Jul 12, 2023·edited Aug 15, 2023Liked by Robert Reich
Yeah, you'd think we could do better. but being the President of the United States of America is a shitty job. Some of the people love you, some outright hate you, and the rest just don't give a damn. You work very, very, long hours, you are on display 24/7. We, the people expect you to have all the right answers at your finger tips, no matter what happens. And we expect you to solve all our problems in four years even though you are not allowed to write a single piece of legislation. You have 24/7 surveillance on you, because there's always some psychopathic numbskull out there trying to assassinate you. Not only do we expect you to know the Constitution and both civil and criminal law; but also, to fully understand social welfare, economics and history. You must also be a great orator and diplomat. All this and we frequently give you an impossible Congress with which to accomplish anything. All this for a piddling $400,000 per year. Frankly I'm glad to have a person as honest and experienced as Joe Biden. He definitely has both my vote and my gratitude.
I continue to be amazed by people whose sole criticism of Joe Biden is his age, while proclaiming "I'm not ageist."
President Biden has achieved more in his short tenure than most do in a full term, or two. If not for his age, there'd be no argument against his running for re-election.
This troubles me too!! Perhaps our terrible media has something to do with this? And, perhaps wedge issues and gerrymandering are creating a world no one can live in?
Certainly, the reckless adoption of rapacious neoliberalism has created an inability among the business class to see beyond next quarter. This has long been a problem, but, there were some checks, which have been corroded to nothing.
In the words of David Frishberg, we know the price of everything and the value of nothing at all.
Robert Reich should read fellow substacker's Heather Richardson's daily commentaries in Letter from an American. It might help him appreciate what Biden has accomplished in foreign policy, in restoring credibility to the American presidency, and in boosting the American economy through initiatives such as the CHIPs and Sciences Act. I totally agree with some of the other reactions to Reich's column. The equivalence between Biden and Trump- as if both were equally poor choices for president with a begrudging nod to Biden- is frankly outrageous Lately, there have been a lot of cheap shots against Biden because of his age from purportedly progressive commentators. Please Mr. Reich, rethink your position on this.
Nothing is right. Everything is wrong within this rigged and corrupted system that was created by a FASCIST leaning SCOTUS through rulings such as Citizens United. And nothing will get right until we undo the damage inflicted on our Constitution with HJR54, the We the People Amendment. But our Constitution will not amend itself. We need you to help a little. MoveToAmend.org can not do it by itself. We need everyone and every social and environmental justice organization onboard, demanding HJR54! Check out these organizations and make sure that yours are listed: movetoamend.org/organizations Resist! Don’t accept this! We can and must do much better!!!
When I interviewed in front of a panel of 7 for acceptance into a Physician Assistant program, one member of the panel questioned my ability as I was in my early 40’s. He said, “I couldn’t do it”. He was out of shape, BTW.
I answered that I was in much better shape physically and more disciplined than I had been in my 20’s. (I had received all A’s in the pre-requisites). I was able to multitask, I was more secure economically and I had a good support system.
I think we should remember that people are thriving at older ages particularly when exercising and eating properly, both of which President Biden does. We should find comfort in that. Trump does not.
President Biden also has a good “support system” in his advisers for his cabinet and an intelligent wife. Trump did not.
I don't care about Biden's age. Look at his achievements: consistently low unemployment, reducing inflation for eleven straight months, strengthening NATO. No, we could not have found a better President at any age.
"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should". We need a better vetting process for choosing our leaders. If there was a way to get money out of this process, in favor of true leadership qualities, it would help. We could start by enforcing rules already in place. For instance ; We have Oaths of office: WHAT FOR, if they are meaningless?! We have anti trust laws and guardrails that have been de-railed. In stead of fake 'toughness' of a DeSantis, or the over indulged overgrown brat that is TFG, we need real adults who have ethics and follow rules. I'm sick of hearing that nobody is above the law and then hearing over and over from 'news' pundits that tfg can 'pardon' himself and other criminals! When are we going to GROW UP and act like adults?
I can't believe i'm disagreeing with you!! Although I totally agree!! It's about Joe Biden. I believe it was NOT his plan to run for president ... he really wanted his son Beau to run. With the danger of another Trump term looming, i sincerely believe he ran FOR THE COUNTRY he loves. I think he sacrificed what would have been a well-earned retirement because he KNEW he was really the only one that had the knowledge, the wisdom, in what he saw as an extremely dangerous time in our nation. I will forever be grateful to him for his service at this time!! Can you really imagine anyone else who could have/would have been able to do what he has done?
