Fowler commentary: Where are your clothes, Joe?
When Joe Biden was elected president, he seemed to think the word “president” was the same as the word “emperor.” Thus, he adopted what we might call the Napoleonic Syndrome and immediately began issuing edicts. The first edict (“executive order”) was to eliminate thousands of jobs by closing the Xcel Pipeline and stopping drilling on federal lands. Those experienced workers who commanded top wages instantly were relegated to menial jobs, such as clerk, dishwasher, et al, and lowered standards of living from those standards which they had earned from years of learning and practicing their trades. The great job creator was really a great job destroyer, and he continued his destruction by opening our borders, damaging our economy, raising our cost of living, weakening our foreign relations through the Afghanistan debacle — and, the list goes on. His real policy, it seems, is to kowtow to China by selling electric cars which need electric batteries built in China — cars which few people want.
Other presidents, as a general practice, issue executive orders when they assume the presidential seat, but the orders do not destroy the economy, eliminate jobs, and initiate high inflation. Yet, among his many shortcomings, Biden is oblivious to the destruction created by him. He is much like the emperor who had no clothes. He wanders through life completely naked (metaphorically ), touting the “tremendous” successes of his policies, completely unaware that his policies have greatly damaged our country. Under Biden’s leadership, blue states have abandoned the rule of law by creating punishment-free big cities in which criminals operate with impunity, openly stealing from stores while employees stand by helpless to prevent the crimes.
Biden’s economic policies have resulted in inflation and lowered value of the dollar, bringing economic hardship to most Americans. The emperor mandated that masks and vaccinations be required for everyone when he inherited the covid pandemic, ignoring the fact that he had no legal authority to do so. This mandate brought untold harm to America’s students, causing them to lose months of vital education which they will never regain. During covid, many teachers stopped teaching and many students stopped listening to online, canned instruction that requires dedicated self-discipline as well as face-to-face interaction with the teacher and other students.
Against all military advice to the contrary, Biden withdrew our troops from Afghanistan prematurely, leaving chaos behind and billions of dollars’ worth of the latest military equipment. He also abandoned a vital airport with the latest technology for any enemy who desired to take it. That enemy is likely China, since the airport is near the Afghan border with China. Why did Biden withdraw the troops in the dead of night with no coherent plan? No rational explanation exists, and the plan already adopted for a systematic withdrawal was shattered. It appears that Biden, in his new role as Commander-in-Chief, wanted to show that he is now the superior commander, the emperor, who can demand immediate response to his commands, no matter how destructive the demands may be. “All hail the Chief!” Shall we give him the extended arm salute?
The decree by the emperor to pay off all student loans, again with no authority to do so, duped students into voting for him in the 2020 election. And now, in the face of the Supreme Court decision that he, indeed, had no authority to pay off the loans without the approval of Congress, he has simply ignored the decision and reissued the decree under an obscure law that circumvents Congressional approval as well. The plan is to again garner student votes for the 2024 election. The emperor knows that the illegal promise will again be struck down by the Supreme Court, but not before the 2024 election. It is hoped that students will be educated enough to recognize the ruse that their student loans will be paid by Biden. The government will not pay their debts. Nor should they. My wife repaid her student loan. It took her twenty years to do so. Why should today’s students receive special privileges?
Poor Joe! Being the figurehead of the Democrat Party, he must shoulder the blame that his advisors have burdened him with. I seriously doubt that Joe is much aware of anything. Before a national audience, he simply parrots what his handlers tell him to say before stumbling off the stage afterwards—that is providing he can find his way. Frankly, I am reluctant to point out these failures. Joe can’t help himself. However, his shortcomings have brought shame to our country on the international stage and a strong perception of weakness to our enemies; therefore, he is endangering our country. Joe Biden is a disaster even though his Democrats won’t acknowledge it. My hope is that our country can survive his presidency and send him to his own St. Helena. Joe, you are no emperor.
Carl Fowler is a retired professor of English at Amarillo College and lives in Amarillo.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Fowler commentary: Where are your clothes, Joe?
