Joe Biden: America’s Last President
A nation so divided is incapable of remaining stable for long
For the United States to move forward beyond its current situation, its citizens must be open to enormous monumental changes. Changes that may initially trigger a gut-reaction of defensiveness. Including that Joe Biden should be the last American President.
Video Essayist Leon Thomas, narrator and host of Renegade Cut, lays out an excellent argument for abolishing the presidency of the United States.
However impactful ending the Presidency of the United States would be, it is only the tip of the iceberg. There are so many more reforms that are absolutely necessary to move forward with a functional nation-state. As of 2021, we do not have a functional nation-state, we have a stalled, dysfunctional morass slowly slipping into decay.
Americans, must summon the courage and imagination to consider that there may be a better way. A tall order in the modern United States, considering that roughly 45% of the population does not believe that there is any need for change — arguing we have changed too much and have abandoned the old ways that are so comfortable to those whose experience comes from white supremacy, misogyny, and evangelical-christian hegemony.
So where does this leave us? While some may immediately jump to breaking up the United States as a viable solution, this is exceptionally complicated and ultimately creates no net benefit — a fascist nation-state would still ultimately exist, and conflict would ensue over control over the nation’s nuclear capacity.
Over the course of the next four years, we are very likely to see the fascist right fully abandon electoral democracy in favor of armed struggle for a fascist white evangelical-christian ethno-state.
The few options remain aren’t easy to stomach. Given the polarization, there is only one outcome that will ultimately prevail, and it is the outcome no one wishes to speak into words (except for the foolish Boogaloo Bois who wish to accelerate it). Whether we care to imagine it or not, the US will continue to slowly slip into conflict as the polarization becomes only worse.
Even if the Center-Left and Left were to unite and work together to push forward an agenda of change and reform to stop the hemorrhage, the forces of the reactionary white nationalists are mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared to fight a civil war to ensure that their vision of a white male dominated ethno-state becomes a reality. Unless the proportions of the population change and more people side with at a minimum a liberal democracy, we will end up in armed conflict. It is nearly unavoidable at this point.
This means, one way or another, Joe Biden will likely be the last American President. Over the course of the next four years, we are very likely to see the fascist right fully abandon electoral democracy in favor of armed struggle for a fascist white evangelical-christian ethno-state. We have already seen hints of this occur over the course of the Trump Presidency, as they attempted to use threat-of-force, corruption, and intimidation to enshrine a dictatorial leadership. The January 6th putsch attempt was the final mask-off moment: they have infiltrated the ranks of police and military, and they will continue to recruit in those arenas to bolster their control over those two keys of power.
We have already seen ‘lone-wolves’ motivated to try to enter Washington, D.C. with intent to do harm. Those elements will continue to organize and coalesce. The primary reason they have not thus far been successful is they do not have yet have the command and control structure of the Military on their side, nor do they have the full cooperation of all levels of law enforcement. Time, retirement, and promotion will change that.
Add this in to an already frustrated, angry, and tired left, disgusted with the capitulation of the centrists in government to the right-wing, will push harder for change via non-violent action, strikes, and civil disobedience, angering and emboldening the violent forces of the right further.
The clock is ticking and quickly approaching midnight. The faster the left accepts the reality we are moving into, and begins to prepare for community civil defense, the better. The United States isn’t a powder-keg, it’s a whole poorly managed arms depot with gun powder everywhere, just waiting for the slightest of sparks. We’ve seen some isolated piles go up in flames here and there, but those are running out.
While the conditions surrounding the Spanish Civil War are different, the events that unfolded remain an important study of consideration — what does a society so deeply divided between the necessary change to achieve human liberation, and the reactionary and fascist forces that insist we can, and should, only go back to a time when the country was “great”. What occurs is a chilling examination in how fast neighbors can turn on one another, and kill with impunity. The rise of Franco serves as a further dire warning: we have only one chance to defeat Fascism before it takes control and begins systematically destroying its political enemies.
What Does Leftist Preparation Look Like?
The discussion about preparing for what comes next involves what is frankly an uncomfortable notion: that we may have to prepare to defend ourselves for years, and prepare for the possibility of having to flee our homes and communities.
First, we cannot assume that the military, law enforcement, allies, or even the United Nations will be on the side of the liberals and the left. If anything we should assume we will be alone — isolated, and want for aid. Look around the global map. Countries fall into one of three camps: consumed by their own internal situations to be capable of offering aid, likely to remain neutral, or at worse, likely to side with the fascists — who will do what they can to appear to be the defenders of American democracy.
This frightening and uncomfortable realization that we’re headed into a dire situation is one we must be willing to talk openly about. Not of a place of fear, but a place of preparedness. It is better to have frank conversations about what may come, then find ourselves proverbially caught with our pants down.
Accepting we will be on our own makes organizing, coordinating, and selflessly working together all the more important. If there ever was a time for the omnipresent Leftist Circular Firing Squad to declare a cease-fire, it is now. It is never been more critical for the various elements of the left to stop bickering with one another and show some solidarity for once.
Leftists will need to work together to find ways to gather supplies of all kinds, building caches and stores of items that will make or break any defense efforts.
Above all, leftists need to act and consider this is a real thing, and that our very survival depends on taking this seriously. There will likely be only one final election, the mid-terms. The outcome of the mid-term congressional elections will, regardless of where they land, be a catalyst to the further spiral of chaos our nation finds itself in.
None of us need to want a civil war to recognize that one is on the horizon, and that the right wing will not go quietly if defeated electorally. They will, as they already have begun, abandon democracy and take up arms. Preparing for the worst does not make us want the worst, it makes us want to survive regardless of what may come.
