Biden underscores the big lie Republicans tell themselves

[homersapien 11,366]

There is a sizable group of Republicans, maybe even a majority, who have always understood President Trump is a liar, a narcissist and a bigot. They rationalized their support for him in 2016 on the grounds that Hillary Clinton was worse (a conclusion that was as unarguably wrong then as it is now), or that Republicans in Congress would restrain him (what an absurd assumption), or that it did not matter that the president was a rotten human being — because all politicians are rotten.

The strain of political nihilism — forget what Trump says or what kind of person he is because we get tax cuts and judges! — is unsustainable now for two reasons.

First, it turned out, NeverTrump Republicans were right when they warned (thereby earning the enmity of the Trump enablers) that Trump’s personal qualities would render him entirely unable to govern. Someone who never puts the country’s needs over his own, who cannot face reality and who remains willfully ignorant cannot make good decisions or govern competently. It was entirely foreseeable that when facing a significant national emergency, Trump would fail. A 1930s-style economy and 100,000 dead Americans prove the point.

Second, it is never the case that all politicians are the same. It certainly is not the case that Trump is on a level playing field with other politicians. Other politicians do not sell out the country to dig up dirt on a rival, for starters, as Trump did in the Ukraine scandal. They do not convert the Justice Department into a corrupt enabler of their political fortunes. They do not buddy up to ruthless dictators and then hide evidence of their meetings. They do not engage in public conspiracies about the dead.

It just so happens that the politician arguably the least like Trump — that is, conscientious, kind, empathetic, respectful, inclusive, loyal, teachable — is his opponent. One need look no further than Joe Biden’s video consoling those who lost loved ones in the pandemic:

There are moments in our history so grim, so heart-rending, that they're forever fixed in each of our hearts as shared grief. Today is one of those moments. 100,000 lives have now been lost to this virus.

To those hurting, I'm so sorry for your loss. The nation grieves with you. pic.twitter.com/SBBRKV4mPZ

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 27, 2020

That is a mensch. That is a person who will at least try to earn our admiration and trust — and who does not believe he is the greatest victim of them all.

Do not get me wrong: Being a decent human being does not mean one will be a good president. Decent people may be inept, prone to poor judgment or harbor wrongheaded ideas — although their motives may be pure. What we have established, however, is that it is impossible for a narcissist entirely lacking empathy, hostile to experts and to facts, and who is both racist and misogynistic to govern well, or even adequately. You cannot be an even middling president if you believe you are both infallible and the country’s greatest victim. You cannot make even the ranks of mediocre presidents if you are personally corrupt, a bastion of conflicts of interest and convinced that your own interests take precedence over the country’s.

Republicans in 2016 had some excuses (We didn’t know he’d be this awful! Clinton was dishonest!). In 2020, they have none. A vote for Trump is not only to endorse his malicious policies, accept his rank incompetence and buy into his anti-democratic outlook. It is to embrace his character as worthy to represent the American people. Put more succinctly, as Clinton did, it makes one every bit as deplorable as Trump.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/05/28/biden-underscores-big-lie-republicans-tell-themselves/

[IronMan70 3,277]

I'll take the anti-globalist over the globalist. But speaking of 100,000 COVID deaths here is some truth for you. It presents quite a different perspective than the opinion of Biden or the WaPo. The nursing homes and assisted living facilities have accounted for 43% of all deaths but represent only 0.6% of the US population.

 

[aubiefifty 16,761]

On 5/28/2020 at 4:30 PM, IronMan70 said:

I'll take the anti-globalist over the globalist. But speaking of 100,000 COVID deaths here is some truth for you. It presents quite a different perspective than the opinion of Biden or the WaPo. The nursing homes and assisted living facilities have accounted for 43% of all deaths but represent only 0.6% of the US population.

 

not arguing but why are you anti global? we do not own the planet but share it and there is strength in numbers for things like alliances to stave off war etc. now i have never understood the inner workings of economics so maybe it is something like that i might not get?

[I_M4_AU 7,801]

3 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

not arguing but why are you anti global? we do not own the planet but share it and there is strength in numbers for things like alliances to stave off war etc. now i have never understood the inner workings of economics so maybe it is something like that i might not get?

JMO, but the globalists are anti-sovereignty and want open boarders.  You can still have alliances, both economic and political, and still protect your sovereignty.  The world is not a big Amway party.

[augolf1716 21,109]

6 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

JMO, but the globalists are anti-sovereignty and want open boarders.  You can still have alliances, both economic and political, and still protect your sovereignty.  The world is not a big Amway party.

How do you know how a Amway party is?? Humm just asking

[I_M4_AU 7,801]

5 minutes ago, augolf1716 said:

How do you know how a Amway party is?? Humm just asking

Heard from a friend, yeah that’s the ticket.....and I’m old enough to remember what they were.

[augolf1716 21,109]

3 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

Heard from a friend, yeah that’s the ticket.....and I’m old enough to remember what they were.

I believe you.............................yep yes sir 

[AUDub 11,147]

Any time I hear the word globalist uttered here as a snarl, I find myself wondering how the hell the Ayn Rand is still alive and would bother to post here.