DNC Convention Darkness

I have been watching both the Republican and the Democratic National Conventions since I was 12 years old. My early motivation was to see and learn the leadership qualities of the nation’s highest officials. Call it naivete, or just youthful idealism, but I imagined political office holders, and especially the president of the United States to be among the greatest leaders in the world. 

It is clear reading about the 1787 Constitutional Convention and the subsequent Federalist Papers that the intent of the founders was to preserve freedom by gathering the best leaders from the disparate parts of the nation. These leaders would bring their insights and knowledge, as well as their new ideas and principled beliefs to a gathering of great minds that would lead the federal government in the service of a united people. The founders understood the dark side of self-interest and produced checks on the power of both elected officials and the bodies they belonged to. Nevertheless, most seemed to believe the voice of the people would generally choose good leaders. For the most part, their objectives proved prescient. A number of presidents have sacrificed greatly for the national welfare, because they clearly loved the country and its people. Such leaders included Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy, and Reagan.

A transcendent purpose and love of people separates true leaders from mere office holders. In viewing the Democrats in their national convention, I witnessed far too many “politicians” and no real “leaders”. Vice-President Biden’s speech was better than most of the jaded and pessimistic speeches of the other Democrats, but between his platitudes and his ill-specified “plans”, I heard little logic and even less truthfulness. Leaders produce results while loving their charges.

In nearly half a century of public office, Biden has spoken a plethora of words (many plagiarized from others); but accomplished extraordinarily little. Leaders unite. Biden along with his fellow Democrats spoke of the division in the country, blaming it all on President Trump. That rang hollow to me. The last part of my 35 years I spent in uniform was during the Obama/Biden administration. Obama/Biden systematically ruined the great warrior ethos that had once existed in the military to the point (special operations and combat arms units excepted) that unity, discipline, and readiness were the lowest point I had ever seen.

Leaders show the way.

Biden talked of shining a light in the darkness, but the darkness of intolerance, criminality, corruption, and disunity it has generally resulted from the quest for power by the Democrat Party. The Democrats are not solely to blame for the darkness. Covid-19 and its affects have contributed. President Trump has made some mistakes in handling the virus. However, neither Biden, nor any other Democrat has offered any suitable alternative to what is already being done. Indeed, Andrew Cuomo bragged about his great leadership in combating the virus. He failed to mention the fact that he did not take the situation seriously when the virus first emerged, nor the fact the federal government and other states came to his aid due to his lack of preparedness, nor the fact that his state had by far the most cases and deaths of any state in the US.

Leaders help others through adversity.

Democrats have not helped in this crisis they have simply complained, while making matters worse.

Of course, there were loads of condemnation about the leadership of Donald Trump. Some was deserved; but most was based on mendacities, distortion, and exaggeration. Trump is not the ideal leader, but in the last three plus years he has acted. He acted despite tremendous opposition by the Democrats. Leaders get things done, especially in challenging times. Democrats only talk and scheme and fight for power. In the final analysis, the takeaway from the Democratic convention was to ask the American public to trust them to correct the problems of which they are the principal cause. I prefer leaders who act in the best interest of the people they lead. America desperately needs such leaders at this time. But do not look for them in the modern Democratic Party.

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Dr. C.S. Lauritzen

Dr. C.S. Lauritzen is a former US Army Special Forces soldier, healthcare clinician and administrator and leadership scholar.

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