Mondays I try to talk foreign policy. So why, you ask, am I talking about the Resident of the United States? (No, I didn’t misspell.) Simple, there’s a difference between messing up and being able to laugh with others at yourself afterwards – something we’re decent at – and being an international laughingstock. We are fast becoming the latter and it is a very bad thing.
Mostly because the Democrats and the Leftstream Media are desperate to save the party, they have begun to join the chorus of voices questioning Biden’s competency. They are still ignoring the corruption allegations for pretty much the same reason. But the main thing is that late night comedians and leftwing news commentators alike are making none to subtle hints that Joe need not apply in 2024.
Thing is, we don’t have that long. The planet relies on the US for stability. India, South America and Africa can all trade with China because the US Nave patrols the seas. That’s no exaggeration. Most regional conflicts stay that way because no one wants the biggest kid on the block getting on their case. Russia doesn’t actually attack NATO countries because they aren’t actually suicidal and they know the US not only outguns them but will show up in force.
The result is a somewhat more tranquil planet. We benefit in a number of ways, most having to do with security and not having another major war to fight. That’s a deal we’re renegotiating but it’s still one we are honoring.
So, if you are Podunk the Nation-State, how do you feel when Joe Biden tries to shake hands with the air? The nation that EVERYONE relies on is governed by a laughing stock.
The US is used to internal boisterousness. Most nations are kinda used to the strange way the US governs itself. It looks crazy from the outside but it seems to work and the US has always been reliable.
But there’s a demented old man in the most powerful office on the planet. How do you deal with that when you are just a little backwater trying to feed your people and figure out a working economy? The US is where you turn to for most of your help. Sure, there are international organizations but the one’s worth talking to are the ones that the US backs.
This gets scary fast.
If Trump were still in office, would Russia have invaded Ukraine? Unlikely. Biden is perceived as weak, ineffectual, and permanently out to lunch. Trump is perceived as strong, capable, capricious, unpredictable and sharp. It’s not so much that Russia would have been scared of Trump; it’s that he’s too difficult to predict and capable enough to make you regret messing with him. In all likelihood, that would have been a hard pass for Russia.
Now, that doesn’t make the invasion Biden’s fault but his weakness and incapacity makes giving the US a hard time more attractive to states so inclined. Maybe not too far but the Saudis are making a fool of Biden and that reflects poorly on the US. Very poorly.
This is bad now – it will get worse over time. If the world can’t look to the US it will look elsewhere. That’s happening to an extent now. Nations are scrambling to handle the food shortages. The US policy was to grow more feed corn.
Feed corn that feeds cows and gets turned into ethanol. Not the good stuff that feeds people. Biden was more concerned about gas prices but not concerned enough to reverse any of his anti-fossil fuel policies. This, in case you didn’t know, is insane.
The US is one of the world’s largest food exporters. We do NOT grow at our capacity in any given year. Could we pick up some of the slack? Absolutely. Are we doing that now, when it needs to happen? No, not really.
If you were from Podunk, would you feel good about the US’ efforts to help you so far? Yep, neither do they.
NATO is pretty much on autopilot. That’s not an inherently bad thing but it’s a bad look for the US when the world is looking to us for leadership. Or was until they noticed Joe Biden was Resident in Chief.
The Biden residency is a disaster and it is hurting the US internationally. Not just the little guys that depend on us but our allies as well are beginning to wonder whether or not its safe to rely on a nation-state that elects Joe Biden.
That is dangerous not just to the US but the entire world.
