Photo Courtesy Arizona Secretary of State: Then-Secretary of State Ken Bennett certifies the results of the Electoral College vote in this photo from 2012.
Column By Mike Bibb
I always suspected it, but President Joe confirmed it – I’m just confused in my thinking.
Following Virginia’s Democratic gubernatorial upset, and New Jersey’s equally close election debacle, Republican challenges to Democratically held state and local offices were unexpectantly successful.
Even various school boards’ dumbed-down “woke” methodologies were rebuked.
After years of passive slumber, the folks are starting to wake up.
In response, President Biden commented citizens were “confused” in voting to roll back liberal agendas. We really didn’t understand the issues or significance of contemporary socialist concepts.
How backward can we be?
To move forward, they insist, we must elect brain-sprained politicians – RHINOS and Dems – tax and spend ourselves into unrepayable debt, and meekly admit the society that created the most advanced civilization in world history is now complacent enough to accept a perverse form of government that has never produced anything of significant value.
It appears we’re going backward. Not to worry, Joe says, in our confusion we really don’t understand the end game.
Except it appears increasing numbers of voters do. And they don’t like the way it’s being played out.
Actually, they’re a little more than infuriated. They’ve been lied to and intentionally hoodwinked for so long that when the motives and intentions of the people representing them are exposed to be considerably less than trustworthy, it sort of rubs them the wrong way.
A voter backlash is a natural response, particularly when a candidate promotes peace and harmony only to deliver consternation and chaos – all the while condemning prior office holders as some kind of crazed demons.
What was previously considered unethical conduct is now advertised as acceptable behavior, depending upon which candidate or political party is squawking the loudest. Eventually, people see through the deceptions and the chickens start coming home to roost.
Not very long go Hillary Clinton used a similar “confused” metaphor when she described Trump supporters as being a “basket of deplorables.” In her mind, I supposed she really believed it, and probably still does.
It took a few years, but Hillary’s accusations are being documented as an exercise in political mischief. At least one prominent player has been arrested. However, at the time it appears the con was crafted as a scheme to defame Trump and make Hillary’s ascendancy to the presidency more palatable since she wasn’t overly popular with the electorate.
But that was then and this is now. It’s obvious President Joe has gone through some kind of transformation. He wasn’t always a bumbling socialist ideologue. Granted, his long congressional career was not particularly remarkable or punctuated with notable achievements. True, he leaned left-of-center, but not totally irrational. He would discuss issues and problems with others of opposing views.
Currently, he often doesn’t take questions from the press, ignoring their presence and walking out of the room.
I believe he started down the path to radical liberalism when he was vice-president and has become more passionate ever since until he’s reached a point where he’s completely immersed.
This, coupled with apparent declining mental acuity, does not bode well for the country. The disarray of his first nine months as president is irrefutable evidence of the commotion and bewilderment brewing in the Oval Office.
People are beginning to notice the disorder. In a USA Today/Suffolk University poll conducted between Nov. 3-5, 2021, Joe’s approval rating fell to a new low of 38%, with 59% disapproving of his job performance.
Vice President Kamala Harris was equally criticized with a 28% approval rating and a 51% job performance score. The worst public endorsement any VP has ever recorded.
In other words, well over half the country is of the opinion Biden’s White House is heading in the wrong direction. Not encouraging numbers leading into next year’s midterm elections.
Fortunately for Joe, COVID came along in time to be blamed for every misfortune and economic malady imaginable. Without all the government-imposed regulations and mandates restricting social and work-related activities, he might actually be compelled to govern in a sensible manner.
That’s probably not going to happen. Consequently, I suppose I’ll have to remain content with the realization the big mess I’m swimming in is my fault.
I guess Joe really thinks me – and millions of others like me – are too confused, or stupid, to figure it out.
What we have figured out is soaring prices at the gas pump; rapidly inflated costs of goods and services; controversial vaccine mandates; inventory and supply chain issues; hordes of infected COVID migrants invading our southern border and a presidency flippantly assuring us things are not as bad as they seem.
Suppose I was wrong in my assessment that ignorance, incompetency, and wokeness trumps confusion. Joe may be right – perhaps the past nine or 10 months have been one big frustrating and confusing misunderstanding.
The opinion expressed in this editorial is that of the author.
