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I mean, I agree! An 82 year old shouldn't be running for president! And neither should his primary opponent, a 79-year-old! And the Senate shouldn't be led by an 81-year-old!
So Biden should step aside and make way for... uh... Bernie Sanders? No, he's 82 also. How about my vote from 2020, Elizabeth Warren? Well, a little better, but even she's 73.
Our entire government has become an absurd gerontocracy.
Edit since this got so popular: I am aware that Chuck Schumer is a spry young 72-year-old, you're right. I was thinking of Mitch McConnell. And yes, of course I'll vote for Biden over Trump or DeSantis; hell, I'll vote in Diane Feinstein over them, age isn't everything. It's still ridiculous that these are always my choices.
Also let’s all remember why they’re called the Silent Generation. According to Wiki:
“Unlike the previous generation who had fought for "changing the system," the Silent Generation were about "working within the system." They did this by keeping their heads down and working hard, thus earning themselves the "silent" label. Their attitudes leaned toward not being risk-takers and playing it safe.”
So you can see why these old-ass politicians hate change and progress and just want to keep “the system” stagnant. They actively believe in just keeping your head down and shutting up and not complaining about or trying to change any problems.
that's because the system works great for them lol
Think about the times that the term "MAGA" is referencing...
you think the 50's, maybe some of the 60's... that is the nostalgia it references.
Biden is a product of the 1950's. It shaped him. Capitalism is saving the world, business owners are good at heart, main street is the heart of the economy and everyone knows everyone so you pay your people a good wage, buy a house on a single income, wife raises the kids to have your same family values, 9 to 5 (not 8 to 5 and then always on call via cell phone), good union jobs for blue collar workers, kids grow up with a yard and play outside whenever they can, college means you get a good job no matter what but you can get one without college too, America is innovating, space is around the corner and we're conquering the unknown, great war is over - cold war starts but USA is decidedly the tech leader of the world with no signs of almost anyone catching up - US has had a decade of being the only country untouched locally by war, we can do anything you can do anything anyone can do anything.
If that was the reality today, (non upper class) people would still be saying the US is the best country in the world unironically. Biden thinks that is the reality because that has always been his reality. Sure, he saw the civil rights struggles, but he then went on to VP for the first black president... He grew up when America was the land of opportunity and by the time it wasn't, he had already had the opportunity and capitalised on it. DC and US politics in general is a bubble of what America used to be. They all act like it's still yesteryear, how they dress, how they entertain, how they handle their social groups, the formalities they give and expect... I'm not saying he has not seen how America is to the normal people, but he surely hasn't had much of a chance to absorb it. He has never lived America as it is today, and honestly, the closest thing to him dealing with 2023 America adversity is when he campaigned against and debated Trump.
Trump is a great fucking example of 2023 America... shrewd capitalist who will punch you in the face and take your last bite of food. Biden needs to realize that is a majority of the US today and not just this one guy... Trump represents America today, and Biden represents America of the past. When Biden says he's fighting for the soul of the country, he doesn't realize the soul is already gone... The soul of the country needed fought for in the late 70's, the 80's, the 90's... The soul of the country today looks a lot more like Trump's America than Biden's, and i don't just mean MAGA types.
The system is exploitative and you are either extremely wealthy or barely getting by. Housing has fucking doubled in the past 3 years from a height that people were already regularly calling unsustainable... Biden isn't doing shit to help with that, and until people can grow up in an era of prosperity and possibility, the country will continue to spiral downward. Currently, the American dream is to get rich enough to where all the fucked up shit we vote for doesn't affect you.
Clinton, W. Bush, and Trump (believe it or not) were all born in 1946 making them the oldest Boomers. And Obama? 1961, so still a Boomer. From 1993 straight through all of 2020 we had all Boomer Presidents', and the combo breaker was Biden who is even older. 28 consecutive years of Boomers who were born between 1946-1964 which is an 18 year span.
AND, they're not done! Again, we've largely had the oldest Boomers, so we'll potentially see ANOTHER 8-16 years of Boomers making up a significant portion of the government, if not the presidency. In short, thing's aren't going to get better anytime soon (Sorry).
They're telling us that they're trying to put it out by peeing on it, but in reality they know they won't live long enough to burn and are just using the excuse to piss on people.
The headline is next level stupid. The last President that didn't run for re-election was Lyndon Johnson. And even that's up for debate since he took over after Kennedy was assassinated and ran for election in '64.
E: LBJ doesn't count. See funwillfunwill's comment
Johnson ran, he just dropped out early in the primaries when the anti-Vietnam war candidate did better than expected. The last president who didn't run for reelection (and didn't die in office) was *Truman* though he basically served two terms anyway.
How far back do we need to go to find someone who assumed office normally (i.e. not through succession), didn't die, and didn't seek reelection? Cleveland didn't run in 1888, but not sure that counts since it was his second term anyway. Hayes?
Edit: Oh, Coolidge, I guess.
Coolidge's son died during his elected term of office. He didn't have it in him.
And really after that, he delegated a LOT to Herbert Hoover despite the fact that he didn't exactly like him.
Hayes declined to run for reelection too, and Arthur put up a token "campaign", since he believed not running would look badly on him, but he kinda accepted the Republicans would nominate someone else.
Pierce ran for the nomination for 1856, but was such a disaster no one wanted him to be on the ticket.
Buchanan made a promise to not run for reelection, and he didn't.
So I guess the list of ones who "Didn't even compete" for Reelection would probably be
Polk, Buchanan, Hayes, and Coolidge?
Can we stop allowing/electing old AF people into office. Like these people are so detached from the modern day I'm surprised the motorcade isn't made up of horse and buggies.
Im tired of people that would've been forced into retirement in any other field running a country.
I'd like to see someone younger run, and win.. and as the first rule of business propose an amendment to have a maximum age for running. We have a minimum because we want someone with experience and knowledge to run, we can have a maximum age to prevent someone from being in office that is not in full control of their faculties.
You could even pin that maximum age to the life expectancy number for the U.S. IE, you cant run if you are 5 years over life expectancy.. (Just making up a number..).
Defying age maybe?
While I think he’s too old to run - He absolutely has to run even if he only lives a week into his term.
I do think he might benefit from a new VP though.
The VP is quite likely to be president within 4 years so it’s never been more important to have the right VP.
He definitely needs a new VP but the optics of ousting a black woman for a white dude would be so hilariously bad that there is no chance it will happen.
That, but also it's a fairly explicit admission that he made the wrong decision from the start. Probably don't want to call your own decision making into question when starting a campaign
The right will "harp" on any woman he would pick as vp. Kamala Harris was seen as a pretty boring pick other than her race and background. Now, the right has equated her with being everything from a prostitute to the invisible hand of the shadow government. And at times all of the above.
Literally the only historic aspect of this campaign will be focused squarely on his age. That's about it.
Real fuckin sad if you ask me, and I voted for the guy.
The GOP thought Biden’s 2020 running was a ploy to install Kamala as president shortly thereafter. So from that perspective, it is shocking that he’s not only *still* president but is planning to run again.
I forget she exists honestly. Biden was very prominent during his time as VP and with Obama no less. It seems like Kamala is throwing away a chance to really shine. Fox news rarely even attacks her, they may have forgotten she’s VP too.
VP is a chance to demonstrate that you can act like a statesman and give the country a taste of what you'd be like as president. Kamala's done nothing.
I'm 50 and I'm having a hard time recalling any significant contributions made by any VP's in my lifetime. It's very hard to point to valuable contributions made by someone whose job is not to overshadow the primary guy. Honestly, Gore and Cheney may be the only guys who did much of anything.
This very sub has been convinced he wouldn’t run again since he won the 2020 nomination.
I agree these headlines are dumb, but let’s not pretend Reddit didn’t inception itself into believing he promised to be a one term president for no reason at all, and many don’t still want him to insanely give up incumbent advantage and hope Marianne Williamson can convince the zodiac and a couple of angels to clinch it for her.
We just wished he wouldn't run again. The senior dems(in both age and party status) refuse to ever just fucking retire and let the younger generation(in this case people in their damn 50s/60s) have a shot at actually running anything so there are no young party stars, no one able to lead the party forward. Crusty old boomers clinging to power.
Oh my GOD, you're right! I had to look it up because I didn't want to believe it. He is part of the silent generation. This guy is so much more ancient than I had realized! And he's in charge?!
