Note from Norm: Biden’s Carter Kennedy Moment May Soon Arrive
On November 7th, 1979 Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy announced his campaign for President of the United States.
If not for the fact that the incumbent President was none other than fellow Democrat Jimmy Carter, Kennedy’s announcement would have been just one of many announcements from Democrats that year seeking the highest office in the land.
The assault from the Democratic party’s “progressive” wing of the party against an incumbent President who was increasingly seen by those within his party, and much of America, as a nice guy but ineffective and incapable of accomplishing much of anything was the equivalent of a political earthquake.
Kennedy’s campaign for President ended at a chaotic open Democratic Convention in which a mortally wounded Carter never regained his momentum and ultimately lost his re-election to Ronald Reagan who re-ignited American’s faith in America.
Joe Biden, a nice guy but ineffective and incapable of accomplishing much of anything, finds himself in much the same place as Jimmy Carter in 1979.
His poll numbers are in the basement, despite controlling both houses of Congress he can’t get much of anything passed in the way of policy, and already the whisper campaign has begun that there needs to be another standard bearer for the party in 2024.
Today American’s woke up to the news that the Annual Inflation rate at the end of June surged to 9.1%.
In 1979 inflation was 13.3%
With prices at the gas pump up nearly 60 percent since the same time a year ago, overall energy prices have risen by nearly 42 percent since last year.
Yet, it isn’t just energy prices that are stealing money from the pocketbooks of hard-working Americans – according to CNN Business “ Prices for food at home were up 12.2% over the year, with eggs up 33.1%, butter up 21.3%, milk up 16.4%, chicken up 18.6%, and coffee up 15.8%. Shelter costs were up 5.6%.”
What is the real impact on the pocketbook for the average American worker? According to the Heritage Foundation the impact of inflation and surging prices has resulted in a $3,400 yearly decrease for the average worker and a $6,800 reduction for families in which both parents work.
There’s nothing academic about inflation – it’s an economic wallop on American families at a time when they can least afford it.
Worse yet – yes, it can get worse – we may be in for persistently higher inflation in the years to come according to the heads of the Federal Reserve from a summit in Portugal late last month.
Democrats who are already facing an electoral headwind of their own making are now looking at an incumbent President who is unlikely to win a second term yet seems bound and determined to seek one anyhow.
And, the increasing levels of rhetoric of political discontent are emerging from the party’s leftist flank more and more every single day. Biden represents, to them, a form of political moderation or centrism they abhor. Not only that but the President’s advanced age are allowing those within his party who want him to be a “one and done” President to raise questions of his physical and mental fitness for the job.
Recently, the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation from the position due to a variety of missteps, scandal, and general incompetence. All the more remarkable for Johnson was that his downfall was hurried along by his own political party and members who wanted, and want, him gone. To any fair-minded observer the parallels to incumbent President Joe Biden and his Democratic Party should be obvious.
The “Anybody But Biden” movement within the Democratic Party has yet to take firm hold. The power of incumbency is a powerful tool even for the most wounded of office holders. And, being the incumbent President of the United States of America is not something any insurgent candidate would take lightly as they consider the potential of a campaign.
There are a lot of months between now and November 2024 but there are only four months between now and November 2022. With few exceptions mid-term elections are not kind to political parties who control the White House. And, given that Democrats control the House, the Senate and the White House, current predictions show Republicans retaking control of both bodies of Congress.
It would be great for hard-working Americans if prices at the pump and the grocery store and everywhere else plummeted between now and November.
If they don’t it is likely that the only thing plummeting faster will be Joe Biden’s chances of warding off multiple challenges for his job from Democrats in his own party.