In high school American History class some fifty years ago, I remember being taught in simple terms that the Republican Party was against big government, and that the Democratic Party stood for a government that aided the People in practical ways to ensure “liberty and justice for all.”

As the coronavirus crisis deepens, I’m more convinced that the GOP is “against big government” because they are ignorant of how to organize efficiently and delegate tasks in a large-scale way. Recall the initial flawed test kits that were medically useless, the Trump administration’s refusal to accept proven-reliable test kits from the World Health Organization, and the current woefully insufficient number of test kits, testing sites, labs and contact tracers. Regarding a mask mandate or schools re-opening, the GOP mantra is, “Leave it up to the individual,” or “Let the parents decide.”

What kind of hollow leadership is this? What is the difference between President Bashar al-Assad killing the Syrian people by bombing and gassing, and President Trump killing Americans by refusing to model healthy behavior by wearing a mask, ignoring his own COVID Task Force’s recommendations, refuting his own Center for Disease Control’s guidelines and neglecting to take charge in this pandemic? Whether people are dying from COVID, bombs or gasses, the body count increases daily and decisive action must be taken to stop it.

As a former Republican, I believe that the GOP’s main platform centers around filling their own pockets through big businesses here in the U.S. and abroad. How many GOP leaders have invested heavily in businesses, either their own, their familys’ or friends’?

Why else is there this obsession with the economy at the cost of American lives? The GOP has failed to help the average and below-average American citizen navigate through this pandemic. Even the stimulus packages have overwhelmingly awarded billions to big corporations, while giving a few million to the local businesses down the street.

What is wrong with this picture? Color it blue in November.

Nancy Cinelli is a Forestville resident.