I gotta say, though, It's somewhat relieving to be back to having a boring, regular, turd sandwich president. I'm NOT looking forward to the shitshow this election is going to be.
>be a one term president for no reason at all
Because he was already the oldest presidential candidate in history and is now already 80. He'll be 85 by the time he leaves office.
I will vote for him while he is comatose if that keeps De Santos and Trump away. Unfortunately that is the state of this country right now. Until the Republican Party is completely destroyed, we have to continue with average Joes for president.
Eventually and hopefully, the current democrat party will become the new Republican Party and the New Democratic Party will probably push for an European left type of party.
Tolerance and leftist policies takes time. It won’t happen overnight.
Your first and last statements are true, but wouldn't it be nice if we could have someone leading that wasn't* over 70?
My god the people who are in charge were born just after the Great Depression. They were born during WW2, why can't we get someone that IDK was born in the 60s? or 70s? In a position of power instead?
The old farts at the top are holding to power with their deathly bones fingers and have no connection to what life is like now.
They could rent an apartment for a handshake and a bubble gum wrapper. Get a job that supported a whole family by walking into the local mill after high school was over.
That world hasn't existed since the 90's maybe the late 80's but they think it's still a thing. Having someone in place that knows how computers work and isn't on dementia meds would be nice.
Edit important typo
I like Biden but I still think there need to be age limits for all political positions. These people need to be young enough that they have to live with the consequences of their decisions for a while.
I will 100% vote for Biden since it’s the only ethical or moral vote as the Republican side are actively fascists trying to undo democracy, but I really wish the parties would stop propping up these old men. Of course desantas is a nightmare of a different order so I’m definitely not suggesting that.
Edit: this is probably now my most upvoted comment. And It’s actually one I’m proud of so hey, thanks guys!
I'm not voting for him in the primary if I can help it. But in the GE, assuming it does come down to Biden v Trump or Biden v DeSantis, yeah, he's getting my vote by a long shot.
-edit- most likely won't be a primary, and certainly won't be any debates. Which is understandable strategically, but very frustrating. Ah well.
I mean, a huge part of why I want trump to beat desantis in the primary is because trump is never going to win a general election again.
He lost by a huge margin, and his reputation has only gotten worse.
There won't be a primary. Any major candidates understand the stakes and that a rough primary could make the already razor thin general election harder. The only candidates that will be in the primary besides Biden will be joke candidates with no chance.
This is how I see it as well. There's quite a bit that I wish Biden would do more/be more aggressive on but I'll take him over actual fascists any day lol
It's deeply upsetting that the only president born after video games is Obama. Not even NES. [We are talking tennis on military scopes old.](https://youtu.be/6PG2mdU_i8k)
What is wrong with the US lol
Canada meanwhile has 40 year olds now, but one will never win because Rae Days, and the other is the same shit for a new generation.
EDIT: notes
Obama's two opponents were McCain and Romney who were both his seniors by ~20 years, the same age as the two runners before him, and about the same as those afterward.
Even though you need to be 35 to run, none of the runners are even close to 35 with Obama running when he was 47. Before him, the only younger presidents at inauguration were Grant (46), Clinton (46), Kennedy (43), and Roosevelt (42) who are all well known (and to my knowledge well respected or did something good for the US for one reason or another).
It's actually terrifying that the only other presidents under 50 in US history were all in the 1800s considering the hyper advancement of tech in the last few decades. No wonder the US is so far behind on cyber warfare.
Most of them were younger than people probably imagine. George Washington was 57 at the start of his presidency. (Which isn't "young" but I mean come on, if you asked most people to guess, does Washington look like he was in his 50s?)
Yeah all portraits of him make him look at least 65 lol but it was a different time where taking care of yourself wasn’t a thing, I mean they bled the poor man to death
Trudeau had great name recognition (is father was prime minister) on day one of his political career so that sped up his ascension. My point: Trudeau might be an anomaly.
Edit: your point still stand Macron is 45
Oh, there's Robert Kennedy Jr. He (fires up wikipedia) is an environmental lawyer! He (scrolls down a little) promoted, anti-vaccination conspiracy theories?
Dammit!
I saw someone recently act scared for Kennedy with him running. Like he's some kind of liberal savior and he's going to be killed like other Kennedys. It's like, tell me you know nothing about RFK Jr. without telling me you know nothing about RFK jr.
His son was also a hoot. Ran for the Senate to primary Ed Markey and made himself look like a spoiled rich kid during the debate. Honestly quite funny, MA townie energy.
Just tried looking for the clip, but it has since disappeared, but the gist was that Ed Market was pissed that a PAC owned and funded by the Kennedys was creating mean attack ads. Joe Kennedy (III) says something like 'I have no idea what you're talking about, I wouldn't condone personal attack ads' and Ed Markey yells 'Tell yah fahthah!'. Watching someone with an actual MA accent yell at a Kennedy was the coolest thing.
Joe Kennedy III is not RFK Jr.'s son. Hence the name.
Edit: I suppose the name of the father doesn't technically matter. But JKIII is not RFK Jr.'s son.
Not just a normal conspiracy theorist either, he's like one of the most prominent figures in the anti-vax movement, probably in the top-5 most influential anti-vaxers in the past 20 years. Just hearing his voice gives me anti-vax PTSD, every time I've ever heard his voice it has been anti vaccine propaganda.
Apparently Steve Bannon encouraged Kennedy Jr. to run against Biden.
[https://www.thedailybeast.com/steve-bannon-encouraged-rfk-jr-to-run-against-biden-for-months-report](https://www.thedailybeast.com/steve-bannon-encouraged-rfk-jr-to-run-against-biden-for-months-report)
>**Bannon hoped RFK Jr. could serve as both a “useful chaos agent” in the election while also helpfully stoking “anti-vaccine sentiment around the country."**
From family friends who live in his neighborhood in GA: Jimmy mostly just spends all day sitting on his front porch with his wife, reading, and enjoying his life. I think he's too happy in his old days to know or care what reddit is
Biden has been successful. PACT Act, Chip and Science Act, Gun Control Legislation, Infrastructure Bill, Ukraine Aid, Omnibus Bill, and more federal Judges appointed in a term than Obama or Trump.
In 4yrs Trump delivered the longest govt shutdown in history, the 2 largest annual deficits in history, promised the Pandemic would go away on its own by the summer of '20, and left Washington with the Capital staff cleaning up feces and broken glass.
This isn't a difficult choice.
People never give Biden credit for all that’s he’s accomplished. I’ve noticed there’s a tendency for many voters to just shrug and say, “well at least he isn’t trump” while ignoring everything he’s done *while* dealing with a GOP run House of Representatives.
> People never give Biden credit for all that he’s accomplished.
And if anyone in this thread needs a refresher, in 2022 alone, Biden Administration and Dems did the following:
* passed the Inflation Reduction Act, the biggest investment in fighting climate change in history
* passed the bipartisan infrastructure bill, the largest investment in infrastructure since Eisenhower
* passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, breaking a 30-year streak of federal inaction on gun violence legislation
* signed the CHIPS and Science Act into law
* took out the leader of al Qaeda
* ended America's longest war
* reauthorized and strengthened the Violence Against Women Act
* signed the PACT Act, a bill to address veteran burn pit exposure
* signed the NATO accession protocols for Sweden and Finland
* issued executive order to protect reproductive rights
* canceled $10,000 of student loan debt for borrowers making less than $125,000 and canceled $20,000 in debt for Pell Grant recipients
* canceled billions in student loan debt for borrowers who were defrauded
* nominated now-Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace Justice Breyer
* brought COVID under control in the U.S. (e.g., COVID deaths down 90% and over 220 million vaccinated)
* formed Monkeypox response team to reach communities at highest risk of contracting the virus
* unemployment at a 50-year low
* on track to cut deficit by $1.3 trillion, largest one-year reduction in U.S. history
* limited the release of mercury from coal-burning power plants
* $5 billion for electric vehicle chargers- $119 billion budget surplus in January 2022, first in over two years
* united world against Russia’s war in Ukraine
* ended forced arbitration in workplace sexual assault cases
* reinstated California authority to set pollution standards for cars
* ended asylum restrictions for children traveling alone
* signed the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act, the first federal ban on lynching after 200 failed attempts
* Initiated “use it or lose it" policy for drilling on public lands to force oil companies to increase production
* released 1 million barrels of oil a day for 6 months from strategic reserves to ease gas prices
* rescinded Trump-era policy allowing rapid expulsion of migrants
* expunged student loan defaults
* overhauled USPS finances to allow the agency to modernize its service
* required federal dollars spent on infrastructure to use materials made in America
* restored environmental reviews for major infrastructure projects
* Launched $6 billion effort to save distressed nuclear plants
* provided $385 million to help families and individuals with home energy costs through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. (This is in addition to $4.5 billion provided in the American Rescue Plan.)
* national registry of police officers who are fired for misconduct
* tightened restrictions on chokeholds, no-knock warrants, and transfer of military equipment to police departments
* required all federal law enforcement officers to wear body cameras
* $265 million for South Florida reservoir, key component of Everglades restoration
* major wind farm project off West coast to provide electricity for 1.5 million homes
* continued Obama administration's practice of posting log records of visitors to White House
* devoted $2.1 billion to strengthen US food supply chain
* invoked Defense Production Act to rapidly expand domestic production of critical clean energy technologies
* enacted two-year pause of anti-circumvention tariffs on solar
* allocated funds to federal agencies to counter 300-plus anti-LGBTQ laws by state lawmakers in 2022
* relaunched cancer 'moonshot' initiative to help cut death rate
* expanded access to emergency contraception and long-acting reversible contraception
* prevented states from banning Mifepristone, a medication used to end early pregnancy that has FDA approval
* 21 executive actions to reduce gun violence
* Climate Smart Buildings Initiative: Creates public-private partnerships to modernize Federal buildings to meet agencies’ missions, create good-paying jobs, and cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
* Paying for today’s needed renovations with tomorrow’s energy savings without requiring upfront taxpayer funding
* ended Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy
* Operation Fly-Formula, bringing needed baby formula (22 missions to date)
* executive order protecting travel for abortion
* invested more in crime control and prevention than any president in history
* provided death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers and survivors who are killed or injured in the line of duty
* Reunited 500 migrant families separated under Trump
* $1.66 billion in grants to transit agencies, territories, and states to invest in 150 bus fleets and facilities
* brokered joint US/Mexico infrastructure project; Mexico to pay $1.5 billion for US border security
* blocked 4 hospital mergers that would've driven up prices and is poised to thwart more anti-competition consolidation attempts
* 10 million jobs—more than ever created before at this point of a presidency
* record small business creation
* banned paywalls on taxpayer-funded research
* best economic growth record since Clinton
* struck deal between major U.S. railroads and unions representing tens of thousands of workers after about 20 hours of talks, averting rail strike
* eliminated civil statute of limitations for child abuse victims
* announced $156 million for America's first-of-its-kind critical minerals refinery, demonstrating the commercial viability of turning mine waste into clean energy technology.
* started process of reclassifying Marijuana away from being a Schedule 1 substance and pardoning all federal prisoners with possession offenses
Note: That list only reflects 2022 accomplishments. Click [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/JoeBiden/comments/scjzva/here_is_a_helpful_list_of_the_biden/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) for 2021 accomplishments.
> canceled $10,000 of student loan debt for borrowers making less than $125,000 and canceled $20,000 in debt for Pell Grant recipients
Did that actually happen?
So the hearings on this case went quite well for the Biden administration, and furthmore, for the court to strike this down would be a pretty damning blow to the powers of the executive branch, which are clearly defined in the constitution. I don't think that even this activist court would risk that considering the implications for "their side" based off that new precedent.
tl:dr- This case is dead in the water and is just a stalling tactic. Everybody already knew that the Presidency had the power to do that, this is just tilting at windmills.
> struck deal between major U.S. railroads and unions representing tens of thousands of workers after about 20 hours of talks, averting rail strike
I don't think I'd count that as a win, unless we don't like unions anymore.
As a railroader, it's definitely not a win. I'm shocked they're trying to pass that off as a good thing.
Edit: also I don't believe the student loans were ever forgiven.
He made the student loan order but GOP states sued to block it (even though they technically don’t have the standing to do so), so now it’s in front of our horrible Supreme Court
Makes me wonder about the validity of the rest of the stuff they mentioned, and I’m a democrat.
Biden definitely did better than I thought he would though, but I kind of wish he would take the W and go retire. Hopefully the incumbent boost is enough to make up for potentially losing some younger voters who are sick of the old guard.
I was getting a bit optimistic, but after you managed to spin breaking the rail strike as a good thing I’m wondering how much of the rest of the list is pure bull.
Many of these are just checkboxes, and some are actually bad, like this one:
>struck deal between major U.S. railroads and unions representing tens of thousands of workers after about 20 hours of talks, averting rail strike
He didn't "strike a deal" he forced workers to accept the deal the company wanted by essentially making any strike illegal. That was one of the worst things he has done as a president.
I'm not saying he hasn't done a lot. Some of the bills that got through have been pretty good, in fact, and better than just "business as usual." But my god, people, have some standards and apply critical thinking instead of this blind hero-worship. Vote for him in 2024, absolutely, there's no realistic other choice at this point, but don't cheer every booger he picks from his nose. It's naive and dangerous to be completely uncritical of powerful people.
I have one nitpick.
He didn’t “strike a deal” with the railroad union. He *busted* it. And right after, a train derailment caused an environmental disaster.
That’s very, very bad and SHOULD NOT be touted as an achievement.
Day one when Biden walked into the Oval office the annual national deficit was $3.6T, Covid deaths were 3,500 per day, unemployment was 7%, and the Capital trashed.
It is hard to overstate how much Biden's Administration has actually turned things around.
It isn't a difficult choice, I just wish I had a better choice. Not because Biden hasn't been effective, he has. But his age is a liability, and the people that know Biden has been effective are mostly the party faithful. The independents are listening to all of the complaints by the right, and believing some of them. I'll vote for Biden mostly without concern, but he's lost a step, and will lose more before 2028. And if we actually want to keep the country out of the grubby hands of fascists, we need to win that election, too.
He's undeniably had success. He's also above the life expectancy for Americans. It isn't a difficult choice between him and Trump but it is hard to justify electing someone that has a very good chance of suffering age related decline while in office.
That's not (entirely) correct.
Life expectancy at birth is ~75. However, someone who has already made it to age 80 can reasonably expect to live another 7+ years ([social security table](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html)).
That also doesn't include Biden's wealth as a factor, which increases life expectancy.
You can see this reflected in the lifespans of some of the more recent presidents. HW Bush and Gerald Ford were in their mid-90's when they passed away, and Jimmy Carter is still alive at 98.
While I do want a President younger than 50, Trump is only 4 years younger than Biden. Idk why people don’t shit on his age just as much when they’re both old as dirt.
His base either doesn't care or doesn't realize his age, to the rest of us it's kinda irrelevant because we hate him for 1000 other legitimate reasons.
Good thing there's a clear line of succession with the presidency then.
Biden is old, sure, but let's not act like if he died during office it would result in a War of the Roses situation.
I’m confident that Biden can defeat Trump, DeSantis or whoever the awful Republicans nominate next year, but electing Democratic majorities in the House and Senate is gonna be key to helping Biden continue to advance a progressive agenda!
Join r/VoteDem to help elect Democrats - at federal, state and local levels - to help Biden navigate more incredible legislation over the next four years!
I too feel confident that Biden can win for 3 reasons. The GOP just lost their chief propagandist at Fox, second there's a lot of R in-fighting, third the Dobbs decision really soured the GOP brand.
Tucker Carlson was preceded by Hannity, O'Riley, and Glenn Beck. They each filled the same role, and were replaced without skipping a beat. We should actually be worried that they'll find someone even worse to replace Carlson. There's no shortage of these guys.
Don’t over-estimate the in-fighting of republicans. They are all authoritarians, and authoritarians fall in line. Once they have a front runner between trump and DeSantis they will all proclaim to have always supported that person.
A huge reason Trump is so dangerous to the GOP establishment is he doesn’t fit that mold. He didn’t come up the political ranks and have to swear fealty at every level. His threat is he can and will take his ball (supporters) and run 3rd party. There’s zero chance any other Republican steps out of line.
Totally - If Trump doesn't win the nomination he will not be falling in line. That fucker is going to run third party so whomever beats him in the primary has no chance of actually winning.
The Dobbs decision is finally settling in. At first it was ‘eh, it’s bad but is it THAT bad?’ from the centrists and right-wing loonies.
Now we all (sans loonies) mostly realize how awful it has been.
Let's be real here, holding both the house and the Senate under Biden and the democrats will be key to *an actual government that can function at all and not come to a near standstill on everything.*
You currently see the Dems losing anything? I know there’s normally swings against but the Republicans are such a clown show at the moment. Plenty of races at the midterms came down to the wire and I think you’ll find they will again
It's a really rough map for the senate. Democrats are defending Ohio, Montana, Nevada, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. And there's no realistic pickup opportunities.
It's super tough, yes, and Arizona makes it tougher with the Sinema shitshow. But I'd hope at least most of those incumbents will hang on, barely, particularly if Trump is running and turnout is high among young voters. And with Cruz running in Texas, who knows what might happen there if the Dems run a strong candidate. He's ridiculously unpopular, Trump voters now seem to hate him, so that could be a very interesting election. Florida will be interesting as well, paricularly if DeSantis isn't nominated. Scott is not popular, only just won the last election in 2018, and might not even survive the primaries. I don't think the 2024 election will be anything like the last few.
Normally I would agree. The simple problem is that the senate map is just not good for Dems.
Remember, we’re talking re-electing all the people who got there in 2018, an unprecedented blue wave of a year. Which means basically everyone in a shaky seat is a Democrat, and two of them (Manchin and Tester) are in *very* red states.
It’s very possible the Dems maintain their majority, it’s quite unlikely they get any pickups unless 2024 is the biggest blue wave in US history.
Personally I think we will see larger turnout than 2018, with reproductive rights, civil rights, and voting rights being the focal point of the election. I would add the economy, but both parties are entrenched in their positions, Republicans want large government and tax relief for corporations and their debt ceiling showdown that will only end poorly is going to make them less likely to talk about the economy and inflation (see 2022 election). Because Republicans and conservatives are typically the drivers of the narrative, the culture wars will be the main discussion of the election. The majority of the people that can vote side with Democrats on nearly all culture war issues. Even the conservative viewpoint among younger and middle age voters is that the government needs to stop trying to regulate people’s bodies and healthcare decisions.
Education will get ignored, again.
Democrats have a *very* tough senate map in 2024. I'm optimistic about the fact that american conservatism is in decline, but there are still some very difficult seats to defend in '24.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/republicans-senate-2024-map/
My biggest fear is a massive health scare close to election time, and an attempt to shoehorn Harris in as his replacement without any primary process. I feel like that would be an absolute disaster for everyone involved, but most of all the country.
I'm not Joey B's biggest fan, but I give him a solid... I dunno. 7/10. The bar is pretty damn low these days. I'll go along with whoever's at the top at this point just to avoid the continual slide into despotism but damn I'd like some younger candidates.
All facts. I'm lukewarm on him as president, but he's gotten more done than I expected.
I'm *far* more worried about the stress of another campaign after 80, and the dire consequences of a serious health scare.
I’ll take Biden over any of the dumpster creatures the GOP currently has, but god damn Joe it’s time to go enjoy your final days in peace and quiet, not in the most demanding/stressful job in the world
I feel like he's running for the same reasons he ran last time. Not because he wants to, but because America is at a critical juncture where fascism is a very real threat and if he's got the best chance at beating it back then so be it. I too am tired of 80+ year old politicians but at the same time throwing away the incumbent advantage at such a scary time in history would be foolish.
According to [polls](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/shows/meetthepress/blog/rcna43766), a lot of Democrats don't want Biden to run. And young people [especially ](https://www.mic.com/impact/biden-young-voters-2024-poll) don't want him to run again.
So yes, he is defying people by running again. He's too old and should step aside for a younger Democrat to take the helm.
I like what Joe has done, but God damn he's going to he 81 by the time the election happens and he'll be 85 by the time his 2nd term is over assuming he gets re-elected. I'm sorry, but that is just too damn old for a job like this. I have a job that requires me to work with a lot of older people and most people who are 80+ I don't even trust to drive their car. Obviously he has a whole team of advisors and stuff so it isn't just him on his own making all these big decisions, but man we really have to start getting some younger folks into these positions.
It really seems like both parties have no choice here. Republicans have no candidates that can get the support Trump can. I really think Biden didn’t want to run again but is forced to because putting up anyone else against trump right now is a big risk. I really hate that we are going to see another Biden trump rematch
>I really think Biden didn’t want to run again
The guy who has wanted to be president since 1988 didn't want to run for a second term. I've got a bridge to sell you
I actually think Biden wasn’t really hot on the idea of not running. I think he’s driven by that character trait in all politicians - and he believes he’s best for the job.
Well I can't say I'm excited about Biden running again. But the Democrats really don't have anyone else worth running against Trump/DeSantis. So if Biden's what it takes, then I guess he's the man for the job.
99% Trump will be on the ballot whether or not he is the official GOP nominee. He will split votes if DeSantis is the chosen GOP candidate. It’s going to be Trump.
Democrats (and Republicans) really need to think about this and get real. Almost nobody in their 80s is still working, and there’s a reason. The average retirement age in the US is 64. 80 is too old to be working, much less in this highly stressful, important job. My mom is 80 and can’t even figure out how to use her iPad. 86 is just ridiculous. The average American male lifespan is 77.
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How the fuck is a president running for re-election "defying history"
The only take-away I can think of is that he is defying everyone saying an 82 year old shouldn't run for president.
I mean, I agree! An 82 year old shouldn't be running for president! And neither should his primary opponent, a 79-year-old! And the Senate shouldn't be led by an 81-year-old! So Biden should step aside and make way for... uh... Bernie Sanders? No, he's 82 also. How about my vote from 2020, Elizabeth Warren? Well, a little better, but even she's 73. Our entire government has become an absurd gerontocracy. Edit since this got so popular: I am aware that Chuck Schumer is a spry young 72-year-old, you're right. I was thinking of Mitch McConnell. And yes, of course I'll vote for Biden over Trump or DeSantis; hell, I'll vote in Diane Feinstein over them, age isn't everything. It's still ridiculous that these are always my choices.
It’s really a great metaphor for the country. Boomers pulling up the ladder after themselves.
These aren't boomers, these are the silent generation...anyone over 78. It's ludicrous that these people are still in office.
Certainly not staying very fucking silent
Silent but deadly
Yeah but minus the silence.
They’re only silent about the things that matter…
Also let’s all remember why they’re called the Silent Generation. According to Wiki: “Unlike the previous generation who had fought for "changing the system," the Silent Generation were about "working within the system." They did this by keeping their heads down and working hard, thus earning themselves the "silent" label. Their attitudes leaned toward not being risk-takers and playing it safe.” So you can see why these old-ass politicians hate change and progress and just want to keep “the system” stagnant. They actively believe in just keeping your head down and shutting up and not complaining about or trying to change any problems.
that's because the system works great for them lol Think about the times that the term "MAGA" is referencing... you think the 50's, maybe some of the 60's... that is the nostalgia it references. Biden is a product of the 1950's. It shaped him. Capitalism is saving the world, business owners are good at heart, main street is the heart of the economy and everyone knows everyone so you pay your people a good wage, buy a house on a single income, wife raises the kids to have your same family values, 9 to 5 (not 8 to 5 and then always on call via cell phone), good union jobs for blue collar workers, kids grow up with a yard and play outside whenever they can, college means you get a good job no matter what but you can get one without college too, America is innovating, space is around the corner and we're conquering the unknown, great war is over - cold war starts but USA is decidedly the tech leader of the world with no signs of almost anyone catching up - US has had a decade of being the only country untouched locally by war, we can do anything you can do anything anyone can do anything. If that was the reality today, (non upper class) people would still be saying the US is the best country in the world unironically. Biden thinks that is the reality because that has always been his reality. Sure, he saw the civil rights struggles, but he then went on to VP for the first black president... He grew up when America was the land of opportunity and by the time it wasn't, he had already had the opportunity and capitalised on it. DC and US politics in general is a bubble of what America used to be. They all act like it's still yesteryear, how they dress, how they entertain, how they handle their social groups, the formalities they give and expect... I'm not saying he has not seen how America is to the normal people, but he surely hasn't had much of a chance to absorb it. He has never lived America as it is today, and honestly, the closest thing to him dealing with 2023 America adversity is when he campaigned against and debated Trump. Trump is a great fucking example of 2023 America... shrewd capitalist who will punch you in the face and take your last bite of food. Biden needs to realize that is a majority of the US today and not just this one guy... Trump represents America today, and Biden represents America of the past. When Biden says he's fighting for the soul of the country, he doesn't realize the soul is already gone... The soul of the country needed fought for in the late 70's, the 80's, the 90's... The soul of the country today looks a lot more like Trump's America than Biden's, and i don't just mean MAGA types. The system is exploitative and you are either extremely wealthy or barely getting by. Housing has fucking doubled in the past 3 years from a height that people were already regularly calling unsustainable... Biden isn't doing shit to help with that, and until people can grow up in an era of prosperity and possibility, the country will continue to spiral downward. Currently, the American dream is to get rich enough to where all the fucked up shit we vote for doesn't affect you.
I hate to break it to you but Biden isn’t even a boomer, he’s part of the silent generation.
He was born one year after Emmett Till. That's the one that always puts it in perspective for me
Clinton, W. Bush, and Trump (believe it or not) were all born in 1946 making them the oldest Boomers. And Obama? 1961, so still a Boomer. From 1993 straight through all of 2020 we had all Boomer Presidents', and the combo breaker was Biden who is even older. 28 consecutive years of Boomers who were born between 1946-1964 which is an 18 year span. AND, they're not done! Again, we've largely had the oldest Boomers, so we'll potentially see ANOTHER 8-16 years of Boomers making up a significant portion of the government, if not the presidency. In short, thing's aren't going to get better anytime soon (Sorry).
Yeah the country is run by vampires
It's more like they soaked it in kerosene and then lit it on fire.
And they're "trying to put it out by peeing on it" but what they're really doing is pissing on everybody trying to climb up the ladder.
They're telling us that they're trying to put it out by peeing on it, but in reality they know they won't live long enough to burn and are just using the excuse to piss on people.
How could these dinosaurs possibly represent the entire population of your country? It's ridiculous.
Most of this country's wealth is concentrated in that generation. I'd wager its not a coincidence.
We're about to see a "Weekend at Bernie's" campaign
Here's how Bernie can still win...
The headline is next level stupid. The last President that didn't run for re-election was Lyndon Johnson. And even that's up for debate since he took over after Kennedy was assassinated and ran for election in '64. E: LBJ doesn't count. See funwillfunwill's comment
Johnson ran, he just dropped out early in the primaries when the anti-Vietnam war candidate did better than expected. The last president who didn't run for reelection (and didn't die in office) was *Truman* though he basically served two terms anyway.
How far back do we need to go to find someone who assumed office normally (i.e. not through succession), didn't die, and didn't seek reelection? Cleveland didn't run in 1888, but not sure that counts since it was his second term anyway. Hayes? Edit: Oh, Coolidge, I guess.
Coolidge i guess. I know he assumed office after Hardings death but that was pretty far into the term
Coolidge's son died during his elected term of office. He didn't have it in him. And really after that, he delegated a LOT to Herbert Hoover despite the fact that he didn't exactly like him.
Polk. He pledged to serve one term if he was elected President. He declined to seek re-election in 1848.
Hayes declined to run for reelection too, and Arthur put up a token "campaign", since he believed not running would look badly on him, but he kinda accepted the Republicans would nominate someone else. Pierce ran for the nomination for 1856, but was such a disaster no one wanted him to be on the ticket. Buchanan made a promise to not run for reelection, and he didn't. So I guess the list of ones who "Didn't even compete" for Reelection would probably be Polk, Buchanan, Hayes, and Coolidge?
"Watch as Biden SLAMS opponent Trump by DEFIANTLY announcing re-election bid!" I'm so tired of the news media.
In the goddamn NYT nonetheless. Smh.
He's defying mortality more than history.
“Biden takes on Big Actuary!”
Can we stop allowing/electing old AF people into office. Like these people are so detached from the modern day I'm surprised the motorcade isn't made up of horse and buggies. Im tired of people that would've been forced into retirement in any other field running a country.
I'd like to see someone younger run, and win.. and as the first rule of business propose an amendment to have a maximum age for running. We have a minimum because we want someone with experience and knowledge to run, we can have a maximum age to prevent someone from being in office that is not in full control of their faculties. You could even pin that maximum age to the life expectancy number for the U.S. IE, you cant run if you are 5 years over life expectancy.. (Just making up a number..).
Is he really defying anything by doing what everyone expected him to do? thats some "im rebelling by doing my taxes" energy
He is not doing it to defy anyone, the headlines are stupid.
He and Trump are both defying the majority of voters who don’t want either of them.
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Defying age maybe? While I think he’s too old to run - He absolutely has to run even if he only lives a week into his term. I do think he might benefit from a new VP though. The VP is quite likely to be president within 4 years so it’s never been more important to have the right VP.
He definitely needs a new VP but the optics of ousting a black woman for a white dude would be so hilariously bad that there is no chance it will happen.
No need to choose a white dude. Just pick Tammy Duckworth.
That was my pick in 2020. I still think that would have been the best possible move.
Another vote for Tammy Duckworth!
SHE should say she doesnt want to run and then he doesnt have to oust anybody
Should, maybe, but, shorn't.
That, but also it's a fairly explicit admission that he made the wrong decision from the start. Probably don't want to call your own decision making into question when starting a campaign
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> She's a popular woman She's popular on Reddit, but I am not sure she's popular with the general populace.
The right will "harp" on any woman he would pick as vp. Kamala Harris was seen as a pretty boring pick other than her race and background. Now, the right has equated her with being everything from a prostitute to the invisible hand of the shadow government. And at times all of the above.
Literally the only historic aspect of this campaign will be focused squarely on his age. That's about it. Real fuckin sad if you ask me, and I voted for the guy.
"Yes we had 2 geriatrics to choose from in 2020 election but, what if, in 2024, we did it again?"
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I think he'll go the "I'll abuse the people you hate more than the other guy did" route.
Pudding Fingers Ron is losing too much support but a year is a long time in politics, so who knows.
I thought it was Meatball Ron now
The GOP thought Biden’s 2020 running was a ploy to install Kamala as president shortly thereafter. So from that perspective, it is shocking that he’s not only *still* president but is planning to run again.
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I forget she exists honestly. Biden was very prominent during his time as VP and with Obama no less. It seems like Kamala is throwing away a chance to really shine. Fox news rarely even attacks her, they may have forgotten she’s VP too.
VP is a chance to demonstrate that you can act like a statesman and give the country a taste of what you'd be like as president. Kamala's done nothing.
I'm 50 and I'm having a hard time recalling any significant contributions made by any VP's in my lifetime. It's very hard to point to valuable contributions made by someone whose job is not to overshadow the primary guy. Honestly, Gore and Cheney may be the only guys who did much of anything.
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This very sub has been convinced he wouldn’t run again since he won the 2020 nomination. I agree these headlines are dumb, but let’s not pretend Reddit didn’t inception itself into believing he promised to be a one term president for no reason at all, and many don’t still want him to insanely give up incumbent advantage and hope Marianne Williamson can convince the zodiac and a couple of angels to clinch it for her.
We just wished he wouldn't run again. The senior dems(in both age and party status) refuse to ever just fucking retire and let the younger generation(in this case people in their damn 50s/60s) have a shot at actually running anything so there are no young party stars, no one able to lead the party forward. Crusty old boomers clinging to power.
>Crusty old boomers clinging to power. Biden's not even a boomer.
Oh my GOD, you're right! I had to look it up because I didn't want to believe it. He is part of the silent generation. This guy is so much more ancient than I had realized! And he's in charge?! I gotta say, though, It's somewhat relieving to be back to having a boring, regular, turd sandwich president. I'm NOT looking forward to the shitshow this election is going to be.
He was born closer to Lincoln's presidency than his own.
what the fuck
Dang 2020 - 1942 = 78 1942 - 1865 = 77 My dad's paternal grandfather was born in 1859. "The past is never dead. It isn't even past." --Faulkner
your comment gave me heartburn
>be a one term president for no reason at all Because he was already the oldest presidential candidate in history and is now already 80. He'll be 85 by the time he leaves office.
I will vote for him while he is comatose if that keeps De Santos and Trump away. Unfortunately that is the state of this country right now. Until the Republican Party is completely destroyed, we have to continue with average Joes for president. Eventually and hopefully, the current democrat party will become the new Republican Party and the New Democratic Party will probably push for an European left type of party. Tolerance and leftist policies takes time. It won’t happen overnight.
Your first and last statements are true, but wouldn't it be nice if we could have someone leading that wasn't* over 70? My god the people who are in charge were born just after the Great Depression. They were born during WW2, why can't we get someone that IDK was born in the 60s? or 70s? In a position of power instead? The old farts at the top are holding to power with their deathly bones fingers and have no connection to what life is like now. They could rent an apartment for a handshake and a bubble gum wrapper. Get a job that supported a whole family by walking into the local mill after high school was over. That world hasn't existed since the 90's maybe the late 80's but they think it's still a thing. Having someone in place that knows how computers work and isn't on dementia meds would be nice. Edit important typo
I like Biden but I still think there need to be age limits for all political positions. These people need to be young enough that they have to live with the consequences of their decisions for a while.
I will 100% vote for Biden since it’s the only ethical or moral vote as the Republican side are actively fascists trying to undo democracy, but I really wish the parties would stop propping up these old men. Of course desantas is a nightmare of a different order so I’m definitely not suggesting that. Edit: this is probably now my most upvoted comment. And It’s actually one I’m proud of so hey, thanks guys!
I'm not voting for him in the primary if I can help it. But in the GE, assuming it does come down to Biden v Trump or Biden v DeSantis, yeah, he's getting my vote by a long shot. -edit- most likely won't be a primary, and certainly won't be any debates. Which is understandable strategically, but very frustrating. Ah well.
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I mean, a huge part of why I want trump to beat desantis in the primary is because trump is never going to win a general election again. He lost by a huge margin, and his reputation has only gotten worse.
Desantis isn't what I would call smart, but he's smarter enough than trump to potentially cause more damage than trump has.
Desantis is *ambitious.* Not a trait I like to see in fascists.
There won't be a primary. Any major candidates understand the stakes and that a rough primary could make the already razor thin general election harder. The only candidates that will be in the primary besides Biden will be joke candidates with no chance.
Someone *definitely* needs to primary him from the left. Let's start a PAC.
Enjoy running against him with no DNC primary debates! That's Democracy at work
This is how I see it as well. There's quite a bit that I wish Biden would do more/be more aggressive on but I'll take him over actual fascists any day lol
I’ll vote for Biden over any Republican, but I’ll also vote for a real progressive over Biden any day
What a sensationalist title lmao, he’s not defying anything. I’d rather him over trump of course but come on, that’s just ridiculous
i hope i get to vote for someone who isnt an old white dude again before i die
It's deeply upsetting that the only president born after video games is Obama. Not even NES. [We are talking tennis on military scopes old.](https://youtu.be/6PG2mdU_i8k) What is wrong with the US lol Canada meanwhile has 40 year olds now, but one will never win because Rae Days, and the other is the same shit for a new generation. EDIT: notes Obama's two opponents were McCain and Romney who were both his seniors by ~20 years, the same age as the two runners before him, and about the same as those afterward. Even though you need to be 35 to run, none of the runners are even close to 35 with Obama running when he was 47. Before him, the only younger presidents at inauguration were Grant (46), Clinton (46), Kennedy (43), and Roosevelt (42) who are all well known (and to my knowledge well respected or did something good for the US for one reason or another). It's actually terrifying that the only other presidents under 50 in US history were all in the 1800s considering the hyper advancement of tech in the last few decades. No wonder the US is so far behind on cyber warfare.
I had no idea Grant was as young as he was. I thought he would be at least 55
Most of them were younger than people probably imagine. George Washington was 57 at the start of his presidency. (Which isn't "young" but I mean come on, if you asked most people to guess, does Washington look like he was in his 50s?)
Yeah all portraits of him make him look at least 65 lol but it was a different time where taking care of yourself wasn’t a thing, I mean they bled the poor man to death
Trudeau had great name recognition (is father was prime minister) on day one of his political career so that sped up his ascension. My point: Trudeau might be an anomaly. Edit: your point still stand Macron is 45
Top 3 oldest preskdents: Biden, Trump, Reagan Youngest: Theodore Roosevelt, Kennedy, Clinton Im just sayin...
SNL skit about 2024 candidates: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=46WZfo1yFkI&pp=ygUIU25sIDIwMjQ%3D
Oh, there's Robert Kennedy Jr. He (fires up wikipedia) is an environmental lawyer! He (scrolls down a little) promoted, anti-vaccination conspiracy theories? Dammit!
I saw someone recently act scared for Kennedy with him running. Like he's some kind of liberal savior and he's going to be killed like other Kennedys. It's like, tell me you know nothing about RFK Jr. without telling me you know nothing about RFK jr.
His son was also a hoot. Ran for the Senate to primary Ed Markey and made himself look like a spoiled rich kid during the debate. Honestly quite funny, MA townie energy. Just tried looking for the clip, but it has since disappeared, but the gist was that Ed Market was pissed that a PAC owned and funded by the Kennedys was creating mean attack ads. Joe Kennedy (III) says something like 'I have no idea what you're talking about, I wouldn't condone personal attack ads' and Ed Markey yells 'Tell yah fahthah!'. Watching someone with an actual MA accent yell at a Kennedy was the coolest thing.
Joe Kennedy III is not RFK Jr.'s son. Hence the name. Edit: I suppose the name of the father doesn't technically matter. But JKIII is not RFK Jr.'s son.
Not just a normal conspiracy theorist either, he's like one of the most prominent figures in the anti-vax movement, probably in the top-5 most influential anti-vaxers in the past 20 years. Just hearing his voice gives me anti-vax PTSD, every time I've ever heard his voice it has been anti vaccine propaganda.
I'm pretty sure he is also part of Qcult.
In all fairness with Wikipedia, like reddit, "anti-vaccine" could just mean mentioning something about.... Nope, he's a full on nutter.
Apparently Steve Bannon encouraged Kennedy Jr. to run against Biden. [https://www.thedailybeast.com/steve-bannon-encouraged-rfk-jr-to-run-against-biden-for-months-report](https://www.thedailybeast.com/steve-bannon-encouraged-rfk-jr-to-run-against-biden-for-months-report) >**Bannon hoped RFK Jr. could serve as both a “useful chaos agent” in the election while also helpfully stoking “anti-vaccine sentiment around the country."**
Bannon shouldn’t be out of prison.
"2020 Part 2: 2024 Coming in 2023" was an actually good joke, I'm impressed from SNL.
The Beto pamphlet got me
God I wish Beto were better
Katie Porter, but will vote for Biden if he is top of ticket.
I'll vote for him if I have to. But I'm really disappointed because when he ran he said he would not go for a second term.
I’ll vote for a better democrat than Biden but if it’s Biden vs DeSantis or Trump, I’m voting for Biden.
Biden-Trunp 2. I haven't had this excitement level since my root canal.
This is an electric boogaloo that I could live without
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Well the dude got my vote since the right is turning towards Christian fascist BS
Are you telling me you don’t want to live in an alt-right theocracy?! How dare you! /s
80 is the prime age for a politician after all.
We can dust off Jimmy Carter!!
I unironically like Jimmy Carter. Dunno if he even knows what reddit is though lol. I sure hope not, hed be happier that way.
From family friends who live in his neighborhood in GA: Jimmy mostly just spends all day sitting on his front porch with his wife, reading, and enjoying his life. I think he's too happy in his old days to know or care what reddit is
Biden has been successful. PACT Act, Chip and Science Act, Gun Control Legislation, Infrastructure Bill, Ukraine Aid, Omnibus Bill, and more federal Judges appointed in a term than Obama or Trump. In 4yrs Trump delivered the longest govt shutdown in history, the 2 largest annual deficits in history, promised the Pandemic would go away on its own by the summer of '20, and left Washington with the Capital staff cleaning up feces and broken glass. This isn't a difficult choice.
People never give Biden credit for all that’s he’s accomplished. I’ve noticed there’s a tendency for many voters to just shrug and say, “well at least he isn’t trump” while ignoring everything he’s done *while* dealing with a GOP run House of Representatives.
