There is always the temptation to engage in the stall show when
can fronting the difficulties and disappointments of present times. There
certainly can be no doubt that there are plenty of those these days. Of the two
major presidential contenders one is an egomaniac and the other is blatantly
incompetent.
Are these the worst choices ever? Maybe. But the likes of Presidents Pierce and
Buchanan, pre-Civil War, were hardly stellar candidates themselves. There have
been others...
Do we Americans deserve this? Yes, we do. We have leaders in both parties who choose
self-interest over the nation's. And we
chose them!
It seems quaint actually that our nation's founders expected
"virtue" in the political sense of public spiritedness, a commitment
to the common good to be a bedrock of our democracy. In fact such was
considered a necessary condition for the
survival of our constitutional government.
Of course, the Founders knew that not everyone in power would be
appropriately virtuous – human nature being eternally what it is. But they
believed the balance of power inherent
in the U.S. Constitution would thwart those seeking dictatorial powers.
The truism that power corrupts is – and has been – on display
since man left John Locke's "state of nature". That's not to say that
every politician is corrupt but the temptations of power face all.
[As an aside, I believe from my own political experience that most
enter politics with the best of motives. But for many the temptation of holding
power cannot long be resisted]
Sen. Lindsey Graham a self proclaimed conservative recently
confirmed how that works. "A
politician who is not focused on his own reelection is in the wrong
business." To retain power, status, respect, Graham is saying, one must do
what is necessary to keep them.
That puts into focus why Joe Biden is still president despite his
mental condition. After the June debate debacle there was a torrent of stories
and leaks establishing that he was incompetent to serve as president and such
had been widely known among White House personnel and Democrat legislators for
months, if not years.
Now the nation's interest was (claimed the left and media) that
Joe Biden not be reelected. So he was forced to step aside {not step down-- but
if this put the nation at risk, why was he not forced to step down? His present incompetence to serve as
president was not seriously disputed.}
In reality, the primary consideration was a realization that
election prospects for Democrats in general were put in jeopardy by Joe Biden's
becoming their party's nominee. They therefore put their own political survival
over the country's interest by refusing to sideline a sitting president who was
unfit.
It is fair indeed to conclude that but for the debate, Joe Biden's
fitness to serve would be heralded despite those doing so knowing that wasn't
true. After all, the disclosures of the truth might endanger the reelection
of Democratic legislators and damage the
prospects for their party nationwide.
In younger years, I would have claimed that my Republican Party
would indeed have been virtuous and placed the nation first if the role had
been reversed. Senator Graham would have to concede privately that that
would've been naïve.
