Op-ed views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author.
It is looking bleak for President Joe Biden and the Democrats. All the latest polls show Biden losing to President Donald Trump in a rematch of the 2020 election.
For example, the new Wall Street Journal poll shows Trump leading Biden 47-43%. It is Trump’s first lead over Biden in this poll. When third party candidates, such as Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., are included, Trump’s lead increases to a six point margin. Not only is Biden losing to Trump in the poll, but he is also suffering from the worst approval rating of his presidency at only 37%.
To thwart Trump’s second term, Biden and the Democrats have tried almost everything. The incumbent has claimed his economic policies were superior, boasting of the success of Bidenomics. With stubborn inflation, high interest rates and a host of other economic problems plaguing Americans, this campaign tactic is clearly failing. In the Wall Street Journal poll, 66% of respondents rated the economy as “poor or not good” and claim the economy “has gotten worse in the past two years.”
Biden has also tried to demonize President Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) agenda as being extreme. In his speeches, he is constantly targeting “MAGA Republicans” as impediments to progress. Yet, to most Americans, an agenda designed to make the country “great again” does not seem extreme.
The Biden Justice Department and Democrat prosecutors in “blue counties” in Georgia and New York have placed enormous legal roadblocks in the path of Trump’s re-election campaign. In 2022, Trump was the first President to have his home raided by the FBI.
This was followed by more history; Trump was the first President to encounter criminal charges. In total, Trump is facing four sets of criminal charges and 91 felony counts. He is also dealing with civil lawsuits and 31 legal challenges in numerous states to his inclusion on the 2024 presidential ballot.
These absurd cases claim that Trump incited “insurrection” with his actions regarding the January 6, 2021, protest at the U.S. Capitol. His opponents cite Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which states that no one is eligible for public office if they “have engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against our country.
Instead of calling for an insurrection, the President repeatedly urged protesters to go home and not attack law enforcement. In his speech prior to the protest, Trump implored his supporters to “peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard,” not exactly the rantings of the leader of a rebellion.
Reality is irrelevant to deranged Trump haters, such as establishment Republican Liz Cheney. She fumes that America is “sleepwalking into a dictatorship” if Trump is elected again. Cheney believes America is facing a “dangerous moment” as there is “no question” Trump will try to remain in office longer than another term.
What about Biden? At a campaign event in Massachusetts, Biden said, “If Trump wasn’t running, I’m not sure I’d be running. But we cannot let him win.” He cited the President’s use of the word “vermin” in describing his opponents, claiming that “Trump’s not even hiding the ball anymore. He’s telling us what he’s going to do.”
All this nonsense is truly comical, considering that, in his first term, Trump was unable to end Obamacare, thanks to the “no” vote of the late U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ). For years, he was thwarted in his top priority of building a border wall by Congress. He was unable to remove our military personnel from Syria, despite his wishes. His goal to remove U.S. troops from Afghanistan was delayed. Even his desire to release the complete federal files on the John F. Kennedy assassination was denied by intelligence officials in his administration.
While he accomplished remarkable achievements as President, many of Trump’s goals were foiled by powerful Deep State operatives. A “dictator” would not have allowed bureaucrats or political opponents to stop him.
Of course, he wants to circumvent such institutional opponents in a second term by appointing “MAGA” Republicans to top positions. This should be Trump’s prerogative, appointing people who support his agenda. None of President Trump’s second term agenda is illegal or unconstitutional. It is ludicrous to label his legitimate and popular goals as dictatorial.
Democrats know branding him a “dictator” is outrageous but are convinced such hyperbole is their best hope of stopping Trump 2.0. They desperately want to scare voters into electing Biden again. Fortunately, more Americans are starting to understand the political playbook of the Democratic Party and their media accomplices.
As the only President to face two unfair impeachments, multiple special counsel investigations, and outright surveillance from his own Department of Justice, Trump is accustomed to dealing with abusive political opponents.
As he addressed a Republican audience in New York this weekend, Trump noted, “I’m not a threat. I will save democracy. The threat is crooked Joe Biden. That’s the threat.” Amen Mr. President.