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emulatorloo

(45,728 posts)
9. ' Amid allegations of Biden's decline, no one can point to anything he's done wrong as a consequence of aging'
Mon Jul 8, 2024, 09:28 AM
Jul 2024

I’ve posted this a few times, but it is a bottom line truth.

Amid allegations of Biden’s decline, no one can point to anything he’s done wrong as a consequence of aging
Ageism doesn’t require proof.

https://www.editorialboard.com/amid-allegations-of-bidens-decline-no-one-can-point-to-anything-hes-done-wrong-as-a-consequence-of-aging/

If there’s one word that can describe the Biden administration all the way up to last week’s “disastrous debate,” it’s orderly – public servants running the federal government according to the law and Biden’s preferred policies. If, on the basis of that “disastrous debate,” you no longer think Biden can be president, you must reckon with the fact that he has been the president. If you think he’s been showing signs of mental decline for months, you must reckon with the fact that no one can point to a single mistake he’s made during all that time.

And because no one can point to a serious, consequential, unforced error that is the result of his alleged mental deterioration, we must conclude something that’s distasteful to conclude. Maybe the “disastrous debate” says more about us than it does about Biden. It showed us something none of us has seen before, a president aging in public view. And our reaction to it showed us something else – that it doesn’t matter how accomplished you are, how good you are, how decent you are, how deserving you are – if you’re old, you’re done.

Now’s the time to answer

Ageism seems to be the root of most of the reaction to the president’s performance. Normal aging, like losing your train of thought, can’t and won’t be tolerated. (If Biden shows several mental lapses, or even just one, it’s over.) Because discrimination against the old is so common, and because weakness, which is associated with age, is so commonly despised in politics, most of the reaction seemed rather reasonable.

And because most of the reaction seemed rather reasonable, a lot of liberals and Democrats lost their nerve. We let the Times editorial board and its columnists, including liberals, undermine our confidence in ourselves. And we let it happen, in part, because we did not fully appreciate the ageist lens through which we watched the debate.

Liberals and Democrats spent more time talking about what other people think of Biden and not enough time talking about what we think. That allowed rather reasonable arguments rooted in ageism to go unanswered. But that was then. Now’s the time to answer them.

Recommendations

10 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Ageism will be the death of us all. Tomorrow IS promised to NO ONE and there is simply not one predictable hlthe2b Jul 2024 #1
' Amid allegations of Biden's decline, no one can point to anything he's done wrong as a consequence of aging' emulatorloo Jul 2024 #9
Yup... bottom line... hlthe2b Jul 2024 #10
Heck, I lived through Reagan and I couldn't help seeing calimary Jul 2024 #32
Nothing good will result from leap frogging over RubyRose Jul 2024 #2
I'm sensing some different foundations. bucolic_frolic Jul 2024 #3
"SCOTUS is showing flexibility".... hlthe2b Jul 2024 #6
didnt his mom live to b almost 100? sharp til the end? mopinko Jul 2024 #4
Replace Biden people has no plans expect DemocracyWorks Jul 2024 #5
It's the 3rd "Fear Trump" campaign, and indeed they ARE afraid. Model35mech Jul 2024 #7
American voters just don't do landslides anymore. That is unrealistic of Schiff. emulatorloo Jul 2024 #8
I was Kristen Welker who first used overwhelming yorkster Jul 2024 #11
Adding correction from DUer thesquander who pointed out in another post yorkster Jul 2024 #28
Win overwhelmingly so that the MAGA SC has no chance of overturning it padah513 Jul 2024 #14
However you want to frame it, is ok with me... I suggest it's about fear down ticket Model35mech Jul 2024 #17
It is about fear among all of us. Trust_Reality Jul 2024 #30
The old lying felon should drop out. . . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2024 #12
Agree karin_sj Jul 2024 #13
Damn straight 3auld6phart Jul 2024 #15
Not to mention, the gods forbid, something happens to Joe in the next couple of years. SHES RIGHT THERE!!! Cheezoholic Jul 2024 #16
It is way to late to be switching candidates now IronLionZion Jul 2024 #18
I was a 7 year old kid the last time Democrats switched Presidential nominees meow2u3 Jul 2024 #25
Republicans should force out Trump because he's like Nixon on steroids IronLionZion Jul 2024 #33
You can bet that elected Democrats are more in touch with the situation than us oldmanlynn Jul 2024 #19
K n R Emile Jul 2024 #20
Yeap!!! This, in my opinion, has been one of the achiles heel of the Democratic party, they hit on their own Escurumbele Jul 2024 #21
I am all-in on Biden - Harris 2024... Moostache Jul 2024 #22
I agree with your point about Project 2025. llmart Jul 2024 #29
There are only choices in this election dlk Jul 2024 #23
Aye LuvLoogie Jul 2024 #24
It starting to seem to me SomedayKindaLove Jul 2024 #26
A lot of these people are looking at situations slightlv Jul 2024 #27
Some thoughts. 1) with the letter today from President Biden the 'graceful exit' option is off the table. kelly1mm Jul 2024 #31
A lot of traitors are coming out manicdem Jul 2024 #34
That's reality as I see it, too Progressive dog Jul 2024 #35
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