I couldn't watch it when it aired, because I couldn't take that much heartbreak. And I was right... my heart broke watching it.
For years, I was not a big fan of his... he was too moderate, too centrist for my taste, and I was still mad about the Thomas hearings, but I liked him when he was Veep and came to really like him as president, seeing him go beyond his impulse to be moderate to work the system in a masterful way to help as many people as he could in the face of incredible and scurrilous opposition.
The sight of that good man, an honest believer in the ideals on which this country was founded, a man who understood we haven't lived up to them while retaining his belief that we could and we would, warning the country he loves about the dangers we face because of what's to come, was hard to watch without heartbreak... for him and for us.
Are there things I think he did wrong? Absolutely. Could he have acted on the things he says should be fixed? Sure. Could he have been firmer, bolder, more willing to take risks in defense of democracy? Yup.
But I respect what he DID do, and cannot question his idealism, his love for his country, or the hard work he put in to making us safer and better.... and my heart is breaking at the thought that everything he worked for and the ideals he still holds are in peril.
I think President Biden did his best to stop the terrifying lurch of the American Republic into fascist tyranny and oligarchy, which latter form of government is an ancient and ever-present threat. He deserves a lot of credit for his efforts. It may not be enough, unfortunately, as a tyranny-minded "president" is about to take office, and the oligarchs are crowding around him in anticipation of all the money they're going to make, and in some cases of the stark-raving mad social and political changes they might like to see within the next year or two. We shall soon find out whether lower-case republicanism and democracy have it in them to stop (or at least slow down) this flight to the extremely regressive forms of government that have troubled most of the word's people for millennia.
"it only keeps shining if we do the hard, even risky work of participatory democracy."
Well said. Participatory is essential there, connect to your local social environment, don't just exist near it. (I'm a massive hypocrite here, I only recently started actively taking part in society beyond my friend group)
Thanks, Joe President. We’ll do our best to keep that lamp of liberty clean and shiny, and the little freedom seeds growing. But it ain’t gonna be easy.
"(...) Ronald Reagan, who blithely called America a “shining city on a hill” because it’s so plainly the bestest place possible. (As Sarah Vowell reminds us, adding “shining” was a sunny perversion of the original Puritan metaphor’s dour intent, which warned that everyone would see our sins)."
I'm gonna give Ronald Reagan a pass on this one. IMO, the Puritans themselves perverted the meaning of the phrase, which is rather famously in the bible (in the Sermon on the Mount):
"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
That seems a lot more like Reagan's version, TBH. I mean, *I* don't think Jesus was talking about the USA here, but it seems to be common in American Christianity to think that everything in the Bible is about the USA in one way or another.
I’ve said before that stupidity in America has reached critical mass. And Teh Stoopid is not just from PAB supporters. It’s also from voters who voted 3rd party or stayed home.
I've long thought that even a small minority of people who are flaming uneducated fools and possibly even just plain idiots are enough to cause severe upset to a democratic society. We have a LOT more than "a small minority" of such people. They've reached a "strong plurality" and may pass over into an outright majority. Idiots are ungovernable by democratic or indeed almost any means, so I'm not sure how we survive this degradation.
Uh, you might not have noticed, SER doesn't work here anymore. He's free to express his opinions on his own blog but they don't reflect Wonkette editorial policy, such as it is.
But sure sure 5 decades of service and definitely better than alternatives. But I stand by my claim that anyone in politics is by definition an asshole and I have yet to find an exception.
Hard disagree. Let’s temper the beatification though please.
He ameliorated some of the catastrophe of Trump 1.0 but paved the way Trump 2.0 for by reneging on his promise not to run again. His political ego got in the way proving me correct again.
So thanks for your service, Joe. Sometimes you were in it for you. Sometimes you were in it for the corporations of Delaware. Often you were in it for the American people. You did better than most. It’s a tough job. You chose it and chose to stay in it.
Warning of obvious dangers, which you in many ways could have preventeded, by way of valediction earns no Good Boy Treats.
I loved this speech. I will miss him. And if I hear ANYONE blaming the Democrats for ANYTHING in the years to come, I will heartily kick them in the nuts.
Democrats have historically and consistently strengthened government power when they knew that Republicans would get back in power regularly and then wield that power too. This means they have the same responsibility for the results a weapon supplier has when their weapons are used for atrocities.
Come at me, I'm in The Netherlands. If you don't actually kick me in the nuts (a punch on the should is fine) I'll take you to a little hole in the wall gin bar/distillery for drinks, my treat.
I can't watch. It's too painful to watch such a good president leave knowing we have a greedy, lawless, petty tyrant taking his place. I sobbed at Obama's last message. I can't take that again.
and just like Truman and his stank-eye war-profiteer warnings about the "military industrial complex," he will be ignored.
I couldn't watch it when it aired, because I couldn't take that much heartbreak. And I was right... my heart broke watching it.
For years, I was not a big fan of his... he was too moderate, too centrist for my taste, and I was still mad about the Thomas hearings, but I liked him when he was Veep and came to really like him as president, seeing him go beyond his impulse to be moderate to work the system in a masterful way to help as many people as he could in the face of incredible and scurrilous opposition.
The sight of that good man, an honest believer in the ideals on which this country was founded, a man who understood we haven't lived up to them while retaining his belief that we could and we would, warning the country he loves about the dangers we face because of what's to come, was hard to watch without heartbreak... for him and for us.
Are there things I think he did wrong? Absolutely. Could he have acted on the things he says should be fixed? Sure. Could he have been firmer, bolder, more willing to take risks in defense of democracy? Yup.
But I respect what he DID do, and cannot question his idealism, his love for his country, or the hard work he put in to making us safer and better.... and my heart is breaking at the thought that everything he worked for and the ideals he still holds are in peril.
