We’re living in the midst of the second largest governmental failure in the history of our nation — the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Obviously the Civil War, in terms of deaths and splitting the nation, holds the top position, but with time and continual failures to protect the public, this pandemic could eventually take the top spot.

It’s not just a matter of illness, but the negative impact on all facets of society — the economy, education, public safety, political division, mental health and what has become a direct assault on the key values promised to our citizens — life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The damage is already done and each day it becomes worse with careless attitudes about our fellow man and what has become the continual grab by the most affluent to exact far more of their earned share of our nation’s wealth.

This isn’t about civil rights, civil unrest, looting, rioting or any other social ill — although we’re in the midst of a crucial civil rights battle. Simply on its own, the response to COVID-19 by the United States has crushed our international integrity, proven the theory of “Idiocracy,” and shown that our nation is unable to deal with a task that could have been handled through cohesive federal, state and local leadership.

When speaking of governmental failure, please note this isn’t tied to one party or one person, there’s plenty of blame to go around from the grassroots players to the White House.

We’ve given money in the guise of “stimulus” to pad the bank accounts of prospering, wealthy corporations. We’ve rolled back taxes on the wealthy and we’ve seen our Oval Office claim “no responsibility at all” for this tragedy. Science, once the great strength of the United States, has been replaced by witchcraft and apocalyptic visionaries. False prophets bow to power-mongers and declare it’s all a “hoax” created by government’s only true oversight for the people — trained journalists, who have been labeled as “fake” and an “enemy of the people.”

We’ve demanded our most precious asset, our children, be put into a Petri dish to spread this horrific plague because it’s what’s best for the bank accounts of the wealthy. And we’re demanding schools open when the virus is peaking in reported cases and deaths per day in many states.

Teachers are being forced into unsafe environments, and college students are expected to pay for housing they will barely use because courses will almost immediately be taught online in the coming fall semester.

We’ve lost the statesmanship that existed after World War II. It has been a crippling loss that shows apathy leads to chaos and disaster.

What we must consider is has government worked for citizens?

It will take generations to change the trends we’ve created, but in this moment, we are seeing the unraveling of government’s ability to protect the people. Examples include leaders who won’t wear protective masks in public. Decisions being made with reckless disregard of truth or falsity. Elected officials who care about themselves and their donors more than their constituents.

Our dutiful protectors of the public, law enforcement professionals, have been unfairly vilified. Talk of defunding the police is wholeheartedly denied by rural America. If law-and-order was a goal of our leaders, unrest would have ended long ago. Instead the federal government has focused on looting the nation using legislation. Where has the help been for the police to stop unrest in the darkness? Shame on the legislators on both sides of the aisle for their inability to protect United States citizens on their own soil.

A country that cannot protect itself internally and cannot protect its borders is not sovereign. The whole world has been watching our deadly inept efforts. How can they not when we lead the world in COVID-19 deaths and allowing United States citizens free entry into their countries is just like injecting the virus directly into their society.

There are legitimate questions that the United States Postal Service has been purposefully gutted for the sake of financial and political gain.

We have a local example regarding our own business as Monroe Times readers in northern Illinois have reported it often takes three-to-four weeks for them to receive copies of the newspaper. Our efforts to trace deliveries have been rebuffed. The postal service is crucial for delivering medicine, financial aid and information. In many places, it’s in collapse.

There are now more than 170,000 COVID-19-related deaths in the United States. Personal protection, such as wearing masks, and maintaining social distancing and handwashing — the first line of defense against the spread of COVID-19 — has been abandoned by many.

An intangible way to repair our nation is to follow the golden rule, do onto others as you would have done onto yourself.

Our nation is in need of leadership that is prepared, knowledgeable and organized.

If you’re watching this week’s Democratic National Convention, or next week’s Republican National Convention, weigh options wisely for yourself, your children, your community and those whom you care about.

It matters dearly.

— Matt Johnson is publisher of the Monroe Times. His column is published Wednesdays.