Confession time.
Regrettably, I must admit I’ve been swayed by the several negative news items surrounding many (and often, most) of President Biden’s actions and decisions over the past year. So much so that I’ve expressed my disappointment in him “out loud.”
Then I read Heather’s most recent newsletter.
As she so carefully and thoroughly went down the list of his accomplishments throughout 2021, I was a bit ashamed that I had allowed myself to be so influenced by the media and their seemingly incessant desire to focus on the negative.
I am not saying that Biden has been a perfect leader.
There are definitely areas where I think he could have handled things better. As an example, I personally feel he (or perhaps the news media?) put far too much focus on trying to rein in the virus. Naturally we all want it to “just go away,” but it is not a country or a personality that can be fought and overcome. Rather, it is a pernicious and invisible enemy that tends to defy all manner of attack.
And to that point, there’s really only so much we can do …
In any case, this was just one of the reasons why I needed to read what Heather outlined in her newsletter about President Biden. I needed to be reminded of his several accomplishments, rather than allowing myself to be so influenced by the (seemingly innate) negativism of the media.
As well as the ongoing criticism by various Republicans!
I trust you will gain as much benefit as I did from Heather’s excellent synopsis of President Biden’s first year in office.
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Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Nan's Notebook 
I read her everyday. She always puts things straight and sources them all.
I do believe Biden is not getting a fair shake even with the mainstream media, nor at times with his fellow democrats.
And his personality type is so different from the “in your face” obnoxious trump, that people think he is weak. With any faults Biden may have, his human decency is what will always excel him as a fine human being. Nothing trump or many of his cult will ever be able to say.
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IMHO, Biden “human decency” took a serious hit when he precipitously pulled out of Afghanistan, leaving many Afghans who had worked with and helped us behind who had relied on America being a country which doesn’t desert its friends in their moment of need. But other than that self-inflicted wound, I agree that most of the negativity is beyond his control (due largely to hypocritical Republican obstructionism, hyper Trumpism, and too much of the media looking the other way).
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I don’t follow this stuff all that closely, but it seems to me I read somewhere that it was Trump who set the date/time for the pull-out and Biden was “obligated” to follow through.
I agree that the circumstances of the action were painted as being exceedingly negative, but in your opinion, what could Biden have done differently?
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It wasn’t written in stone that Biden had no choice but to withdraw precipitously. A few more weeks might have allowed hundreds more of our Afghan helpers (and their families) to get out.
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the military (I just made that up you know who I mean) deliberately made a mess of the withdrawal, they had advocated for another troop push, many more years of unsupervised spending. It’s an embarrassment to every NATO member and let us not forget the central thesis of that decision: a frozen Hell in which millions of Afghans go without food and heat under what amounts to a biker gang with religious aspersions (they corner the world opium market) the Taliban. So yeah, not all Biden’s fault but he’s the CIC
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Yeah, that is a very good point. But I doubt if he expected that to happen.
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I have no problem with Biden as a statesman, though he is no Barrack Obama. My problem is that he cannot make the decisions he really needs to make, starting with putting Trump behind bars. I have heard it all before, he cannot just arrest anyone. But he IS the President of the United States, and if he wants to keep the states United it is incumbent upon him to put Trump in jail. The police put wrong people in jail all the time! Donald J Trump is a traitor and everyone knows it. He is NOT THE WRONG MAN! And he needs to be silenced.
Biden is not doing his job. He also needs to pass his Elections Act, whatever it is called. If it takes an executive order, sobeit! Trump never asked anyone about signing an executive order, and Biden needs to interfere in state election laws! If he does not, all kinds of people will be denied their basic democratic rights. Another threat to the stability of American unity.
There is a time to be a statesman, but what America needs RIGHT NOW is a LEADER,
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I get your point, rawgod, but it’s not quite that easy. There are all sorts of laws and regulations and ordinances and rules that govern how things are done in the U.S. Yes, as the President, Biden has considerably more authority than anyone else, but he still must follow certain procedure. Moreover, tRump is VERY talented at accomplishing things through other people to avoid getting himself into trouble.
The primary problem the U.S. is dealing with now is the Republican party. So long as they keep blocking actions and doing things to hinder any kind of progress or action that might work to their disadvantage, Biden’s hands are tied.
