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| Joe Biden |
And look at the gloom! The Republican Party’s majority caucus in the House of Representatives removed their own Speaker of the House, offering no viable alternative, and consequently shut down the legislative process. Surveys by the prestigious Pew Research Center show that Americans in general, and especially Republicans, are losing confidence in the nation's ability to move forward and make their lives better.
Let’s first look at the speech’s ending. So often, the ending states what the speaker cares about the most. Biden ended his speech by pointing out that America is great. Great, he insisted, not only in power, but also in character:
“In moments like these, we have to remind — we have to remember who we are. We are the United States of America — the United States of America. And there is nothing — nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together.”That is such a simple point, is it not? The United States has vast natural resources, a time-tested constitutional system, formidable natural barriers against invasion, the world’s greatest system of higher education, superb port cities, and astonishing industrial capabilities. We were the Arsenal of Democracy in World War II. We are the nation that built the Interstate highway system. Our light has been the world’s beacon of freedom for centuries. Our power today has diminished, not because we have lost our capabilities, but from a crisis of confidence.
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Yet, today, we no longer think we can accomplish anything. Terrified to start new programs, horrified by change, increasingly intolerant, the United States acts as if we can hide inside our shell and everything will be fine. Biden reminded us otherwise:
That is why we need to focus, first and foremost, on the values that Biden underlined: commitment, confidence, moral judgment, and national responsibility. In my youth, these values would have been indisputable. What has gone wrong?
Since I am not a foreign policy expert, I cannot predict which specific foreign policies are the best. Like most people, I love peace. I do know, however, that anger and pessimism can never play the role that only wisdom can fulfill.
Earlier Posts:
President Joe Biden Appealed for Unity in His 2022 State of the Union Speech. Is It Too Late?
Biden's August 31, 2021 Speech about Afghanistan: Did He Reset the Agenda? Maybe Not
Yet, today, we no longer think we can accomplish anything. Terrified to start new programs, horrified by change, increasingly intolerant, the United States acts as if we can hide inside our shell and everything will be fine. Biden reminded us otherwise:
“American leadership is what holds the world together. American alliances are what keep us, America, safe. American values are what make us a partner that other nations want to work with.”For, as Biden implied, if we lose our uniting values, what do we have left? Political pundits across the spectrum have praised this October 20 speech for its bold statement of policy. Nevertheless, the cruel futility of isolationism increasingly splits our nation apart. Fox News host Brit Hume commented that: “I think it may be remembered as one of the best, if not the best speeches (sic) of his presidency.” Yet, reluctant to aid Ukraine, Republican Senator J. D. Vance called Biden’s speech “completely disgraceful.”
That is why we need to focus, first and foremost, on the values that Biden underlined: commitment, confidence, moral judgment, and national responsibility. In my youth, these values would have been indisputable. What has gone wrong?
Since I am not a foreign policy expert, I cannot predict which specific foreign policies are the best. Like most people, I love peace. I do know, however, that anger and pessimism can never play the role that only wisdom can fulfill.
Professor Jeffrey Tulis wrote about the rhetorical presidency, that is, the way presidents have to bypass Congress and take policies directly to the public. In this speech, Biden took it a step further by asking us to take common cause and work together
My father, father-in-law, and uncle were part of the generation that won World War II. All three paid a price. That generation knew that the United States could do whatever we set out to do. If anything, the United States’ economic and political capabilities have grown far stronger than in 1941. In this vital speech, President Biden carefully reminded us that we are losing, not ability, but confidence, the ability to work together for the common values that we all purport to share. That, and not Biden’s specific policies, represented the speech’s heart. Are we listening?
My father, father-in-law, and uncle were part of the generation that won World War II. All three paid a price. That generation knew that the United States could do whatever we set out to do. If anything, the United States’ economic and political capabilities have grown far stronger than in 1941. In this vital speech, President Biden carefully reminded us that we are losing, not ability, but confidence, the ability to work together for the common values that we all purport to share. That, and not Biden’s specific policies, represented the speech’s heart. Are we listening?
By William D. Harpine
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President Joe Biden Appealed for Unity in His 2022 State of the Union Speech. Is It Too Late?
Biden's August 31, 2021 Speech about Afghanistan: Did He Reset the Agenda? Maybe Not
© Copyright 2023, William D. Harpine
Image: White House photo
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