Much of the coverage of last week’s senior cage match debate focused on the impact of Joe Biden’s apparent cognitive and physical decline on his prospects as the Democratic presidential nominee. But more importantly, he is currently the President of the United States and is reportedly fulfilling the (plethora of) responsibilities of that office, including navigating storms at home and abroad in an environment of growing crises. His apparent inability to do any such thing, and the apparent concealment of his flaws by many government officials, is troubling and plays into the preference of some Americans for a larger, more dynamic nation led by the country’s political class. It’s a bad omen.
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Disagreement over the role of government
The Pew Research Center reported on June 24 that “among registered voters, the vast majority of Biden supporters — about three-quarters or more — support a larger, more radical government.” Trump A significant proportion of supporters opposed it.
Specifically, among registered voters, 74% of Biden supporters want a larger government to provide more services, while 23% want a smaller government to provide fewer services. 76% think the government should do more to solve the problem, while 23% think the government does too much and is better left to businesses and individuals. 80% insisted that government aid to the poor does more harm than good, while 18% disagreed, saying that government aid to the poor does more harm than good.
Trump supporters have an almost opposite view, showing a clear preference for smaller, less active government. Well, except for Social Security: 82% of Biden supporters want to maintain or expand Social Security benefits, and 78% of Trump voters agree. Since the program is expected to be bankrupt in a decade, good luck with that.
Who should run this government?
Debates about the role of government are as American as barbecue, as natural and necessary to any political system. But one of the prerequisites for advocating for an aggressive power is that government officials can be trusted to exercise power competently and in good faith. This is a difficult argument to swallow for anyone aware of how often governments mishandle and abuse their power. The case for “bigger, more active government” becomes even more ridiculous when the country’s top elected official is found to be mentally disturbed, and it becomes clear that those around him lied about his condition – almost certainly , so that they can assume government responsibilities.
“On Thursday night, the president emerged as a shadow of a great public servant,” New York Timesis a long-established newspaper that has become a Democratic newsletter, publishing editorials after debates. “He worked hard to explain what he would accomplish in a second term. He worked hard to respond to Mr. Trump’s provocations. He worked hard to hold Mr. Trump accountable for his lies, failures and chilling plans. He worked hard more than once. Hold Mr. Trump accountable for his lies, failures, and chilling plans.
“Those confidants and aides who encouraged the president’s candidacy and protected him from public appearances should recognize the damage to Mr. Biden’s standing and the likelihood that he will repair it.” era The editorial board added, calling on him to withdraw from the race.
Not suitable for running or domination
Like many observers, era Stressing that Biden is not suitable for office candidate. But if he is not in a position to run for office, then fulfilling the responsibilities of the office he holds, including running the executive branch, negotiating with foreign leaders and responding to international provocations, is now beyond his capabilities.
So what does it say about those around him who, with the help of media allies, falsely insist that video footage of the president staring into space, wandering, and losing his train of thought is a deceptively edited “cheap fake” Woolen cloth? They even reportedly did so while discussing Biden’s health wall street journalwhile ignoring warnings from foreign officials expressing concerns after meeting with the president.
Are these the people we should be entrusting to “larger, more active government”? It is difficult to imagine that a fading old politician and dishonest conspirator who conceals his condition from the public can exercise power wisely, effectively and sincerely.
There are many places not suitable for traveling
Of course, Joe Biden’s primary opponent, Donald Trump, has his own problems. When he wasn’t exaggerating, he was lying about election fraud, public opinion on abortion, his own history of vile rhetoric, his fiscal record in office, and more (and when Biden lied, we can rest assured that they all is a “ridiculous story”). The former president has had his fair share of senior moments lately, mixing up names and events, though not nearly as frequently or jarringly as the current president. Americans have taken notice.
The Associated Press-NORC polling agency found in March that “a majority of adults are worried about whether Biden and Donald Trump can effectively serve as president.” 63% are “not very/not at all confident” about Biden’s mental health, and 57% say the same about Trump.
But reconciling a waning presidential candidate whose integrity is challenged with the desire for “a smaller government that provides fewer services” is more difficult than credibly claiming a more corrupt politician and his unscrupulous minions are just that. It’s much easier for the person you want. Frankly, healthy cynicism about the competence and decency of government officials is a credible response to what happened Thursday night, when Biden spent more than 90 minutes demonstrating what he and his supporters have been saying about his spiritual Lie about your health and health to prevent your health from getting worse.
It’s also the right choice if Trump’s relatively less-than-poor performance still doesn’t give you confidence that he’s someone you want to lead a larger, more aggressive government. He doesn’t look at each other like his opponents, but the former president gives us every reason to believe in a smaller, less involved government under his control for ideological, practical, and self-preservation reasons is preferable.
It takes a huge leap of faith to believe that government should be doing more, delivering more, and embracing us all in a warm and nurturing embrace. At the very least, those who wield such enormous power must be wise and well-intentioned. As last week’s debate reminded us, this is an extremely unrealistic assumption.
