Editorial: Dishonest leadership leaves our government mismanaged

Don’t be distracted. This is not about good or bad; conservative or liberal policies. This is not about Democrats or Republicans. This is about sound management, doing the job, the security of the nation.

Our government isn’t being managed. It isn’t fulfilling its obligation to serve the nation.

What we have these days is management by crisis – not to be confused with crisis management.

One is about approaching the unexpected with facts, focus, skill and teamwork.

The other-- management by crisis -- is ego driven, emotional, lacking facts and ill-considered actions or decisions that produce chaos. The result is un-coordinated mad-dash responses, distractions and usually even more troubles rather than getting the job done and defusing volatile situations.

The administration of President Trump is the epitome of management by crisis.

The modus operandi in this White House: Fire! Ready! Aim!

The president, with little or no consultation, barks or tweets out an order or decision. A chain of reactions -- usually negative -- result as the president’s staff, advisers and allies scramble to lamely clear things up.

Damage done and off to the next mess to clean up.

Where is the Congress? If this were a corporation the U.S. Senate and House would be the board of directors – holding the president (CEO) accountable. It is time for this Congress, particularly the Senate and North Carolina’s Richard Burr, to do their job.

No one is better positioned than Burr to know first-hand about Trump’s management behavior and consequences. As chairman of the Senate’s Intelligence Committee, he is privy to information few others have access to about Trump’s decisions, the consequences and those who have been forced to charge in and fix it all up.

The current white-hot crisis with Iran and Iraq is the latest example. An impulsive action – the assassination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s security and intelligence forces – and the national security crisis that has ensued.

This behavior has become, unfortunately, the rule and not the exception.

No board of directors (Congress); no shareholders (citizens and voters) would or should tolerate this chaos.

Burr certainly understands the damage that results from the president’s serial lying. He knows bad management when he sees it -- regardless of politics.

He is especially well positioned to shed light on this troubling situation and move to correct it. It’s his job. It’s why he was elected.

The time is now to fulfill his obligation.