Having said that, Biden has actually accomplished quite a bit … it’s just that the media focuses on the negatives so most people are in the dark. And of course the Repukes do everything in their power to discredit any positive action/decision.
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Good. I like Joe. I mean the person.
I am not sure I agree with your opinion, “I personally feel he (or perhaps the news media?) put far too much focus on trying to rein in the virus.” Focus? I have a very wrinkled brow reading that comment. I am stunned.
Anyway, the link was a good reminder. If the prez needs help anticipating things (like what ass hole reps are), I can send him my crystal ball.
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Bill, while I strongly advocate Biden doing what he can to control the virus, it’s become more than obvious there are individuals who are NOT going to cooperate/take part in anything that he does in this arena … so I tend to wonder why there has been so much coverage on his related actions/decisions.
Certainly the public needs to be kept informed (especially those who abide by the various precautions), but does the media need to extensively cover every action he takes? It continues to be one of the “primary” headline stories … and yet the die-hards are going to continue their resistance no matter what actions Biden takes.
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so I tend to wonder why there has been so much coverage on his related actions/decisions
Probably because getting the pandemic under control so life can return to normal is the highest priority of the general voting population (probably more so among Democrats than Republicans, since the latter generally underestimate the seriousness of the pandemic). People tend to believe that presidents have much more power over such problems than they actually do — so, however unfairly, Biden will be judged by the electorate more by how well he gets the pandemic under control than by any other single issue. Hence the media emphasis on it.
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OK, I’ll go along with that reasoning. Thanks.
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“(probably more so among Democrats than Republicans, since the latter generally underestimate the seriousness of the pandemic)”
“Crisis is the rallying cry of the tyrant.”
James Madison
Who wants to prolong the present crisis while they foment for even more disruption of our government? Who wants to destroy the rule of law? Who is receiving money from Russia into their campaign funds?
Probably?
Nearly every GOP legislator from municipal to federal is in a full-court press to make sure there is nothing done to slow the covid virus. Nearly every Christian Fundamentalist preacher has either killed it by the power of god, or declared it to be a hoax created by Democrats. This week the Georgia legislature has proposed a bill that would outlaw all vaccines, including those which have protected them and their children from a host of diseases. The bill also contains a phrase that would make any existing law that could circumvent their plan be hereby null and void.
It is hard for me to allow any room for doubt in what their intentions are. I don’t think equivocation and soft soap will help us save our democracy. Perhaps if the capitalists realize that they will have no place in a fascist or theocratic government, they will cut off the flow of money to the people who would immediately nationalize their businesses and privatize all government agencies we would have a better chance.
“In times like the present, men should utter nothing for which they would not willingly be responsible through time and eternity.” – Abraham Lincoln
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The Republicans have not underestimated the virus. They keep reinforcing the great lie, backed by their religious white supremacist militias. They declare their intention for a civil war.
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In saying “probably more so among Democrats than Republicans” I was talking about “the general voting population” (see words immediately preceding), not politicians.
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I know, Nan. So sad.
But this is life and death. We must try or a least speak up. My wife’s friend recently lost her mother to covid because her sister talked their parents out of getting vaccinated. Now what?
I cannot speak for “the media,” but I personally want all the public health info I can get.
I am not sure you can have it both ways. Like she said in the link you provided, over 400K American deaths is a big deal. I want them to make noise and if there are cliff hangers out there, I want them all to get the jabs. It is THE big deal ATM.
Why are you so worried about the die-hards (ironic term) anyway?
Do we give up on voting rights, or R v W, or immigration because one side is not going to change?
I’m not trying to change your mind, but I don’t think I agree. Maybe I miss the point. 🙂
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My point is primarily that the MEDIA continues to make Biden’s actions related to COVID as the number one story. I don’t deny its insipid role in our society, but there are other things going on — as Heather mentioned in her newsletter — that, I feel, are being given second tier by the news media.
Consider this. The virus has been front-page news for over two years — mostly to give the “count” of cases and deaths. Yes, it’s important that the public is kept aware, but front page news every day?!!? The leading story in every newscast?
Maybe I’m just getting burned out since it’s more than obvious the die-hards are NOT going to change and, as a result, we’re most likely going to have to live with COVID until … ???
