Infectious diseases, in particular lower respiratory infections, remain the leading cause of death world-wide killing one-third of all people across all economic groups.1 While we acknowledge that the spread of infectious diseases is commonly exacerbated by human behavior, population density, inadequate public health protections, land and water use patterns and violations, increasing trade and travel, viral and bacterial mutations, as well as inappropriate use and increasing resistance to antibiotics, we rarely consider the purposeful lack of governmental leadership as a major factor in both the life and acceleration of preventable outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics.