Projected Images

There is so much politics in the air that my saying anything on the topic is akin to having a thoughtful chat while watching a chainsaw carving competition.  

I'd actually like to see some of the people now running for office turn up at such an event and try their hand....it might show their levels of talent and prudence!  This of course is the sort of Image that both Presidential campaigns are trying to project at the moment, and with variable levels of success.  

What follows is long, and perhaps only of interest to my overseas friends trying to understand the politics of the US.  But here goes....

Having earlier given my opinions of the "on paper" qualifications of the Trump-Vance and Harris-Walz tickets I guess its fair to also give my personal opinions of them.  Before doing so - and hold your fire Indignant Internet - I should state two sincere beliefs.

1. I believe that a healthy society needs the interchange between Progressive and Conservative philosophies.  I would not censor either.  Lopsided world views lead to stagnation or to launching off into poorly conceived nonsense.

2. Although I'm personally on the Conservative side of the political spectrum I have friends and family to the "left and right" of me.  None of them are Hateful.  We each see the world based on the places we come from and the paths we've followed.  Sometimes the view from the beginning, middle and latter parts of the path look different......

OK, now to it.  My opinions, or if you prefer, feelings, about the five figures in the Presidential race.  I'll run them from Most Favorable to, well, Least.  

J.D. Vance

A political newcomer but articulate, father of young children and somebody who absolutely beat the odds and made success out of a life that should have ended badly.  I read Hillbilly Elegy and found it authentic.  And probably not ghost written.  You actually want somebody who will care about those left behind by society?  How 'bout somebody who was, but rose above it.

Kamala Harris 

This might surprise you, but in second place for my "likeability" score.  True, it is primarily sympathy for somebody who is in way over her head.  In our system a Vice President is supposed to take a fair amount of criticism....its our way of expressing dissatisfaction with The Boss while not damaging the office of the Presidency in a troubled and hostile world.  Yes, Harris is a Diversity Hire.  But she did not create the times in which this is a possibility.  I'll save my more pointed criticism for a later and lower entrant on the list...

Donald Trump 

I've never liked the man.  He represents many things I find grating or even repellant.  Some of them are more a reflection on me.  I'm not fond of real estate developers, philanderers or frankly, boisterous New Yorkers.  The guy is a jerk.  After almost a decade of obsessive scrutiny it is unlikely that anything new - good or bad - will be revealed about him in the next few weeks.  He is a known quantity.  Bonus questions.  How many good men have been poor presidents?  How many bad men have been effective ones?

Tim Walz

We near the bottom of the barrel.  You may think I'm unfairly dumping on a guy whose entree to the national stage was just a few weeks ago.  But remember, I'm from Minnesota and live adjacent to it.  So I follow Minnesota politics closely.  In my opinion he's as bad a jerk as Trump.  His management of Covid and of the George Floyd riots was heavy handed in the first case and "What, me worry?" in the second.  He lies about all manner of things, which you can get away with when you have the local media in the bag for you.  My wife was puzzled when I mentioned his mug shot photo.  I don't respect a guy who makes political hay out of being "Coach" when he had to step down from that role when he was caught driving under the influence.  And then got the charges negotiated down to lesser ones.  Somehow.

I understand that people make mistakes and learn from them.  Evidently he has quit drinking in the wake of this, and good for him.  But the greatest sin in American Politics has always been hypocrisy.  And to be touted as "Coach Walz" and "America's Dad" just does not cut it with me.  He's a small time politician who has been allowed to skate by in his small time job.  Dad shouldn't drive drunk at 95 miles per hour.  And then make excuses.

Joe Biden

Well, here's what happens when a small time politician gets the Big Chair.  In our system when you are say, a Senator from Delaware, it is expected that you will reward your friends and punish your enemies.  It's how you get elected to seven 6 year terms as US Senator.  Usually, and this is very true in a single party state, your friends remember the favors and reciprocate.  And most of your enemies eventually shut up or sue for peace.  These learned habits do not serve you well when you are supposed to be the President of a polarized nation, nor when you have to deal with foreign leaders who don't give a damn.

Basically laughed off the political stage when he ran for President in 1988, he ran again in 2008 and dropped out early.  So he was probably as surprised as anyone when Barack Obama tapped him for the VP role.  But as per above, part of your job is to take the heat for The Boss and make him or her look good in the process.

Late in his tenure as Veep he probably figured his political life was done and that he and his family/friends might as well make a bit of cash.  Various dubious business arrangements later, Biden bank accounts prospered.

The 2020 election was one weird affair.  The shadow of Covid was over the land and campaigning from your basement was considered prudent and patriotic.  I think everyone was again surprised when Biden threw his hat in the ring; less surprised when he had a mediocre primary campaign.

Until....he announced that he'd only select a black woman as his VP choice.  And coincidentally, most of his rivals dropped out and he got critical endorsements that handed him the nomination.  

All this is just the "sausage making" of American politics.  But there was a huge problem nobody was supposed to talk about.  Biden was ageing rapidly.  It happens to us all in the end, and the Presidency ages people at an advanced rate.

I spent a career in medicine and was a darned good diagnostician.  I've also had two parents with dementia and physical ailments.  Biden's cognitive and physical decline during the course of his administration has been dramatic enough that desperate efforts to conceal it were to no avail.

That's sad for an individual, but more importantly means that jerks on the international level are emboldened to act with impunity.

He should have stepped aside mid term.  His party did well in the mid term elections and it would have given Harris a chance to show what she could do.  Or to let other Democrats step up and challenge.  But Biden hung on.  He presumably approved or allowed to happen, things that we have never seen in our political life.  An armed raid on the home of his chief rival.  Prosecutions of same by Federal and allied State offices, often on highly "creative" grounds and in front of very friendly juries.  There were even measures proposed to keep Trump off ballots, or to strip him of Secret Service protection.  

These are either the actions of a desperate regime clinging to power, or of a political party that truly believes what they say, that Donald Trump is a unique, singular existential threat to our nation such that anything is justified in stopping him.

The first option warrants rejection.  The second?  Well, once you normalize such measures you would have to have deep faith in the Democrats (or the Republicans ) that there would not be a similar hue and cry for whoever is brave enough to run next.  Do I have such faith in our politicians?

I do not.

I don't know what will happen, but what should happen is this.  Trump has a win large enough that we don't have to be scrutinizing ballots for a month.  Biden says: "I'm done", resigns and makes Harris President for a few months.  Let's get that Historic First stuff out of our system.  She and Trump sit down and make a list of people they feel were prosecuted/convicted on political grounds.  They make it public then split it up, Harris pardons the Republicans the day before she leaves, Trump the Democrats on his first day in office.  Our system is strengthened and Harris elevates her chances to become a serious contender next time around, instead of a political joke.

Hey,  all the rancor aside, it could happen.