Could it be that age actually is his asset? Because of Biden's age and experience, he's been able to pull together the world's strongest alliances for democracy without jockeying for power. Because of his age and experience and the relationships he has developed over the years, he has been able to knock on doors in Congress and pass the most forward-looking bipartisan legislation in decades. Maybe we should quit carping about his age and instead brag about it
The critique in Dr. Reich's post is valid but misdirected. We have an 18th Century system designed to anoint a monarch substitute. Improvements have been made along the way. But, we still have the Electoral College, a relic of times past! The system is capable of anointing mad leaders just as monarchies of the past have done--George III (UK), Charles VI (France),etc.
In short, the U.S. system delivers what it was designed to do.
Vesting executive power in a group rather than a person makes much more sense. Switzerland is an example of how this can happen with a Federal Council serving as the executive. The county's model has evolved considerably since its introduction in 1848 but offers hints of a better way.
We get Joe from top-heavy, moldy-old political party "leadership." Seems like the parties represent MY generation (I am 71) and not my daughter's, or those younger who can vote. I'm nominally a Democrat, but not proud of it. It seems to be the wimpy party of let's not rock the boat. So the boat doesn't go anywhere. The Republican party is off the charts demented and dishonest beyond belief. I want to like Biden, but he can't even grasp the climate calamity that may make all politicking moot. And mute.
"Before you conclude that it’s due to a flaw in our political system, I invite you to consider America’s most “successful” business leaders, in terms of wealth and power." It's the money enabling those with no restraint or maturity to get away with too much. Citizens United was gasoline on the flame, starting a conflagration! We are "in it" now: a world of $#it! We need to rush the Court and Charge the illegitimates in the Congress! No more "Shilly shallying in the courts! No more delaying justice for tfg! It's one arse#o!e against 300 million people! Time to give this toddler a BIG time out! If I hear one more TV pundit say "No one is above the law" and then "Statute of limitations" I will turn off my TV. Really? : we have to allow this guy to run for President again? Shouldn't he be required to clear his name first in court?! Yes, Robert, we can do better with our choice of candidates!
It's not really his "age", but it's worrisome that Biden has moments when it seems that he isn't altogether there. Just look at Bernie who is almost three years older but he is sharp anf focused, never loosing a beat, never allowing to be sidetracked by questions that have nothing to do with policy.
Yeah, you'd think we could do better. but being the President of the United States of America is a shitty job. Some of the people love you, some outright hate you, and the rest just don't give a damn. You work very, very, long hours, you are on display 24/7. We, the people expect you to have all the right answers at your finger tips, no matter what happens. And we expect you to solve all our problems in four years even though you are not allowed to write a single piece of legislation. You have 24/7 surveillance on you, because there's always some psychopathic numbskull out there trying to assassinate you. Not only do we expect you to know the Constitution and both civil and criminal law; but also, to fully understand social welfare, economics and history. You must also be a great orator and diplomat. All this and we frequently give you an impossible Congress with which to accomplish anything. All this for a piddling $400,000 per year. Frankly I'm glad to have a person as honest and experienced as Joe Biden. He definitely has both my vote and my gratitude.
I continue to be amazed by people whose sole criticism of Joe Biden is his age, while proclaiming "I'm not ageist."
President Biden has achieved more in his short tenure than most do in a full term, or two. If not for his age, there'd be no argument against his running for re-election.
.
This troubles me too!! Perhaps our terrible media has something to do with this? And, perhaps wedge issues and gerrymandering are creating a world no one can live in?
Certainly, the reckless adoption of rapacious neoliberalism has created an inability among the business class to see beyond next quarter. This has long been a problem, but, there were some checks, which have been corroded to nothing.
In the words of David Frishberg, we know the price of everything and the value of nothing at all.
Robert Reich should read fellow substacker's Heather Richardson's daily commentaries in Letter from an American. It might help him appreciate what Biden has accomplished in foreign policy, in restoring credibility to the American presidency, and in boosting the American economy through initiatives such as the CHIPs and Sciences Act. I totally agree with some of the other reactions to Reich's column. The equivalence between Biden and Trump- as if both were equally poor choices for president with a begrudging nod to Biden- is frankly outrageous Lately, there have been a lot of cheap shots against Biden because of his age from purportedly progressive commentators. Please Mr. Reich, rethink your position on this.
Nothing is right. Everything is wrong within this rigged and corrupted system that was created by a FASCIST leaning SCOTUS through rulings such as Citizens United. And nothing will get right until we undo the damage inflicted on our Constitution with HJR54, the We the People Amendment. But our Constitution will not amend itself. We need you to help a little. MoveToAmend.org can not do it by itself. We need everyone and every social and environmental justice organization onboard, demanding HJR54! Check out these organizations and make sure that yours are listed: movetoamend.org/organizations Resist! Don’t accept this! We can and must do much better!!!
