Spot on my friend, spot on. My one note is for you to dig down and find your patience. What happened to this country is a kin to an ocean liner cruising swiftly toward an iceberg 1 million times larger than the one that cursed the titanic.
We are not a sunfish sailboat. We are massive, heavy and thick, an amalgamation of emotion, confusion and deep exhaustion.
With the right wind and a knowing captain, a sunfish can change direction in moments. The queen Elizabeth reverses slowly, 1 degree at a time. A wise captain endeavors not to toss tables, break chandeliers and lose distracted folks who forget to hold on for dear life.
Biden must travel at a pace that the average one of us can handle. Millions have been radicalized by EX, his minions and Fox News. Millions more are perplexed and agitated because they cannot tell the difference between what is truth and what is a big lie. Their annoyance is turning to anger. Our losses are heart wrenching. Intellect gives way to emotion.
Pink light to those who remain at the helm in DC through impossible times. Justice to those who continue to undermine Democracy by the spread of propaganda and a threat two voting rights.
It will all shake out. Be patient. We chewed off our paw to get out of the trap. It will take a while to heal.
This is so well done and insightful. Very good analysis of each President. I had to research Pitt the Elder. I’m sure he is mentioned in Churchill’s History of England not that I read it! Part of Biden’s achievement is meeting the moment, the challenge. That’s what makes a great leader, meeting the crisis, the challenge. Look at FDR, a great man but flawed. He died in the arms of a woman who was not his wife, but still the great leader who took on the challenges head on with resolve and without fear. That is what Biden is doing. He has resolve and no fear and that’s the equation.
What I really like about subscribing to your writing on S-stack is that the missives arrive, by a suspiciously consistent regularity, with my fervent need to read something really good. Like waiting to vote yesterday, and later trying to endure the random hours between meals while I diet to lose the dreaded covid padding lingering on my waistline. What I wise move on my part to provide a source of entertainment so reliable and satisfying. Many, many thanks!
Greg, a terrific view and analysis. Succinct and pointed, and a wonderful reminder of days past. Personally, I am still worried the super-rich GOP fuckwads (inlcuding the #MangoWanker Turdking) will either buy their ways out of prison, or buy their way into life-long delays of justice. I know, I know. The shear number of lawsuits and criminal investigations aimed at the Turdking are impressive.
I have a recurring dream in which #MangoWanker Turdking is at a cult rally, pisses himself visibly, and then has a massive stroke...
Disabling and debilitating, unable to type or tweet, incontinent and helpless and unable to speak, fed through an IV and pooping into a bedpan, but fully aware of the prison hospital, for the rest of his life.
Nice ranking, Greg! I so totally agree about Reagan--what the heck is wrong with recent historians and journalists who are still enamored of that man? He was responsible for some of the most IRresponsible economic tactics in history, inflation was Argentina-style-high, and he considered little petty wars to be the way to show how big his penis was. It was quite clear that he was in early stages of dementia in the last 2 years of his second term, but at least his hair dye didn't run down his face. And let's not forget Nancy and the White House china and her astrologer . . . I suspect that his CNN ranking is because he didn't die when he got shot. And the "tear down this wall" speech. Even his own children rejected his politics.
We are at a crossroads--as HCR says, much as we were in the mid-19th century--in which the forces of autocracy are striving to undermine our democracy and we seem to have one person--Biden--who has the vision to challenge that. Harris is his righthand person, but as VP, constitutionally, she really hasn't got a lot of clout except as a tie-breaker in the Senate and as an influencer. I agree with you: he could be counted among the top 5 when his terms (fingers crossed!) are done but we have to get the Ghastly Old Party unstuck from their dominance at the local level and in Congress. Without that step he and his vision are both doomed.
I'm almost a generation older than you Greg, so I did live through the 60s as a sentient being, if not a voter (I was in the first "class" of 18-year-olds to vote). LBJ was a visionary in many ways but his warmongering in Vietnam and his old-school strong man tactics were not negated by the Great Society programs. And his appalling treatment of Humphrey and the rest of the Dems in the field in 1968 pretty much guaranteed that Nixon would win. We would have had a very different 1970s if HHH had won. Similarly, we would have had a very different "aughts" had Gore's win been counted as one.
President Biden deserves to be bumped up a further couple rankings for getting so much done with only the most razor-thin of edges in both houses of Congress.
By the same token, FDR—who enjoyed 2/3 to 3/4 supermajorities in both houses for six solid years and change—deserves less credit than he is typically given.
Spot on my friend, spot on. My one note is for you to dig down and find your patience. What happened to this country is a kin to an ocean liner cruising swiftly toward an iceberg 1 million times larger than the one that cursed the titanic.
