Rotten Roots

Great empires rise…and fall. And when the time comes, leaders must step up to the challenge. Corruption and dysfunction get worse. They must not stand in the way.

Monday, June 17, 2024 

Bill Bonner, writing today from Paris, France 

Just before we left Ireland, one of the magnificent old oak trees on the other side of the road toppled over. There it lay, branches broken, jumbled together on the ground... its rotten roots in the air, for all to see. 

We had no idea it was dying; until the roots were exposed, we saw only the healthy leaves and majestic, spreading limbs.  

The politics of the 2024 election are simple enough. 

The Republicans are behind their man Trump. They’d probably prefer a different champion, but Trump has strong appeal among a large part of their voters. He’s not a conservative... but then, neither are Republican voters.  

The Democrats are behind their man Biden. They too would prefer to have a different standard bearer. But for better or worse, Biden is what they’ve got. 

Trump seems like a con man. Biden, like a doddery old fool. 

The press is eagerly trying to catch one or the other in a ‘senior moment.’ The Telegraph: 

Another off-day seemed to take place during this week’s G7 summit in Italy when he [Biden] appeared to wander off during a photoshoot with world leaders. As the president, who once again appeared to be completely frozen, turned to face the wrong direction, Italian prime minister Georgia Meloni intervened to usher him back in the direction of the photographer. Some may think that it’s cruel to point out these obvious frailties — but surely it is even more cruel to let him run again in his current state? 

The Mirror fires back: 

Donald Trump grips railing for dear life in embarrassing video as he walks down stairs.

Both rascals are too old. Neither has a strong sense of where the country should go or a coherent agenda to get it there. Neither is likable or personally attractive. Neither seems very smart. Neither has a sense of history... nor a solid grasp of economics. Neither is suited to the challenge of the White House. 

But both are perfect for the mega-political challenge... helping the US towards its rendezvous with catastrophe.  Great empires rise…and fall.  And when the time comes, leaders must step up to the challenge.  Corruption and dysfunction get worse.  They must not stand in the way.  Arguably, America’s two geriatric nincompoops are just what history needs.   

We sympathize with Biden. He’s only six years older than we are. But there’s a time to lead, and a time to let others lead. After watching a few video clips of Biden, appearing to be ‘out of it,’ we are left with the impression that the democrats will probably try a switcheroo before the election. At this stage, Biden is probably a negative for them.  

Nobody has a bumper sticker with a heart and ‘I love Biden’ on it. Democratic voters just want him to win, either because they distrust Trump... or because they want to see the elites’ agenda continue without interruption. 

A Real Leader

A real leader would have original ideas. He would suggest new approaches. He would propose solutions to the nation’s problems. He might go into a meeting and say “here’s what I think we should do.” While we have never been in a meeting with Joe Biden, we have a hard time imagining him doing that.  

Biden, the man, is just a cut-out... a place-holder. We’ve never heard an original thought pass his lips, nor an insight worth remembering. Instead, his pensée is just much-rehearsed blah-blah, sticking with whatever talking points his handlers suggest.  

After 50 years of blah-blah, Biden can do it without thinking. He may be fine in the presidential debates, for example, ‘a battle of wits between two unarmed opponents,’ where no honest thoughts are allowed. But there are times when something unexpected happens and you have to think; one of those times is bound to come sooner or later...  

And if we’re right, Democratic party insiders won’t want Biden, the man, getting in the way of Biden, the sham. So, they must be looking for some relatively obscure, vaguely presentable substitute — much like Obama in 2008 — who will reliably keep the grift going without stumbling down the steps.  

They needn’t worry. Donald Trump had four years to ‘drain the swamp’ and balance the budget. Instead, the swamp got deeper than ever... and the budget was never more out of balance. No agencies or departments or programs were shut down. Not a dollar of spending was cut.  

The Donald cut taxes (a cut the Democrats now preserve) but did nothing to diminish the power or wealth of the Imperial City. 

At least Trump is what he appears to be — a genuine sleazeball. He craves attention and power... but has no idea what to do with it. No ideology. No philosophy. No plan. That’s what makes him acceptable, in a mega-political sense, to the elites of both parties. He has no ideas that will get in the way.  

Yes, dear reader, both candidates are corrupt impostors.  One promises more of the same.  The other promises something different.  But both, witlessly or willingly, will keep the jig up — more war overseas, more spending at home — transferring even more money and power to key, elite lobbies.   

The stock market looks healthy. GDP is positive. Unemployment is low. 

And the roots rot. 

Regards, 

Bill Bonner