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Ok, Nan. 🙂
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I’ve got just a quick, short comment on this Nan. 😉
Nan, I was watching yesterday an exceptional recorded telecast on C-SPAN2’s American History TV covering The Lincoln Forum in Gettysburg, PA, last Nov. 14-18, 2021. While they covered many topics, such as how the American Civil War framed Lincoln’s legacy and World War II framed FDR’s legacy, both crises allowed the two Presidents to really shine in their natural abilities of stoic diplomacy on the domestic and foreign fronts while also facing extreme opposition. One segment of their coverage was called “Abraham Lincoln’s Statesmanship.”*
While listening to the three panel guests—Ed Steers, Jr., Joseph Fornieri, and Justice Dennis Curran—speak on this oft overlooked aspect of our 46 Presidents, I couldn’t help but consider what Joe Biden and Kamala Harris inherited, what they faced the entire month of December 2020 and most of January 2021 when his fairly elected Administration could not get one drop of cooperation from the outgoing Administration during the transition of power. The former Administration essentially did NOTHING to prepare for the upcoming Biological War the U.S. was headed for; NOTHING!!! It has since been revealed that most everything the Orange Orangutan publicly stated was being done about COVID-19 was a blatant lie after lie after lie. That phony President was absolutely derelict in his solemn vow as the Commander-in-Chief to protect Americans! That is irrefutable, period.
I personally think the other half of America too often forgets the sheer chaos left behind and refusal to peacefully, cooperatively pass-on critical info to Biden’s Team right as the invisible enemy was lethally attacking our shores, ports of entry, nursing homes, and hospital beds… was was practically the SAME CRISIS both Lincoln and FDR faced in their Presidencies. On Lincoln’s watch some 750,000 Americans were killed in the Civil War, many more thousands maimed or became casualities later. On FDR’s watch 418,500 died and many more thousands were maimed or later became casualities. By Nov. 2020 over 250,000+ Americans were dead on tRump’s watch without any fight against this enemy or leadership or preparation for what would come in 2021. Most of those deaths can be directly attributed to that President’s incompetence and breaking multiple times his Presidential oath he took Jan. 20, 2017.
Should I list out the massive Tsunami-like ripple-effects on our medical infrastructure, economy, and our public offices, institutions, and programs, let alone our social-lives because of a delusional denial of the approaching attack by the enemy COVID-19 and him laughing at it rather than declaring war against it? This was the condition of our nation that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris inherited—way way behind the eight-ball.
Yet, look at the remarkable work done in just one year stopping all the hemorrhaging and additional useless premature death that was allowed to waltz into our country! Heather Cox Richardson is absolutely right in shouting out all his phenomenal work and accomplishments so far!
And yet there are still thousands of Americans who hate Lincoln, hate FDR, and just enjoy hating everything they can about their lives. President Biden is no exception and won’t be the last. America today has a very large sector of its population that feel they are special Prima-donnas and entitled to everything revolving around their egomaniacal selves and their whims and feelings.
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* – Source: https://www.c-span.org/video/?516143-3/abraham-lincolns-statesmanship
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Meant to drive home how Joe Biden, I think, can also be at least in the discussion of “Great Statesmanship”—as superbly described by these three panelists at The Lincoln Forum—given the condition our country was in when he took office.
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Thanks, PT. A very good comment! (Short though it was … 😋)
I particularly agreed with this —there are still thousands of Americans who … just enjoy hating everything they can. Such a sad commentary on so many.
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Short comment? You know it makes Jesus cry when you tell porky pies, right?
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It was TOO short wasn’t it? 😁
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…. said the Bishop to the Actress
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BWAAAA! 🤣
But I have trick mirrors Ark! Those kind that say…
“Objects In the Mirror Appear Larger Than They Really Are” 😁
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I read Heather every day. She must be an awesome teacher. I would to sit in on one of her classes.
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Nov 2022 will tell the future of the country and probably Covid by then…it will set the stage for many years…
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Yeah but Biden drinks the blood of infants with Tom Hanks and Hillary Clinton in pizza parlor basements, so eff him. He’s a lizard alien trying to kill murica!
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Thanks for sharing Heather’s newsletter Nan. She summed up Biden’s first year accurately and was spot-on. Too bad the mainstream media can’t seem to do that.
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I’m not very well up on US politics.
Have the US pulled out of Vietnam yet?
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I don’t know about that one. But, for sure, there are still many Americans fighting in the civil war. And you can probably find some who think they are still fighting in the American Revolution.
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