We are not a sunfish sailboat. We are massive, heavy and thick, an amalgamation of emotion, confusion and deep exhaustion.
With the right wind and a knowing captain, a sunfish can change direction in moments. The queen Elizabeth reverses slowly, 1 degree at a time. A wise captain endeavors not to toss tables, break chandeliers and lose distracted folks who forget to hold on for dear life.
Biden must travel at a pace that the average one of us can handle. Millions have been radicalized by EX, his minions and Fox News. Millions more are perplexed and agitated because they cannot tell the difference between what is truth and what is a big lie. Their annoyance is turning to anger. Our losses are heart wrenching. Intellect gives way to emotion.
Pink light to those who remain at the helm in DC through impossible times. Justice to those who continue to undermine Democracy by the spread of propaganda and a threat two voting rights.
It will all shake out. Be patient. We chewed off our paw to get out of the trap. It will take a while to heal.
Nicely done, Greg! (I'm feeling that we are very lucky this morning).
This is so well done and insightful. Very good analysis of each President. I had to research Pitt the Elder. I’m sure he is mentioned in Churchill’s History of England not that I read it! Part of Biden’s achievement is meeting the moment, the challenge. That’s what makes a great leader, meeting the crisis, the challenge. Look at FDR, a great man but flawed. He died in the arms of a woman who was not his wife, but still the great leader who took on the challenges head on with resolve and without fear. That is what Biden is doing. He has resolve and no fear and that’s the equation.
I seldom give an A+ for presidential rankings, but you nailed it and earned it!
What I really like about subscribing to your writing on S-stack is that the missives arrive, by a suspiciously consistent regularity, with my fervent need to read something really good. Like waiting to vote yesterday, and later trying to endure the random hours between meals while I diet to lose the dreaded covid padding lingering on my waistline. What I wise move on my part to provide a source of entertainment so reliable and satisfying. Many, many thanks!
I agree.
Greg, a terrific view and analysis. Succinct and pointed, and a wonderful reminder of days past. Personally, I am still worried the super-rich GOP fuckwads (inlcuding the #MangoWanker Turdking) will either buy their ways out of prison, or buy their way into life-long delays of justice. I know, I know. The shear number of lawsuits and criminal investigations aimed at the Turdking are impressive.
I have a recurring dream in which #MangoWanker Turdking is at a cult rally, pisses himself visibly, and then has a massive stroke...
Disabling and debilitating, unable to type or tweet, incontinent and helpless and unable to speak, fed through an IV and pooping into a bedpan, but fully aware of the prison hospital, for the rest of his life.
To me, Joe Biden did one of the most important jobs of our lifetime-- to get Trump (& company) out of power.
It was no easy feat.
History will not be kind to Trump's presidency, the foolishness of his followers, and the year we'll never forget.
Keep up the brilliant work!
Nice ranking, Greg! I so totally agree about Reagan--what the heck is wrong with recent historians and journalists who are still enamored of that man? He was responsible for some of the most IRresponsible economic tactics in history, inflation was Argentina-style-high, and he considered little petty wars to be the way to show how big his penis was. It was quite clear that he was in early stages of dementia in the last 2 years of his second term, but at least his hair dye didn't run down his face. And let's not forget Nancy and the White House china and her astrologer . . . I suspect that his CNN ranking is because he didn't die when he got shot. And the "tear down this wall" speech. Even his own children rejected his politics.
We are at a crossroads--as HCR says, much as we were in the mid-19th century--in which the forces of autocracy are striving to undermine our democracy and we seem to have one person--Biden--who has the vision to challenge that. Harris is his righthand person, but as VP, constitutionally, she really hasn't got a lot of clout except as a tie-breaker in the Senate and as an influencer. I agree with you: he could be counted among the top 5 when his terms (fingers crossed!) are done but we have to get the Ghastly Old Party unstuck from their dominance at the local level and in Congress. Without that step he and his vision are both doomed.
I'm almost a generation older than you Greg, so I did live through the 60s as a sentient being, if not a voter (I was in the first "class" of 18-year-olds to vote). LBJ was a visionary in many ways but his warmongering in Vietnam and his old-school strong man tactics were not negated by the Great Society programs. And his appalling treatment of Humphrey and the rest of the Dems in the field in 1968 pretty much guaranteed that Nixon would win. We would have had a very different 1970s if HHH had won. Similarly, we would have had a very different "aughts" had Gore's win been counted as one.
President Biden deserves to be bumped up a further couple rankings for getting so much done with only the most razor-thin of edges in both houses of Congress.
By the same token, FDR—who enjoyed 2/3 to 3/4 supermajorities in both houses for six solid years and change—deserves less credit than he is typically given.