When I interviewed in front of a panel of 7 for acceptance into a Physician Assistant program, one member of the panel questioned my ability as I was in my early 40’s. He said, “I couldn’t do it”. He was out of shape, BTW.
I answered that I was in much better shape physically and more disciplined than I had been in my 20’s. (I had received all A’s in the pre-requisites). I was able to multitask, I was more secure economically and I had a good support system.
I think we should remember that people are thriving at older ages particularly when exercising and eating properly, both of which President Biden does. We should find comfort in that. Trump does not.
President Biden also has a good “support system” in his advisers for his cabinet and an intelligent wife. Trump did not.
I don't care about Biden's age. Look at his achievements: consistently low unemployment, reducing inflation for eleven straight months, strengthening NATO. No, we could not have found a better President at any age.
Agree with you 100%. My thoughts precisely. Which is why I voted for Elizabeth Warren.
"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should". We need a better vetting process for choosing our leaders. If there was a way to get money out of this process, in favor of true leadership qualities, it would help. We could start by enforcing rules already in place. For instance ; We have Oaths of office: WHAT FOR, if they are meaningless?! We have anti trust laws and guardrails that have been de-railed. In stead of fake 'toughness' of a DeSantis, or the over indulged overgrown brat that is TFG, we need real adults who have ethics and follow rules. I'm sick of hearing that nobody is above the law and then hearing over and over from 'news' pundits that tfg can 'pardon' himself and other criminals! When are we going to GROW UP and act like adults?
I can't believe i'm disagreeing with you!! Although I totally agree!! It's about Joe Biden. I believe it was NOT his plan to run for president ... he really wanted his son Beau to run. With the danger of another Trump term looming, i sincerely believe he ran FOR THE COUNTRY he loves. I think he sacrificed what would have been a well-earned retirement because he KNEW he was really the only one that had the knowledge, the wisdom, in what he saw as an extremely dangerous time in our nation. I will forever be grateful to him for his service at this time!! Can you really imagine anyone else who could have/would have been able to do what he has done?
Could it be that age actually is his asset? Because of Biden's age and experience, he's been able to pull together the world's strongest alliances for democracy without jockeying for power. Because of his age and experience and the relationships he has developed over the years, he has been able to knock on doors in Congress and pass the most forward-looking bipartisan legislation in decades. Maybe we should quit carping about his age and instead brag about it
The critique in Dr. Reich's post is valid but misdirected. We have an 18th Century system designed to anoint a monarch substitute. Improvements have been made along the way. But, we still have the Electoral College, a relic of times past! The system is capable of anointing mad leaders just as monarchies of the past have done--George III (UK), Charles VI (France),etc.
In short, the U.S. system delivers what it was designed to do.
Vesting executive power in a group rather than a person makes much more sense. Switzerland is an example of how this can happen with a Federal Council serving as the executive. The county's model has evolved considerably since its introduction in 1848 but offers hints of a better way.
We get Joe from top-heavy, moldy-old political party "leadership." Seems like the parties represent MY generation (I am 71) and not my daughter's, or those younger who can vote. I'm nominally a Democrat, but not proud of it. It seems to be the wimpy party of let's not rock the boat. So the boat doesn't go anywhere. The Republican party is off the charts demented and dishonest beyond belief. I want to like Biden, but he can't even grasp the climate calamity that may make all politicking moot. And mute.
"Before you conclude that it’s due to a flaw in our political system, I invite you to consider America’s most “successful” business leaders, in terms of wealth and power." It's the money enabling those with no restraint or maturity to get away with too much. Citizens United was gasoline on the flame, starting a conflagration! We are "in it" now: a world of $#it! We need to rush the Court and Charge the illegitimates in the Congress! No more "Shilly shallying in the courts! No more delaying justice for tfg! It's one arse#o!e against 300 million people! Time to give this toddler a BIG time out! If I hear one more TV pundit say "No one is above the law" and then "Statute of limitations" I will turn off my TV. Really? : we have to allow this guy to run for President again? Shouldn't he be required to clear his name first in court?! Yes, Robert, we can do better with our choice of candidates!
It is the inevitable result of allowing a few ultra rich to own everything.
It's not really his "age", but it's worrisome that Biden has moments when it seems that he isn't altogether there. Just look at Bernie who is almost three years older but he is sharp anf focused, never loosing a beat, never allowing to be sidetracked by questions that have nothing to do with policy.