FAIR AND BIASED: "The words of a president matter. They can incite!"

Sunday, March 27, 2022

"The words of a president matter. They can incite!"

Weekly Opinion Editorial

by Steve Fair

“The words of a president matter. They can move markets. They can send brave men and women to war. They can bring peace,” then presidential candidate Joe Biden said at a presidential election debate in 2020.

Regarding the January 6^th Capitol incident, Biden said about President Trump: “The words of a president matter, no matter how good or bad that president is. At their best, the words of a president can inspire. At their worst, they can incite.” Biden tried to paint President Trump as an undisciplined, unpredictable loose cannon.

Trump did go off script and say things his aides and advisors cringed at, but none of his unscripted moments were nearly as potentially damaging to America as Biden’s remarks at the end of a 27-minute speech on Saturday. Speaking about Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Biden said, ”For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power.” The Kremlin immediately reacted. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state news agencies, “That’s not for Biden to decide. The president of Russia is elected by Russians.”

Biden’s handlers immediately went to work trying to explain what he said wasn’t what he meant. “The president’s point was Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He wasn’t discussing Putin’s power in Russia or suggesting a regime change,” the White House official interpreter of presidential speeches said. But that was what the president said, so which is it? Perhaps President Biden should consider having an interpreter translate at his press conferences to save time. Three observations:

First, President Biden gave Putin a huge gift. Putin has contended the West is trying to interfere in Russian policy and wants to overthrow the Kremlin and destroy Russia. Putin, no doubt, will use Biden’s gaffe/blunder as propaganda to reinforce the idea the western world hates Russia’s way of life.

Second, Biden’s statement is not consistent with stated U.S. policy. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said regime change is not part of the strategy the United States, NATO and their allies have discussed in regard to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Biden’s statement contradicts that public policy, which has foreign policy experts and allied leaders scratching their heads.

Third, Biden’s statement could change Putin’s war strategy. If Putin believes Biden secretly wants him out of power, then he might use every means at his disposal to stop that from happening. Putin has some significant means. He has his finger on 6,000 nuclear warheads. By comparison, the United States has 4,000 nukes. If Putin believes Biden is trying to take him out of power, he might do some desperate things. Desperate men do desperate things.

American author Nathaniel Hawthorne said, “Words—so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become, in the hands of one who knows how to combine them!" Joe Biden has shown he does not know how to combine them. He’s right- the words of a president do carry a lot of weight. They move markets- they send men and women to war- they bring peace. That’s why the president shouldn’t impromptu suggest the overthrow of a foreign government’s leader, especially one with 6,000 nukes. To quote Joe Biden- those words can incite.

1 comment:

James L. said...: Hey, Steve, I kept reading this post thinking you were going to write some contentious opinions on Putin, but rather than condemning him, you chose to pontificate on the ad libbed words of Biden, the leader of our country, and why those words are wrong. Biden does not believe Putin should remain in power. Putin has committed numerous war crimes on the people of Ukraine, including hundreds of civilians.

You said at the beginning of your post that none of the things Trump said were as damaging to our country as what Biden said about Putin. Just think about that for a moment. Trump literally incited an angry mob that tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to overthrow a free and fair presidential election and execute our vice president. And you're saying that Biden's remark about Putin not deserving to stay in power for committing literal war crimes and invading a sovereign nation in Europe is actually worse than that?

What reality do you live in, Steve? I thought the Russians were our sworn enemies. I thought that the Cold War concluded with a victory for democracy, not autocracy. Are you saying that Putin, who was NOT elected fairly and has been tied to the poisoning and assassinations of his political rivals, is somehow the victim in all of this? Do you believe that Russia under any leadership has any right whatsoever to invade the sovereign nation of Ukraine?

You say that Biden's words are a blunder, a gaffe, but I ask you, what would you say if Trump had taken that stance? How could we be the leading democratic face of the world when we don't condemn the atrocities going on in Ukraine?

I'd really like to know your thoughts.; March 28, 2022 at 9:27 PM

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Why FAIR & BIASED?

FAIR- because that's my name and BIASED because the truth is we are all biased- either for something or against it. What's important is that our bias(opinions) are based on right- on absolute truth and not on changing values. What's right cannot change based on a change in circumstances. That is the basis for situational ethics.

