America's Pampered President- Loss of face reigns supreme

In spite of his medical condition he is still in office— It has everything to do with politics and geopolitics.

There is growing concern over the health and mental fitness of US president Joe Biden. At a time in life when he should be enjoying a flush retirement he flounders about in office, purportedly as the most powerful politician in the world.

I have a personal empathy for him as he is only a few months older than me. Each and every one of us age differently, some faster than others. We all cherish those 90 years olds whose minds are sharp as a tack, and have a gleam in their eyes; but they are the blessed few.

Eighty and beyond is the “death zone” where, as my doctor has told me —anything can happen at any time. This may incur feelings of dread but the joy of time spent in the meantime is amplified. Cheating death must be a game well played.

Only recently have I recovered from a long illness. During that time I was hoping my recovery was going to be complete enough that I would be more benefit than burden. Thanks to some excellent medical practitioners I now feel more like seventy than eighty. But I also know I am not employable. I don’t the have endurance, mentally or physically— regularly naps are mandatory. Old age is a box we live in where we accept the limits, medications and routines necessary to reap the benefits without becoming a burden.

Quite compassionately I submit President Biden is past being capable of making the burden-benefit assessment for himself. If he was he would have stepped up to the microphone and announced his belated retirement some time ago. As one pundit asked—as he is so pampered in public, what is going on privately?

His medical condition has little to do with why he is still in office— it has everything to do with politics and geopolitics.

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Loss of face is one of the most traumatic events a person, country or empire can face. The loss of face is proportionate to the power wielded and how publicly it occurs.

The empire is now suffering a loss of face over the debacle in Ukraine. It also has a president whose presidency is teetering badly .

In the present crisis situation to have the president resign voluntarily would be a loss of face in the world of geopolitics.

Under Article 25 of the US Constitution a president can be judged unfit for office and removed—- her again a huge loss of face!

For whatever reason the president is retired the order of succession comes into play:

Kamela Harris as vice president is first in line, but there is a consensus she is a political liability for this administration.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy is next in line, but is also a Republican.

Senator Patty Murray is third in line

Secretary of State, Antony Blinken is fourth in line.

Regardless of qualifications, anyone of the above assuming the presidency under present circumstances is still a loss of face.

At a time when the US President should be in close touch and summiting with both Chinese President Xi Jinping and and Russian President Vladimir Putin he is not. Clearly he is not cogent enough to do so given the complex and threatening dynamics of the world today.

His keepers are maintaining him in “protective custody” where his every move and public exposure is carefully orchestrated. He has become the pampered president, hostage to an administration drowning in loss of face.

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The quality and integrity of leadership in erstwhile Western democracies is at an all time low. War deepens the crisis and the road back becomes longer and more perilous.

But then, maybe the Masters of the Universe who run the West are only capable of war, willful ignorance and pettifoggery.

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Truths we don’t want to see, are too often seen by others:

West no longer has charismatic leaders

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