The present administration’s report card signals incompetence. A catastrophic Afgan pullout and a stalemated war in Ukraine highlight the lack of ability in foreign affairs. These failures join the highest inflation and interest rates in decades—the border needs fixing. The homefront isn’t any better. Add a judge’s finding the government has joined with media platforms to suppress free speech. Several house committees are just one Joe Biden bank account showing receipt and dis[persement of funds from his son’s “business” from impeaching Joe. 

Given the administration’s sorry state, the Republicans should be reserving moving vans for their executive branch ’25 takeover. Yet Joe Biden is the betting favorite to win. The reason is Donald Trump is the favorite to be the opposition. The former president has a loyal following but has always been upside down in the national surveys. So long as they can run against a candidate with such a low ceiling, Democrats are in fine shape. 

As I pointed out, the whole Democratic coalition, including its media allies, has worked hard to encourage Republicans to rally around Trump with an unprecedented number of lawsuits. It puts the former president constantly in the limelight, sucking all the oxygen away from other candidates. The last thing Democrats want is for Trump to be convicted and unable to run, but with our slow-motion judicial system complete with appeals, jail will never happen before the election.

So far, the Democratic plan is working fine. Trump is well in front to be the Republican nominee. Anyone running for office would love to run against an opponent with a 45% ceiling.

The only problem with the Democrats is their ticket of Joe and Kamala have their problems. Joe is old and looks and acts feeble while the net is closing in on his criminal conduct. The blowup of his son’s sweetheart’s deal on taxes and gun leaves poor Joe naked before the world. The smoking gun is out there, and it’s only a matter of time before it surfaces. It will be sooner rather than later. 

The disliked Kamala has shown a unique lack of ability for someone in her position. Getting rid of Joe now leaves you with someone viewed even less favorably. There may have been a different plan all along.

While worrying about the next election’s outcome, I see an enormous opportunity for our nation. Other nations have worsening trends. As I’ve pointed out, China, by moving to state control of the economy, and the results of a horrendous population control program, is on a downward journey. Europe is more market-oriented, but declining populations are robbing the continent of dynamism.

By contrast, we can extend and maybe even accelerate progress by turning away from the industrial policy of “Bidenomices” and returning to policies favoring growth. We know what works, so why become pale imitations of others when we have a better formula? A Free-literate growing population working in free markets engaging with others in free trade will outperform “elites” running top-down economies.

I grew up in an era where the press told us the USSR would overtake us with its larger population and well-thought 5-year plans. Ronald Reagan saw it differently. He expanded our present and future arms capabilities, and the Soviets found they couldn’t keep up. Reagan knew we had the more productive system. Instead of burying the US, economic woes led to the dissolution of the USSR.

If we stay true to our principles, we will continue to lead the world to a better future. We can continue an upward march by reducing government interference in the economy, expanding free trade with other nations obeying the rules, and taking steps to maintain needed population growth. Of course, without a skilled populace, we will come up short.