New per-day cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) are finally starting to decrease in New York, but other states across the nation are preparing to reopen. The CDC and Dr. Anthony Fauci say one thing, and Trump says another.

This is the reality of terrible leadership during a pandemic.

The likelihood of the U.S. being able to control its cases is so low because there is an entire section of the country, and its governors, which feels quarantining is unnecessary. Without a nationwide agreement, it is impossible to make any lasting impactful fight against the virus.

Former President Barack Obama has called Trump's response a "chaotic disaster," which is only apt for what we are experiencing. The Trump administration's focus is the economy. However, we live in a society of embedded markets, where our economy cannot be isolated within regions and depends on the social and cultural context of our time. Even the idea of reopening is not effective since state economies cannot function entirely on their own. With other states under stay-at-home orders, is there even an economic benefit in reopening?

It's important to highlight why governments were established: to protect the people in times like these. Yet, one of the two political parties — the one currently in control of the presidency and the Senate — does not believe in robust government. Leadership is impossible when half of our government does not believe in its power.

Now, with the lack of leadership, people across the nation are claiming their "rights" to haircuts and speculating that the coronavirus is not even real. With no leadership speaking out against this mentality, it spreads — and the spread of coronavirus feels out of our control, even if the whole of the northeast acts collectively. If one part of the nation is suffering, then the whole nation is suffering. As each day passes, it feels like local progress cannot be celebrated, and the virus is going in circles around our country.