Situation Ethics is a theory that is concerned with the outcome or consequences of an action; the end, as opposed to an action being intrinsically wrong. In the case of situation ethics, the end can justify the means. There are no absolutes. Your actions are guided only by your conscience.

A person's view of right can be subjective. But there is a way mankind can definitely know what's right and that is revealed in God's Word- the Bible. As His creatures, we should be biased toward things our Creator is for and biased against those things He is against. May God grant us the grace and understanding to know the difference.

PARTY AFFILIATION IS IMPORTANT! by Steve Fair- written in 2009

How important is political party affiliation? Some people mistakenly believe only politicians need political affiliation, which they use for support to get elected. They contend the electorate or voters, do not need to be aligned with any Party. These same people often state they “support the man, not the Party.” But whether they recognize it or not, they are supporting a party when they “support the man.”
Most of the Founding Fathers had a negative view of political parties. In his farewell address to the nation, George Washington warned about political parties saying, “However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.” In spite of Washington's warning, political parties were formed anyway.
From 1796 to 1828 the first political parties were formed. Starting with the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, two opposing factions arose. Each was concerned with how the new government was to be organized. The Federalists believed in a strong central government. Their philosophy and beliefs would closely mirror the Democrat Party today. The Anti-Federalists strongly supported the rights of the states. They would more closely align with Republicans today.
Since the mid 1800s, the Ds and Rs have been the two major political parties in our country. Political parties flourished in our government mainly for legislative organization and expediencies sake. Why is Party affiliation important for the average voter? Party affiliation is important for three very simples reasons.
First, party affiliation is the first vote a citizen casts. When a citizen registers as a Democrat, then they are aligning philosophically with the values, beliefs, tenets, and positions of the Democrats on the issues. Party affiliation “defines” you are and what you stand for. It should be taken as seriously as a vote for a specific candidate. Research what each Party stands for, their positions on issues, and then align with the Party that is closest to your values. Copies of both major Party platforms are available on-line or at the local library.
Second, legislatures organize themselves and conduct business using party affiliation. The legislative branch of government is the most powerful arm of the three branches of government. Legislative bodies hold closed meeting of party members, called a caucus to decide on questions of policy or leadership. The Republicans hold a caucus meeting and the Democrats hold a caucus meeting-both at the state and federal level. Unfortunately, conservative, moderate and liberal philosophies do not hold caucus meetings or control the legislative agendas- parties do. When someone says they vote for “the man,” not the party, they fail to understand the power and function of a caucus system in a legislative body. The Party in the majority controls appointments, Chairmanships, the agenda and countless other things through the caucus.
Third, party affiliation should be a matter of conviction, not convenience. Often, people align with a party so they can vote in primary elections or based on family tradition or geographies. Even candidates will align, file and run affiliated with a Party they have little philosophical agreement with. That decision is made out of convenience, not conviction. While no political party is perfect or has all the answers, there is a distinct difference between the two major parties and honest citizens should align with the Party that reflects their convictions.
The Democrat Party is more liberal than the Republican Party. Liberals believe in more government control of business, the environment and speech, using large bureaucratic programs to address real or perceived social ills and constant reinterpretation of the Constitution. Liberals are more inclined to trust government than the people themselves. They see the role of government as a great provider of goods and services and have little faith in the individual to solve his own problems.
Republicans are more conservative than Democrats. Conservatives believe in less government control of the environment and business. They want fewer and less comprehensive government programs to address real or perceived social ills. They believe in personal responsibility and trust individuals to make decisions for themselves. Republicans believe in a strict literal interpretation of the Constitution. A person should find out which of these philosophies best fits their view if they wish to actively participate in the political process.
Party affiliation is important. Washington’s prophecy has come to past, and political parties have been used to empower “unprincipled men,” on both sides of the aisle, but like it or not, political parties are a reality in our system of government. Each concerned citizen should evaluate the philosophy, values, beliefs and tenets of each Party and align their party affiliation accordingly.

FAIR AND BIASED

Sunday, March 27, 2022

"The words of a president matter. They can incite!"

1 comment:

You can reach Steve by email at okgop@aol.com or call him at 580.252.6284.

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PARTY AFFILIATION IS IMPORTANT! by Steve Fair- written in 2009

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