Viewpoint: Grateful for an adult in the White House
Sneed Collard
There’s been a lot of griping about President Biden since he came into office. Time and time again, however, national and world events have spotlighted just how lucky we all are to have him. Can you imagine how a certain former president, for instance, would have reacted to Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine?
Instead of being part of a more united, stronger alliance that Biden has helped forge today, Americans would be trying to tell ourselves it was okay that Russia dismantled a European democracy—and be fearfully waiting for what an emboldened Russia did next.
If you think another GOP alternative might have done a better job dealing with our cascade of crises, just take a look at how an extremist group of idealogues—including our own Congressman Rosendale—has plunged an essential branch of government into chaos. In the process of paralyzing Congress, they continue to run rough-shod over all voices of reason and common sense—without offering even scraps of reasonable alternatives.
Fox news cheerleaders may applaud such childish and reckless actions, but they cast shadows on our nation’s economic future, national security, and countless other essential interests vital to every one of us. Do you really want people so rash, misinformed, and out of touch with reality to be controlling the course of our nation?
Anti-government voices have been loud and growing in the past twenty years, but we live in an incredibly complicated world. Anyone who really thinks we would be better off without experienced, responsible, well-informed adults running our nation hasn’t thought deeply enough.
Just ask yourself, what would happen if we got rid of government today? As roads fell apart and water became unsafe; as people lost jobs and emergency services disappeared; as hostile foreign powers used all means to expand their footprints, our first order of business would be to quickly re-establish some other government. The problem? After getting rid of our experienced, moderate leaders, there wouldn’t be responsible adults in charge. It would be people who believe in pretty much whatever they want to, regardless of the facts. In fact, they would be the same power-driven adolescents who hold our House of Representatives hostage today.
It's easy to sit back and take potshots at everything. Thanks to extremist media, it also has gotten easier for many to believe in almost any whacko theory that comes down the pike. To continue following such a path, however, is a sure recipe for dragging our country into chaos and despondency, one from which it might never recover.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t agree with everything President Biden has done, nor do I think he’s the best leader possible. A quick look at the alternatives, though, tells me that we’ve been incredibly lucky to have him these past few years. Not only is he dealing with domestic and world crises in measured, responsible ways, he is doing his best to point us toward a future that both conservatives and progressives can live with—even if they don’t realize it. Instead of being led by conspiracy theorists, white supremacists, anti-VAXers, and climate- and election-deniers, we’ve got a leader who actually makes decisions based on reality, compassion, and humanity.
As this latest, tragic Middle East crisis continues to unfold, President Biden is again demonstrating his grasp of our complicated world with smart decision-making and wise diplomacy. His efforts may not all succeed, but I, for one, am glad there’s still an adult in our nation’s most important room.
Sneed Collard is a writer from Missoula.