Not only do too many Americans show the perils of low information; they also show the effects of no memory.
For instance, too many can’t recall all the way back to the depths of a horribly mismanaged pandemic, what historians will call “Days of Ivermectin.”
Something else many may not recall: when Joe Biden was declared dead at age 76.
Politically, you idiots.
Yes, Biden has been there before as a candidate: knock, knock, knockin’ on the glue factory door. And what do we call him today? Mr. President.
Well, I’m going to tell you how Joe Biden trumps all and comes out gleaming.\
For this, I prepared a Powerpoint. Unlike many, it will not waste words.
No, this is not a prediction. Predictions are dumb. This is not pernicious speculation. This is an explanation:
“How Joe Biden wins in five colorful slides.” Click.
No. 1) Donald Trump. He is a felon facing sentencing. He’s rung up a raft of criminal indictments and mountainous civil penalties. His criminality and lies aside (lies being the essence of his criminality), he is as incompetent and incoherent as a summer day in the Yukon is interminable.
Listen to the man on the stump. Biden has performance issues? Trump at Gettysburg: “So much and so interesting, and so beautiful in so many ways.” Hannibal Lecter couldn’t say it better. Is Hannibal in the crowd?
No. 2) Project 2025. Trump is trying to distance himself from the ultra-specific autocratic, blow-it-up designs of the Heritage Foundation, written by former Trump officials for no one but him. Heck, they mention him over 300 times.
Oh, no, people! Don’t get real about this policy stuff. Der Kommissar wants to stay vague, stay aloof, stay Cheshire catty. The think-tankers have ruined that: 900-plus pages of specificity!
Such designs are a good reason why a new poll (Bendixen & Amandi) finds 53 percent of Americans surveyed consider a Trump presidency a “grave danger to the republic.”
At every turn, Democrats will tie this draconian culture-war declaration around Trump’s golf course-reddened neck. Heritage Foundation’s right-wing loonies did their man no favor.
No. 3) Women and young voters. For those with low info and no memory, we take you all the way back to 2023 and a special election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The landslide victory of pro-choice judge Janet Protasiewicz guaranteed the court would not cede to the anti-choice whirlpool wrought by Trump’s anti-choice droids on the high court.
In so doing, Wisconsin’s women stepped forward big-time. More importantly, college students broke turnout records. Since the anti-freedom, anti-woman Dobbs decision, Democrats have outperformed polls in election after election.
By the way: Abortion rights measures look to be on the ballot in 11 states in November, including Florida, Arizona and Pennsylvania (pending legislative authorization). That spells pro-choice, anti-Trump synergy. Feel queasy, GOP?
No. 4) Moderation wins. Speaking of damn polls: How wrong in France? The victory by Emmanuel Macron’s coalition over the one led by Trump bestie and fellow aspiring fascist Marine le Pen showed that moderation still sells, that governing still matters over hate-filled performative art. The same will happen here as people turn away from a walking, talking scandal and to the most reasoned and reasonable candidate, Joe Biden.
Hey, moderation even won in Iran. And what about Labor’s thrashing conservatives in Great Britain?
No. 5) The Biden record. As I write this, the stock market is at a record high, unemployment near record lows. Inflation has slowed to where the Fed has paused intervention.
Construction continues on crucial public works — bridges, highways, water treatment plants — via Biden’s pen. Manufacturing has taken off at a greater pace than any time in recent memory. Trump did nothing – nothing – in either arena. He did, however, do great things for the sale of horse wormer.
Did I say five Powerpoint slides? I’ll add a sixth, ‘cause I can:
No. 6) Joe the fighter. From the urgent pleas of supporters over the last few days to show his vitality and fighting spirit in light of a near-death (political) experience — the debate from hell — Biden is taking his passion to the people and press, talking our ears off, leaving no doubt about the stakes for those with any memory at all.
That’s how Biden wins. Click.
Longtime newspaperman John Young lives in Colorado. Email: jyoungcolumn@gmail.com.