Going There

In common conversation, one often hears the expression “don’t go there.”

It means the conversation has reached a point whereby going any further with the topic is going to create stress, disagreement, controversy, and discomfort.

Well, someone has to go there, and so we will.

We are talking about the obvious cognitive decline of the President of the United States.

Anyone who does not have blinders on can see that he has some days better than others and that those bad days now seem to be coming now with greater frequency.

He is in less than one year into his four-year term, so at this speed of deterioration, the course of his decline is going to interrupt the leadership of the free world. It is just a question of when and how this problem gets solved.

It would be hard to exaggerate how dangerous this situation could become. The country is already badly divided politically, faces unprecedented debt, social instability because of the Wuhan virus and racial agitation, and some formidable enemies who will rejoice and take advantage of our difficulties.

Americans are rapidly losing faith in our government. The Department of Justice, the FBI, our intelligence agencies, and even our military are declining. The last thing we need is a laughing stock of a President, where people regard the leader of the free world as a confused grandpa. That is especially so if China decides to take advantage of a President already compromised by the investments his family has made in their nefarious enterprises.

Rather than getting a brilliant and inspirational leader, we basically have a half-witted party hack, followed by an inexperienced and highly ideological backup, who was extremely unpopular even within her own party when running for President.

Both the President and the Vice President are now falling rapidly in the polls. Further signs of dementia will only accelerate the lack of confidence.

A word must be said at this point about the Democrat Party and its leadership. Biden’s mental condition was surely known among party insiders, yet they pushed ahead with his nomination. His wife knew, and she pushed him forward for reasons we can only surmise. Likely they are pride, greed, fame, and power.

Whether fraud was present in the electoral process is under investigation, but that fraud was perpetrated by hiding his condition, is undeniable.

To put this great nation in such a pickle is shocking. The Democrat’s lust for political power apparently overwhelms whatever sliver of civic duty remains within the party. When you think of it, to put the entire nation in such peril, when other candidates were available, is astonishing.

In so doing, they have changed our form of government in a sense. We normally elect a chief executive, with broad powers and grave responsibilities.

Now we basically have a befuddled teleprompter reader with an unseen committee behind him making the decisions.

Who chairs this committee?  There likely are disagreements among committee members. How are those disputes handled? Who makes the final decisions? In a democratic government, we should know and be able to hold to account the appropriate people. Democracy does not coexist with secrecy and unaccountability, does it?

If you think of it in those terms, we were all lied to and mislead. And now the nation is being guided by an unseen, unaccountable committee? My God, even the old Soviet Union was more transparent.

Things can break either of two ways:  they continue to hide the problem and rule by a secret committee, or the 25th Amendment is invoked and Kamala Harris becomes President.

Which is better?

One could argue, that for the sake of stability, it is best to leave the secret committee in charge. But that is quite undemocratic as we are ruled by those we did not elect. Practical experience teaches committees are often the worst method of reaching a decision. It is dangerous, as we may face circumstances where superior political and strategic leadership is necessary. In addition, the risk is his condition will reach a point where he makes a series of terrible blunders, verbal and otherwise, tearing the veil off this strange situation.

The risk of infighting among his aides is high, and under some circumstances, only Biden has the legal authority to act. In short, in a crisis, we must rely on a man going in and out of senility. Can we be assured that the important decisions will be made when he is having a good day?

The Constitution should always be our guide, and despite the radical nature of Kamala Harris’s background, and the tawdry history of her political ascent, it is better to have an elected official in charge that must be accountable to the public in another election. It may be better to face the change in leadership when the effects can be controlled, rather than having a change after the nation is plunged into chaos, and then having to do it.

True, she has a reputation for being more radical than “get along Joe Biden.” But the Biden today is acting far more radical than his previous record would indicate, suggesting that we are already being ruled by a political extremist. Is it better to be ruled by an extremist who is in control of her faculties, or extremists acting through the veil of a puppet President?

Transparency would suggest it is better to be ruled by an extremist that can be held accountable rather than have laws enacted and then have the responsible individual resign. Do we get to reverse all the stupid policies if he is forced to step down?

What exactly does the 25th Amendment say?

Passed by Congress July 6, 1965. Ratified February 10, 1967. The 25th Amendment changed a portion of Article II, Section 1

Section 1

In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

Section 2

Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

Section 3

Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

Section 4

Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

The irony is the Democrats opened the can of worms called the 25th Amendment for purely partisan political reasons, and now it must be used for real and valid reasons.

Under what process will Biden indicate he is unable to function? The people around Biden like controlling him, are they are unlikely to yield their power to the Vice President? Out of duty to the country? If they had such a sense of duty, we would not be in this situation in the first place.

So, who in the administration will step forward and get the cabinet involved?  To do so, would bring down the wrath of the party. Notice the amendment says either principal officers of the Executive Department (the cabinet) or such body as Congress shall provide. What does this mean? Could Congress initiate this?

Congress is so evenly divided that that hardly seems like an option, although it could happen if Democrats were to step forward. But if they were willing to step forward, then the Cabinet could make the determination of Biden’s inability to serve. Current House leadership is getting what they want out of this Administration. Thus, the people profiting from the current circumstance have little incentive to change anything.

You can bet that those behind the scenes and the press, will put up terrific resistance to either the Cabinet or Congress removing the President. Hence, we are likely stuck with a secret committee pulling the strings of a puppet President for the next three years or so.

Will anyone in the press start to discuss the problem and insist on a cognitive test? Likely no, the press is largely the public relations arm of the Democratic Party. But some elements of the press will raise the issue. We are!

Will Republicans begin to step forward to force the issue? If so, how? Do they have the numbers to do so? Can they stay united long enough to do anything? Perhaps, but their efforts will be regarded as purely partisan.

Speaking personally, I would rather see a leadership change based on Constitutional provisions, rather than be adrift on a turbulent sea for several years with a secret committee behind a puppet President in decline.

Following the rules of our system, and adhering to the Constitution, is better than having a secret government.

Whether he stays in office his full term as a puppet or is forced to resign, the nation faces perilous times ahead.

What is quite irritating is all this turmoil could have been avoided if the Democrats were not so power-hungry.  Remember that when this crisis breaks into the open.