Leadership is fundamentally about taking care of the people one is responsible for. When leaders fail to fulfill this duty, especially during crises such as a government shutdown, it represents a serious dereliction of their responsibilities. The welfare of employees—particularly the estimated 600,000 federal workers that would be affected—lies squarely in the hands of leaders. The proposed executive order that would not provide back pay to furloughed workers is a terrible leadership decision. The ongoing government shutdown is a direct result of failures in leadership, accountability, and collaboration among political leaders.
Acts of Omission and Commission
It is unacceptable for leaders to engage in acts of omission or commission that lead to significant hardships for those they are sworn to protect. Instead of taking ownership of the consequences of their actions, leaders often deflect blame, pointing fingers at their counterparts across the aisle. In this instance, both Congress and the Trump administration share responsibility for the current state of affairs. Effective leadership requires self-reflection: leaders should be looking in the mirror rather than out the window when assigning blame.
The President’s role should include mediation between conflicting parties to find resolutions, yet it appears there is an exacerbation of the situation rather than constructive dialogue.
Proposed Actions and Ethical Leadership
The suggestion that federal workers might be denied back pay after the shutdown is particularly unacceptable. Those who should be penalized are not the dedicated workers impacted by the shutdown but rather the leaders in the executive and legislative branches responsible for the impasse. If anyone is to suffer financially due to this situation, it should be those who have failed to act in the best interests of the country.
True leadership means that leaders “eat last”; they put the needs of their people before their own. They should bear the burden of hardships resulting from their leadership failures, not those they lead.
The Path Forward
What is happening now reflects a deviation from the ethical and effective leadership our country requires. Solutions exist; they are simply being obscured by political infighting. No American should be deprived of healthcare, children should not go hungry, and individuals should not lose their Medicaid benefits due to political stalemates. Let’s compromise and move forward.
We must heed the wisdom of leaders like John F. Kennedy, who understood that these issues transcend party affiliation. They are American problems that demand bipartisan cooperation and shared responsibility. If the current administration is truly focused on putting America first, it must take action to collaborate across party lines for the greater good.
Donald C. Bolduc