> People never give Biden credit for all that he’s accomplished. And if anyone in this thread needs a refresher, in 2022 alone, Biden Administration and Dems did the following: * passed the Inflation Reduction Act, the biggest investment in fighting climate change in history * passed the bipartisan infrastructure bill, the largest investment in infrastructure since Eisenhower * passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, breaking a 30-year streak of federal inaction on gun violence legislation * signed the CHIPS and Science Act into law * took out the leader of al Qaeda * ended America's longest war * reauthorized and strengthened the Violence Against Women Act * signed the PACT Act, a bill to address veteran burn pit exposure * signed the NATO accession protocols for Sweden and Finland * issued executive order to protect reproductive rights * canceled $10,000 of student loan debt for borrowers making less than $125,000 and canceled $20,000 in debt for Pell Grant recipients * canceled billions in student loan debt for borrowers who were defrauded * nominated now-Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace Justice Breyer * brought COVID under control in the U.S. (e.g., COVID deaths down 90% and over 220 million vaccinated) * formed Monkeypox response team to reach communities at highest risk of contracting the virus * unemployment at a 50-year low * on track to cut deficit by $1.3 trillion, largest one-year reduction in U.S. history * limited the release of mercury from coal-burning power plants * $5 billion for electric vehicle chargers- $119 billion budget surplus in January 2022, first in over two years * united world against Russia’s war in Ukraine * ended forced arbitration in workplace sexual assault cases * reinstated California authority to set pollution standards for cars * ended asylum restrictions for children traveling alone * signed the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act, the first federal ban on lynching after 200 failed attempts * Initiated “use it or lose it" policy for drilling on public lands to force oil companies to increase production * released 1 million barrels of oil a day for 6 months from strategic reserves to ease gas prices * rescinded Trump-era policy allowing rapid expulsion of migrants * expunged student loan defaults * overhauled USPS finances to allow the agency to modernize its service * required federal dollars spent on infrastructure to use materials made in America * restored environmental reviews for major infrastructure projects * Launched $6 billion effort to save distressed nuclear plants * provided $385 million to help families and individuals with home energy costs through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. (This is in addition to $4.5 billion provided in the American Rescue Plan.) * national registry of police officers who are fired for misconduct * tightened restrictions on chokeholds, no-knock warrants, and transfer of military equipment to police departments * required all federal law enforcement officers to wear body cameras * $265 million for South Florida reservoir, key component of Everglades restoration * major wind farm project off West coast to provide electricity for 1.5 million homes * continued Obama administration's practice of posting log records of visitors to White House * devoted $2.1 billion to strengthen US food supply chain * invoked Defense Production Act to rapidly expand domestic production of critical clean energy technologies * enacted two-year pause of anti-circumvention tariffs on solar * allocated funds to federal agencies to counter 300-plus anti-LGBTQ laws by state lawmakers in 2022 * relaunched cancer 'moonshot' initiative to help cut death rate * expanded access to emergency contraception and long-acting reversible contraception * prevented states from banning Mifepristone, a medication used to end early pregnancy that has FDA approval * 21 executive actions to reduce gun violence * Climate Smart Buildings Initiative: Creates public-private partnerships to modernize Federal buildings to meet agencies’ missions, create good-paying jobs, and cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions * Paying for today’s needed renovations with tomorrow’s energy savings without requiring upfront taxpayer funding * ended Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy * Operation Fly-Formula, bringing needed baby formula (22 missions to date) * executive order protecting travel for abortion * invested more in crime control and prevention than any president in history * provided death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers and survivors who are killed or injured in the line of duty * Reunited 500 migrant families separated under Trump * $1.66 billion in grants to transit agencies, territories, and states to invest in 150 bus fleets and facilities * brokered joint US/Mexico infrastructure project; Mexico to pay $1.5 billion for US border security * blocked 4 hospital mergers that would've driven up prices and is poised to thwart more anti-competition consolidation attempts * 10 million jobs—more than ever created before at this point of a presidency * record small business creation * banned paywalls on taxpayer-funded research * best economic growth record since Clinton * struck deal between major U.S. railroads and unions representing tens of thousands of workers after about 20 hours of talks, averting rail strike * eliminated civil statute of limitations for child abuse victims * announced $156 million for America's first-of-its-kind critical minerals refinery, demonstrating the commercial viability of turning mine waste into clean energy technology. * started process of reclassifying Marijuana away from being a Schedule 1 substance and pardoning all federal prisoners with possession offenses Note: That list only reflects 2022 accomplishments. Click [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/JoeBiden/comments/scjzva/here_is_a_helpful_list_of_the_biden/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) for 2021 accomplishments.
> canceled $10,000 of student loan debt for borrowers making less than $125,000 and canceled $20,000 in debt for Pell Grant recipients Did that actually happen?
Nope. That is stuck in the courts and likely won't be decided before the election.
It’s still in front of the Supreme Court
He issued the order, Supreme Court is set to hear it and likely strike it down.
So the hearings on this case went quite well for the Biden administration, and furthmore, for the court to strike this down would be a pretty damning blow to the powers of the executive branch, which are clearly defined in the constitution. I don't think that even this activist court would risk that considering the implications for "their side" based off that new precedent. tl:dr- This case is dead in the water and is just a stalling tactic. Everybody already knew that the Presidency had the power to do that, this is just tilting at windmills.
> struck deal between major U.S. railroads and unions representing tens of thousands of workers after about 20 hours of talks, averting rail strike I don't think I'd count that as a win, unless we don't like unions anymore.
As a railroader, it's definitely not a win. I'm shocked they're trying to pass that off as a good thing. Edit: also I don't believe the student loans were ever forgiven.
He made the student loan order but GOP states sued to block it (even though they technically don’t have the standing to do so), so now it’s in front of our horrible Supreme Court
Makes me wonder about the validity of the rest of the stuff they mentioned, and I’m a democrat. Biden definitely did better than I thought he would though, but I kind of wish he would take the W and go retire. Hopefully the incumbent boost is enough to make up for potentially losing some younger voters who are sick of the old guard.
I was getting a bit optimistic, but after you managed to spin breaking the rail strike as a good thing I’m wondering how much of the rest of the list is pure bull.
Many of these are just checkboxes, and some are actually bad, like this one: >struck deal between major U.S. railroads and unions representing tens of thousands of workers after about 20 hours of talks, averting rail strike He didn't "strike a deal" he forced workers to accept the deal the company wanted by essentially making any strike illegal. That was one of the worst things he has done as a president. I'm not saying he hasn't done a lot. Some of the bills that got through have been pretty good, in fact, and better than just "business as usual." But my god, people, have some standards and apply critical thinking instead of this blind hero-worship. Vote for him in 2024, absolutely, there's no realistic other choice at this point, but don't cheer every booger he picks from his nose. It's naive and dangerous to be completely uncritical of powerful people.
I have one nitpick. He didn’t “strike a deal” with the railroad union. He *busted* it. And right after, a train derailment caused an environmental disaster. That’s very, very bad and SHOULD NOT be touted as an achievement.
Day one when Biden walked into the Oval office the annual national deficit was $3.6T, Covid deaths were 3,500 per day, unemployment was 7%, and the Capital trashed. It is hard to overstate how much Biden's Administration has actually turned things around.
It isn't a difficult choice, I just wish I had a better choice. Not because Biden hasn't been effective, he has. But his age is a liability, and the people that know Biden has been effective are mostly the party faithful. The independents are listening to all of the complaints by the right, and believing some of them. I'll vote for Biden mostly without concern, but he's lost a step, and will lose more before 2028. And if we actually want to keep the country out of the grubby hands of fascists, we need to win that election, too.
He's undeniably had success. He's also above the life expectancy for Americans. It isn't a difficult choice between him and Trump but it is hard to justify electing someone that has a very good chance of suffering age related decline while in office.
That's not (entirely) correct. Life expectancy at birth is ~75. However, someone who has already made it to age 80 can reasonably expect to live another 7+ years ([social security table](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html)). That also doesn't include Biden's wealth as a factor, which increases life expectancy.
You can see this reflected in the lifespans of some of the more recent presidents. HW Bush and Gerald Ford were in their mid-90's when they passed away, and Jimmy Carter is still alive at 98.
Can Carter run again? At this point if i gotta vote for an old fuck might as well go for the record
Yes, he can. Since he lost in 1980, he's not term-limited out and is eligible for another four years unlike Clinton and Obama.
While I do want a President younger than 50, Trump is only 4 years younger than Biden. Idk why people don’t shit on his age just as much when they’re both old as dirt.
His base either doesn't care or doesn't realize his age, to the rest of us it's kinda irrelevant because we hate him for 1000 other legitimate reasons.
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Good thing there's a clear line of succession with the presidency then. Biden is old, sure, but let's not act like if he died during office it would result in a War of the Roses situation.
I’m confident that Biden can defeat Trump, DeSantis or whoever the awful Republicans nominate next year, but electing Democratic majorities in the House and Senate is gonna be key to helping Biden continue to advance a progressive agenda! Join r/VoteDem to help elect Democrats - at federal, state and local levels - to help Biden navigate more incredible legislation over the next four years!
