presidential election? Obama and Biden versus McCain and Palin. John McCain, a war hero, United States Senator, and conscience of the Republican Party.  When, in 2017 he voted in favor of Obamacare,  he saved the program. Think of that at this time of disease and contagion. Yet, it’s the second name on the 2008 Republican ticket that has made a timely re-entrance into this nation’s debate about how best to contain and eradicate the Corona virus. Yes, Sarah Palin, at the time Governor of Alaska, the candidate who said she could view Siberia through her bedroom windows.

Palin appeared not very bright and almost always befuddled; another major candidate who apparently never read a book. Yet, McCain chose her. She was (is?) also vituperative, ambitious, and able to light a verbal match designed to inject McCain’s campaign with fire in the form of a unique slant on difficult and controversial issues. For health care, the issue became Palin’s contention that with Obama’s health proposals came “Death Panels,” wherein groups of individuals throughout the country would be tasked with deciding who would live and who would die, as the government became the arbiter of medical resources and patient care. Of course, there was was nothing in the Obama health-care plan resembling Palin’s fantasy. Public–and dangerous–lying was being used in a significant way in order to distract attention away from significant Republican failures (e.g. the economy), and instead create fear among the voting public. The effort failed as the results of the election demonstrate. But,  alarm among the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions was raised to new heights.

Today, the issue has arisen again, but this time the discussion and debate has been remarkably shrouded in obfuscation and rhetoric.

The President and his advisers have decided to remove themselves from leadership on the central issue of the Pandemic debate: when to re-open the country. Instead of assuming leadership, which past Presidents have always done in major crises, Trump has devolved—asking Governors and local officials to make such decisions on a locality- by-locality basis. This has already, in too many places, opened communities to increased infection and death. Trump’s response: we must reopen because the economy is at stake. In fact, what he is most worried about is his re-election. The President remembers well Bill Clinton adviser James Carville’s famous remark about what drives elections: “It’s the economy stupid.”

Is there another way, one between keeping most of the country closed or opening at the likely sacrifice of more and more individuals, especially the most vulnerable? Of course there is.

Governors Hogan of Maryland, Charlie Baker of Massachusetts and Andrew Cuomo in New York, are notable examples of leaders with intelligence and compassion. But, are they audacious and willing to assume major risks? Do other Governors and local officials meet that criteria? When you are playing with people’s lives—even in a time of pandemic—choices should be made carefully and safely. Guidelines must be followed instead of ignored. Political rhetoric should be dismissed and politicians who purposefully create fear, called out. Despite Trump’s apparent willingness to accept increased but needless deaths—especially among the most vulnerable—as a people we are better than he is. We don’t need Palin-like “Death Panels.” Intelligent, compassionate, science-based decision-making is necessary. Let’s not further compound the tragedy we are already dealing with.