I found Matthew J. Peterson’s essay, “A Time for Statesmanship,” in The American Mind, a publication of the Claremont Institute extremely insightful and decided to share excerpts with you as we await the president’s decision on reopening our nation’s economy.

The sub-title of Matthew J. Peterson’s essay, “The president has got to make a decision,” leads the reader into a quote of President Trump: “I’m going to have to make a decision, and I only hope to God that it’s the right decision.”

“The ‘lockdowns’ in many parts of our country are not a plan, but an understandable and plausible initial reaction to the virus.  Most Americans understand, and have thus far willingly complied.

“Continuing in this manner indefinitely, however, ensures that our national security, peace and happiness will be threatened by Great Depression II, what will become the Greater Depression.

“Now is the time to propose a long-term political plan to the American people will turn this crisis into a victory that revitalizes America.

“But coming up with a long-term plan and implementing it effectively is going to require statesmanship – a concept with which our leadership class is unfamiliar.

While Peterson cites the need for those “with competence, courage, and vision to lead us decisively to victory, this is a time to act, not write; a time for leadership, not analysis.”

He states that we need “energetic leaders with rigorous ideas and the confidence and competence to implement them, but our leadership class is mostly past the customary retirement age of previous generations,” with “stale thoughts and procedures.”

They are mired in outdated thinking and their own self-styled “expertise” can’t handle it, Peterson believes.

“This is a political nightmare for them,” who he states are acting out of “cowardice and fear” that they will be blamed for the spread of death and sickness, or on the other hand, economic collapse and societal unrest.

“We don’t believe in statesmanship anymore, really.  We don’t know what that is,” says Peterson.  I agree.

“The virus is not going to go away, and yet at some point soon we must return to work.  What ever we do, the virus will flare up again in various regions, and the media will use this as an attempt to fiercely attack the president and Republican governors.

Peterson believes we need is a plan to reopen America and selectively close areas in which the virus arises again in various regions.  I’m reminded of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s designation of New Rochelle as a hot spot recently.

We must begin to act toward a goal of a healthier, stronger political, economic and cultural order in the longer term, according to Peterson, suggesting the need for new and bold ideas, with the ability to implement ideas from the private sector.  Trump has invited those from the private sector to provide their ideas in combating the virus.

It doesn’t take a genius to understand who Eric Weinstein of Thiel Capital, was referring to in a piece Peterson quoted: “The political incorrectness and social justice penalties for entertaining a travel ban with China largely determined who was prescient and brave enough to call for one early.  “(The individual who did) had either already paid an extreme social penalty and was divorced from social norms or was positioned strongly enough not to be destroyed by false charges of racism.”

President Donald Trump, he notes, is not bound by calcified ideological frameworks. “Contrary to his flailing critics, the president has been proven right about borders, China, trade and globalism.  He is the only one who now can – and eventually will, because he must – look for and implement foundational policies that lead America past the pandemic crisis and political paralysis into a new century of greatness.”

In his conclusion, Peterson recalled the president being asked about the decision to reopen the economy during the Good Friday press briefing: “Can you say, sir, what metrics you will use to make that decision?”

“The metrics (are) right here. (Pointing to his head)  That’s my metrics.  That’s all I can do.  I can listen to 35 people.  At the end, I’ve got to make a decision.

President Trump a statesman?  He’s the closest we have today.

May God continue to bless the United States of America.