It’s very difficult for ambitious people to admit that they’re done. Once you reach the pinnacle, it’s hard to give up, because the only way forward is down. LBJ is held up as an example, but it was difficult for him, too:
On Inauguration Day (January 20, 1969), Johnson saw Nixon sworn in, then got on the plane to fly back to Texas. When the front door of the plane closed, Johnson pulled out a cigarette—his first cigarette he had smoked since his heart attack in 1955. One of his daughters pulled it out of his mouth and said, “Daddy, what are you doing? You’re going to kill yourself.” He took it back and said, “I’ve now raised you, girls. I’ve now been President. Now it’s my time!” From that point on, he went into a very self-destructive spiral.
Consider how screwed up the SC is right now. Yes, a lot of that is due to Mitch McConnell and Lindsay Graham playing games, but it’s also due in no small part to RBG not resigning when many told her she ought to. Now, it’s quite clear that she was capable of the job at the time, and would only be stepping down for political expediency, so Obama could have named a younger replacement. If RBG had retired, and the court was less of a clusterfuck, we might not have appreciated how important that moment would have been.
It’s hard enough to take the car keys away from Grandpa, it’s harder to take the keys to power away.
and don’t understand why we’re plowing ahead with two candidates no one really wants as president.
That’s easy to understand; it’s because the two primary political parties run the show from bottom to top and they both managed to make serious political miscalculations at the same time.
Democrats screwed up by repressing all their younger members for the past 15-20 years in favor of their established power brokers; now their cupboard is bare right when they need it most. The Republicans miscalculated by assembling behind Trump in the first place and then they did it again by re-assembling behind Trump.
If this country’s politics weren’t being totally controlled by Ds and Rs now is when a 3rd Party Candidate (Libertarian, Green, etc) could gain some serious traction.
Eh.
I think even with Biden it’s close to a 50/50 shot of beating trump.
I just don’t like those odds and don’t understand why we’re plowing ahead with two candidates no one really wants as president.
I just wish Biden and the DNC were taking this election seriously. This could be a walkin victory with AOC or even Whitimere.
It’s very difficult for ambitious people to admit that they’re done. Once you reach the pinnacle, it’s hard to give up, because the only way forward is down. LBJ is held up as an example, but it was difficult for him, too:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyndon_B._Johnson
Consider how screwed up the SC is right now. Yes, a lot of that is due to Mitch McConnell and Lindsay Graham playing games, but it’s also due in no small part to RBG not resigning when many told her she ought to. Now, it’s quite clear that she was capable of the job at the time, and would only be stepping down for political expediency, so Obama could have named a younger replacement. If RBG had retired, and the court was less of a clusterfuck, we might not have appreciated how important that moment would have been.
It’s hard enough to take the car keys away from Grandpa, it’s harder to take the keys to power away.
People aren’t even really trying to take Biden’s keys away…
They’re just saying we’re not letting him drive the kids to Country Kitchen Buffet anymore.
We don’t know if there’s going to be an accident this time, or ever.
It’s just bad risk assessment to let him keep going to until an accident happens
Even if he beats trump, that doesn’t mean he’ll be a capable president at 85 when this next term is up
That’s easy to understand; it’s because the two primary political parties run the show from bottom to top and they both managed to make serious political miscalculations at the same time.
Democrats screwed up by repressing all their younger members for the past 15-20 years in favor of their established power brokers; now their cupboard is bare right when they need it most. The Republicans miscalculated by assembling behind Trump in the first place and then they did it again by re-assembling behind Trump.
If this country’s politics weren’t being totally controlled by Ds and Rs now is when a 3rd Party Candidate (Libertarian, Green, etc) could gain some serious traction.