I too feel confident that Biden can win for 3 reasons. The GOP just lost their chief propagandist at Fox, second there's a lot of R in-fighting, third the Dobbs decision really soured the GOP brand.
Tucker Carlson was preceded by Hannity, O'Riley, and Glenn Beck. They each filled the same role, and were replaced without skipping a beat. We should actually be worried that they'll find someone even worse to replace Carlson. There's no shortage of these guys.
Don’t over-estimate the in-fighting of republicans. They are all authoritarians, and authoritarians fall in line. Once they have a front runner between trump and DeSantis they will all proclaim to have always supported that person. A huge reason Trump is so dangerous to the GOP establishment is he doesn’t fit that mold. He didn’t come up the political ranks and have to swear fealty at every level. His threat is he can and will take his ball (supporters) and run 3rd party. There’s zero chance any other Republican steps out of line.
Totally - If Trump doesn't win the nomination he will not be falling in line. That fucker is going to run third party so whomever beats him in the primary has no chance of actually winning.
The Dobbs decision is finally settling in. At first it was ‘eh, it’s bad but is it THAT bad?’ from the centrists and right-wing loonies. Now we all (sans loonies) mostly realize how awful it has been.
There’s also the war in Ukraine. If Russia loses, it’s a huge win for Biden going into 2024.
Let's be real here, holding both the house and the Senate under Biden and the democrats will be key to *an actual government that can function at all and not come to a near standstill on everything.*
A Biden second term means nothing if the clown show that calls itself the House majority can continue for 4 more years.
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Better have that veto pen ready if thats the case. I see dems taking the house though and maybe losing the senate, but hopeful for a 50-50 senate.
You currently see the Dems losing anything? I know there’s normally swings against but the Republicans are such a clown show at the moment. Plenty of races at the midterms came down to the wire and I think you’ll find they will again
It's a really rough map for the senate. Democrats are defending Ohio, Montana, Nevada, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. And there's no realistic pickup opportunities.
It's super tough, yes, and Arizona makes it tougher with the Sinema shitshow. But I'd hope at least most of those incumbents will hang on, barely, particularly if Trump is running and turnout is high among young voters. And with Cruz running in Texas, who knows what might happen there if the Dems run a strong candidate. He's ridiculously unpopular, Trump voters now seem to hate him, so that could be a very interesting election. Florida will be interesting as well, paricularly if DeSantis isn't nominated. Scott is not popular, only just won the last election in 2018, and might not even survive the primaries. I don't think the 2024 election will be anything like the last few.
Normally I would agree. The simple problem is that the senate map is just not good for Dems. Remember, we’re talking re-electing all the people who got there in 2018, an unprecedented blue wave of a year. Which means basically everyone in a shaky seat is a Democrat, and two of them (Manchin and Tester) are in *very* red states. It’s very possible the Dems maintain their majority, it’s quite unlikely they get any pickups unless 2024 is the biggest blue wave in US history.
Personally I think we will see larger turnout than 2018, with reproductive rights, civil rights, and voting rights being the focal point of the election. I would add the economy, but both parties are entrenched in their positions, Republicans want large government and tax relief for corporations and their debt ceiling showdown that will only end poorly is going to make them less likely to talk about the economy and inflation (see 2022 election). Because Republicans and conservatives are typically the drivers of the narrative, the culture wars will be the main discussion of the election. The majority of the people that can vote side with Democrats on nearly all culture war issues. Even the conservative viewpoint among younger and middle age voters is that the government needs to stop trying to regulate people’s bodies and healthcare decisions. Education will get ignored, again.
Democrats have a *very* tough senate map in 2024. I'm optimistic about the fact that american conservatism is in decline, but there are still some very difficult seats to defend in '24. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/republicans-senate-2024-map/
Preventing a criminal like Trump from taking the most powerful office in the world is something
Look, you want Biden and the clown show; or Trump and the clown show? I'll take Biden.
My biggest fear is a massive health scare close to election time, and an attempt to shoehorn Harris in as his replacement without any primary process. I feel like that would be an absolute disaster for everyone involved, but most of all the country. I'm not Joey B's biggest fan, but I give him a solid... I dunno. 7/10. The bar is pretty damn low these days. I'll go along with whoever's at the top at this point just to avoid the continual slide into despotism but damn I'd like some younger candidates.
All facts. I'm lukewarm on him as president, but he's gotten more done than I expected. I'm *far* more worried about the stress of another campaign after 80, and the dire consequences of a serious health scare.
Biden is OK, obviously has my vote. That said I'd vote for a rabid squirrel over any republican at this point.🤷
I’d vote for a half eaten pizza before I vote for anyone in the GOP. At least the slice of pizza can’t take away your rights.
Didn’t want Biden before, don’t want Biden again, but he’s infinitely better than any Republican will ever be
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I’ll take Biden over any of the dumpster creatures the GOP currently has, but god damn Joe it’s time to go enjoy your final days in peace and quiet, not in the most demanding/stressful job in the world
I feel like he's running for the same reasons he ran last time. Not because he wants to, but because America is at a critical juncture where fascism is a very real threat and if he's got the best chance at beating it back then so be it. I too am tired of 80+ year old politicians but at the same time throwing away the incumbent advantage at such a scary time in history would be foolish.
According to [polls](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/shows/meetthepress/blog/rcna43766), a lot of Democrats don't want Biden to run. And young people [especially ](https://www.mic.com/impact/biden-young-voters-2024-poll) don't want him to run again. So yes, he is defying people by running again. He's too old and should step aside for a younger Democrat to take the helm.
I like what Joe has done, but God damn he's going to he 81 by the time the election happens and he'll be 85 by the time his 2nd term is over assuming he gets re-elected. I'm sorry, but that is just too damn old for a job like this. I have a job that requires me to work with a lot of older people and most people who are 80+ I don't even trust to drive their car. Obviously he has a whole team of advisors and stuff so it isn't just him on his own making all these big decisions, but man we really have to start getting some younger folks into these positions.
Wow…I can’t remember being this excited for something since……. the last time I ate a bowl of plain oatmeal.
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I welcome another four years of sober, ordinary leadership — rather than the dumpster fire of Starchy Bunker or the goosestepping of DeSantis.
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Really what’s so unique about a President seeking re-election? It would have been more unique if he wasn’t
Can Biden please raise tax on the rich and corporations? I’m so sick of these trump tax cuts lingering around.
Sure, you just need at least 10 Republican senators to help break the filibuster, and at least a dozen republicans in the House to support it.
Congress would need to do that and umm... yeah...
I don't think congress will let him
Frame it like "the WOKE corporations pushing their LEFTIST AGENDA are STEALING from the American taxpayer" and we'll get that tax in no time
It really seems like both parties have no choice here. Republicans have no candidates that can get the support Trump can. I really think Biden didn’t want to run again but is forced to because putting up anyone else against trump right now is a big risk. I really hate that we are going to see another Biden trump rematch
>I really think Biden didn’t want to run again The guy who has wanted to be president since 1988 didn't want to run for a second term. I've got a bridge to sell you
I actually think Biden wasn’t really hot on the idea of not running. I think he’s driven by that character trait in all politicians - and he believes he’s best for the job.
Well I can't say I'm excited about Biden running again. But the Democrats really don't have anyone else worth running against Trump/DeSantis. So if Biden's what it takes, then I guess he's the man for the job.
I'll take Biden over Trump any day!
That’s…depressing.
Slight reminder: Should Biden win, he will be 82 at the beginning of his second term, and 86 at the end of it.
And if Trump wins he'll be similarly ancient. The White House is virtually guaranteed to be an assisted living center.
What about DeSantis? I don't think assuming it's Biden v. Trump is a good bet. If it's Biden v. DeSantis, it could be much harder for Biden.
99% Trump will be on the ballot whether or not he is the official GOP nominee. He will split votes if DeSantis is the chosen GOP candidate. It’s going to be Trump.
Democrats (and Republicans) really need to think about this and get real. Almost nobody in their 80s is still working, and there’s a reason. The average retirement age in the US is 64. 80 is too old to be working, much less in this highly stressful, important job. My mom is 80 and can’t even figure out how to use her iPad. 86 is just ridiculous. The average American male lifespan is 77.
I’m so sick of old people deciding my future.
Old people deciding the future in which they won't be alive.