I think President Biden did his best to stop the terrifying lurch of the American Republic into fascist tyranny and oligarchy, which latter form of government is an ancient and ever-present threat. He deserves a lot of credit for his efforts. It may not be enough, unfortunately, as a tyranny-minded "president" is about to take office, and the oligarchs are crowding around him in anticipation of all the money they're going to make, and in some cases of the stark-raving mad social and political changes they might like to see within the next year or two. We shall soon find out whether lower-case republicanism and democracy have it in them to stop (or at least slow down) this flight to the extremely regressive forms of government that have troubled most of the word's people for millennia.
"it only keeps shining if we do the hard, even risky work of participatory democracy."
Well said. Participatory is essential there, connect to your local social environment, don't just exist near it. (I'm a massive hypocrite here, I only recently started actively taking part in society beyond my friend group)
Thanks, Joe President. We’ll do our best to keep that lamp of liberty clean and shiny, and the little freedom seeds growing. But it ain’t gonna be easy.
Ta, Dok. That was lovely, and heartbreaking.
President Biden was not wrong. He did an excellent job and his warnings are very much spot on.
However, he failed at the main job he had which was to make sure that the orange monster did not get back into office.
had that been his focus? Maybe we would not all be resigned and depressed right now.
unfortunately, also his message did not reach a lot of Americans that voted or did not vote.
Chumps
Agreed. Perhaps instead of backing Kamala, he should have resigned and given her the presidency. We will never know.
We are going to miss him, indeed.
Participatory Democracy would be great. But I think Walgreens has it locked up in a case next to the razor blades and electric tooth brushes.
"(...) Ronald Reagan, who blithely called America a “shining city on a hill” because it’s so plainly the bestest place possible. (As Sarah Vowell reminds us, adding “shining” was a sunny perversion of the original Puritan metaphor’s dour intent, which warned that everyone would see our sins)."
I'm gonna give Ronald Reagan a pass on this one. IMO, the Puritans themselves perverted the meaning of the phrase, which is rather famously in the bible (in the Sermon on the Mount):
"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
That seems a lot more like Reagan's version, TBH. I mean, *I* don't think Jesus was talking about the USA here, but it seems to be common in American Christianity to think that everything in the Bible is about the USA in one way or another.
I’ve said before that stupidity in America has reached critical mass. And Teh Stoopid is not just from PAB supporters. It’s also from voters who voted 3rd party or stayed home.
I've long thought that even a small minority of people who are flaming uneducated fools and possibly even just plain idiots are enough to cause severe upset to a democratic society. We have a LOT more than "a small minority" of such people. They've reached a "strong plurality" and may pass over into an outright majority. Idiots are ungovernable by democratic or indeed almost any means, so I'm not sure how we survive this degradation.
Right on, sibling!
Hey Dok! Do you Wonkette’s talk to each other? SER has been shitting all over Biden for a couple days running now.
Are you trying to imply that people in a group are not allowed to have a difference of opinion?
Also, can you link to the offending posts, what I've seen from SER is nuanced and definitely points out where Biden did good things.
Play Typer Guy Jan 13
Jan 16 Public Notice
Uh, you might not have noticed, SER doesn't work here anymore. He's free to express his opinions on his own blog but they don't reflect Wonkette editorial policy, such as it is.
SER no longer writes for Wonkette.
Bankruptcy Code
Clarence Thomas
But sure sure 5 decades of service and definitely better than alternatives. But I stand by my claim that anyone in politics is by definition an asshole and I have yet to find an exception.
Wow. Not one moment of grace allowed.
Hard disagree. Let’s temper the beatification though please.
He ameliorated some of the catastrophe of Trump 1.0 but paved the way Trump 2.0 for by reneging on his promise not to run again. His political ego got in the way proving me correct again.
So thanks for your service, Joe. Sometimes you were in it for you. Sometimes you were in it for the corporations of Delaware. Often you were in it for the American people. You did better than most. It’s a tough job. You chose it and chose to stay in it.
Warning of obvious dangers, which you in many ways could have preventeded, by way of valediction earns no Good Boy Treats.
whatever. it's all CIA kabuki. joe thought he was good.
I loved this speech. I will miss him. And if I hear ANYONE blaming the Democrats for ANYTHING in the years to come, I will heartily kick them in the nuts.
Democrats have historically and consistently strengthened government power when they knew that Republicans would get back in power regularly and then wield that power too. This means they have the same responsibility for the results a weapon supplier has when their weapons are used for atrocities.
Come at me, I'm in The Netherlands. If you don't actually kick me in the nuts (a punch on the should is fine) I'll take you to a little hole in the wall gin bar/distillery for drinks, my treat.
And this angry Yank/Irish woman will be right behind you with her black metal stick...
And this furious Irish-American will bring up the rear with her blackthorn stick.
Get 'yer nut kickin' boots on, 'cuz they gonna!
I got them on RIGHT NOW lol ;)
Biden reprising Eisenhower's Farewell Address pretty much sums it up, a Greatest Generation guy stuck in Greatest Generation tropes.
Yeah, we don't need no stinking history. Do we Mr. Summer-Upper? You can't even keep your marketing-friendly generation stereotypes straight.
Hear, hear. Bring on the lowest and least from the generation of ne'er-do-wells created by the GOP.
And just like we ignored Ike's warning about the military industrial complex, we're ignore Biden's warnings.
probably so. It would have been a lot easier to handle the problem in the 60s, as so many others.
Couldn't. Too busy arresting peace marchers.
I can't watch. It's too painful to watch such a good president leave knowing we have a greedy, lawless, petty tyrant taking his place. I sobbed at Obama's last message. I can't take that again.
Yes. It’s a very blue velvet time.
Yep, it's still a nasty, ugly man's world.