THE POST I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD WRITE
I wish I had voted for Trump. In fact, I wish I had voted a straight Republican ticket. As of today, I find myself cheering for Team Red. It would have made little difference, since I live in Tennessee, which is both red and very tolerant. I did vote for our current Governor, a Republican, when I began paying attention to campaign ads. The Democratic nominee blamed his opponent for everything except the eventual death of our sun; Bill Lee, our current Governor, refused to be baited, and said in his response, “My opponent is a good man.”
I am sick unto death of the Democrats. In 1960 JFK inspired me to become a liberal Democrat. In 2009 Nancy Pelosi inspired me to become a liberal independent. The Democrats have become illiberal authoritarians. I’m still thinking about this subject, and may post again. I’ve never been a Republican before, and I feel kind of strange, sort of like the only man in a bathing suit on a nude beach.
I need to think some more about all of this. Faced with a pandemic, Trump took decisive action, invoking the Defense Production Act, launching multiple efforts to get a vaccine made available, getting hospital ships to New York and California (neither was used for local reasons that I can only deduce are political.) Biden “has a plan” to shut down the virus, finally admitting recently there is no federal solution.
Although Biden’s message was principally “I am not Trump,” he also ran on a number of issues. He promised to end division and unite us. He’s been the most divisive President in our history. He repeated the now-discredited Russia Collusion narrative, claimed Trump had created no vaccine (he was videod receiving a vaccination before his inauguration) and had no plan to distribute vaccines (an outright lie). He promised to end the virus and not shut down the economy. He did neither.
I should have voted for Trump.
I love the pure boldness of your decree. As a Canadian I follow American politics because of the passion that Americans inspire. We need more of that here.
Disappointment is a feature of life and many who voted for Biden wanted better. It's tragic fact of life that politicians are shallow people in general. Biden over many years has never been an independent person and is cautious to a fault. The public after a PR campaign against Trump that was unequalled in ferocity along with alterations to ensure the vote turnout managed to elect by default a very unqualified person. His selection along with his running mate was to give access to the WH to a team of committed reformers, mostly progressive to a fault.
But Biden can be a vain stubborn man as witnessed in his Afghanistan decision. He clearly overruled a lot of advisors and imagined a quick political win, not appreciating the consequences known to a very large number of advisors. See https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2019/05/13/gates_stands_by_statement_that_biden_has_been_wrong_on_nearly_every_major_foreign_policy_question.html#!. Once that decision was made Biden walking into such failure, the administration has no recovery. Public trust has been lost as reflected in polls and even the compromised press couldn't believe how bad it became.
The public is now aware that trust has been lost. They are aware that the progressive agenda isn't helpful to the economy. Had Biden not made that error, his alone, the forces behind him might have had a chance to create the changes they desired. As sentiments turned against them, they are faced with too many problems on too many fronts. Incompetence in governing is become even more obvious.
The inflation engine was fueled several years ago and the slow return from the pandemic has added to that engine. We are awash in money for many chasing fewer goods. The pandemic fears have not been managed well as Omicron become a pathway to the end. Created by nature it seems as an antidote to endless jabs and political/technical efforts to control nature fail.
But the faith many had in government has been shaken. The effort to introduce Marxist notions seems headed in the same direction as the progressives who try to use that become enemies of their party. The hapless Republicans against Trumpness have no real plan either.
It just seems a shame we have so few honorable people on the Democrat side, aside from Tulsi Gabbard, who aspire to become public leaders. As a Republican since 1984 and Reagan I want an opposition but I always wanted more from my party as well. My notions of limited government with less meddling in our personal lives stays in a disappointed state as well.