Doing Not Talking

I just watched the press conference held at the White House at which the President, among other things, announce that he is declaring a national emergency regarding the corona virus.  In a little over a half an hour, President Trump explained what the emergency declaration will allow:  namely, the removal of all sorts of regulations and requirements that have been hindering the response to the virus.  For example, doctors from one state will be able to see patients in another state where the needs are greater despite not being licensed in that second state.  All manner of treatment requirements in hospitals will also be waived so that the facilities can do what they need to do to treat the patients.  The President and the assembled group also outlined an amazing plan for nationwide drive through testing to be located in parking lots at Walgreens, Walmart, Target and CVS locations.  This system will go into effect starting on Sunday and ramp up from there.  There was also much other information and discussion of further steps that are being taken to confront the virus.

The amazing thing about this press conference is that, unlike so much else that comes from Washington, it was an outline of actual things that are being done.  It wasn't a discussion of what could happen.  It wasn't a discussion of plans for the future.  Actual concrete steps were listed.

For many years this nation had a leadership in Washington that moved more and more towards words rather than deeds.  Remember the mantra "words have consequences"?  Leaders like president Obama came to believe that this was true.  For them words were as important and deeds, but that is nonsense.  We are lucky to have a president right now who understands what it means to accomplish things. 

There are going to be more downs in the up and down fight against the virus.  Still, today's press conference was one of the biggest "ups" I've seen come from Washington in decades.