Reverting Back to Common Sense Governance

The politicization of COVID-19 shows how far we’ve strayed from common sense governance.

Throughout the pandemic, I’ve remained attentive to the advice of medical professionals on mask-wearing and social distancing. Despite it being a slow travel year, my wife and I still found some time to enjoy ourselves. We even went to visit my wife’s family in Chile in November. We had to coordinate with a bureaucratic Chilean consulate to get a special pass for me to get into the country, a COVID test 72 hours before our arrival, and a health declaration all for our visit to Chile. While stressed, I gladly complied with the protocols from the last year. I’ve even encouraged my family and friends to do the same. To me, it made practical sense to wear my mask and keep my distance.

While I was doing my best to not get COVID, some within my party and President Trump never seemed to take the threat of the virus seriously. Trump’s argument was that with a booming economy and an upcoming election, it was politically expedient to undermine the experts and the advice of medical professionals. From drinking bleach to “the virus will go away by itself,” I wasn’t having it. I deeply disagreed with the President’s dangerous rhetoric and lack of example, leadership, and action in the face of a crisis. If I were…