The Disappearing Man by Geoff Carter

Illustration by Michael DiMilo

By Geoff Carter

As the 46^th president, he guided our nation through one of the worst pandemics in history. He revitalized an economy paralyzed by broken supply lines and mass unemployment. He assisted American workers until they were able to get back on their feet and back to work after the extended lockdown. He managed to push through a comprehensive infrastructure bill that not only restored chronically neglected bridges and roads, but also put tens of thousands of Americans back to work.

He had to pick up the pieces after the disastrous Donald Trump administration, arguably (a strong argument) the worst president in American history, a man who so badly bungled the Covid crisis that he was ultimately responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans, a man who plunged our nation into deeper debt by enacting a tax cut for the richest in our nation, a man who deliberately tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election by fomenting a riot at the Capitol, a man who in any other context, would (and should) be considered a traitor to the Constitution. And the man who would be king.

Joe Biden was the people’s president. He stood on a picket line with striking workers. He brought back American manufacturing jobs through the CHIP Act and other legislation. He managed to wrangle all this by negotiating with a stubbornly antagonistic Republican arm of Congress. He lent his undying support to the Ukrainian people in their war against Russia.

His achievements as president are lengthy and worthy of him being regarded as one of the great leaders of our times. The full list of his accomplishments is too long to list here. Let’s hope history treats him President Biden more kindly than we have, for he—and his legacy—already seem to be disappearing before our very eyes.

Joe Biden is something of an anachronism in today’s politics. Instead of pumping himself up and inserting himself into the limelight at every opportunity, he goes about the work of governing quietly and modestly. Instead of crowing to the masses and the media about having the biggest crowds or making friends with ruthless autocrats, he governed quietly and efficiently. Apparently, that’s not enough to capture the American voter’s imagination anymore. They need celebrity, they need splash, they need drama—it doesn’t matter if the celebrity is a self-serving narcissistic idiot who doesn’t have the vaguest idea how to manage a casino, much less a country, or is a convicted felon. As long as he’s bigger than life, he’s got to be the one.

The recent passing of Jimmy Carter hearkens back to this earlier period of American statesmanship. Like Joe Biden, President Carter was besieged with difficult problems that ended up costing him the presidency, specifically the gas crisis, the Iran hostages, and double-digit inflation. Recognizing that dependency on foreign oil was a risk to national security, Carter recommended energy-saving measures like turning down the thermostat and driving less. He also installed solar panels on the White House roof, a measure far ahead of its time. President Carter also managed to do something no one else had—he brokered peace in the Middle East, negotiating a settlement between Israel and Egypt.

After his presidency, Jimmy Carter continued working for the common good. He traveled the world advocating humanitarian efforts wherever needed. The Carter Center worked toward ending disease and oversaw efforts to conduct fair elections. And of course back home, he and his wife Rosalynn worked tirelessly to provide safe housing with their work in Habitat for Humanity. Other than the latter, how many Americans knew about his tireless efforts? Not many. Like President Biden, Jimmy Carter preferred to work behind the scenes and let his accomplishments speak for themselves. Unfortunately, in today’s political arena, actions do not speak louder than words. Bluster, bullshit, and bullying rule the roost.

Politicians like Marjory Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, and Matt Gaetz seem to be willing to do anything to keep themselves planted firmly in the eye of the camera. In 2021, Greene has stated that Jewish space lasers mounted on satellites caused wildfires in California. She also said that 9/11 was an inside job and that the Parkland, Sandy Hook, and Las Vegas shooting were staged. And—for some reason—these idiotic spoutings were headline stories. Lauren Boebert repeated Donald Trump’s assertion that Haitian immigrants were eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. And Matt Gaetz, who resigned from Congress amidst allegations of sex trafficking and sexual relations with minors, has been notorious for repeating some of the most outrageous statements from the right.

Words are cheap. And, in the case of some MAGA Republicans, tawdry, hateful, ridiculous, and (in the best-case scenario) suspicious. Our leaders used to be measured by their accomplishments, not by the volume and outrageousness of their pronouncements. Part of the blame for the American fascination with the outlandish, the sensational, the preposterous.

The American people reelected Donald Trump knowing full well what he is—and isn’t. Had Joe Biden been a few years younger, he might very well have won reelection to the presidency. Kamala Harris would have made a fine president because she too—like Biden and Carter—is serious about governing.

Unfortunately, this sensibility seems to be losing currency with today’s voters. They have been consistently electing the brazen loudmouthed buffoons ready to repeat the most outrageous lies.

Sacrifice, dedication, and a sense of duty are qualities that seem to be disappearing among today’s politicians. Unfortunately, the ethos of Joe Biden’s generation is being subsumed by celebrity and sensationalism. Perhaps the saddest aspect of all this is the lack of respect being shown to the outgoing president.

The fact that Mr. Biden, now eighty-two years old, has become the butt of mean-spirited jokes targeting his age and frailty is deplorable. “Saturday Night Live”, “Late Night with Steven Colbert”, and other comedy shows are stooping to the level of a Greene, a Trump, or a Gaetz when they take these cheap shots. Yes, he is getting old, but he is still a man of consequence who has spent his life serving the public.

Joe Biden is a man of integrity, empathy, and conscience, qualities that are becoming increasingly rare. Like Jimmy Carter, the true value of his contributions probably will not be really appreciated until he is gone. He is a disappearing breed without which American democracy will struggle to survive.

Thank you for your service, President Biden.