Old White Man Stalls Change — Veiled Narcissism, Who's Surprised?

Overconfidence: The Undoing of American Democracy

The praise Joe Biden received from the corporate media for his belated withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race is yet another example of the mainstream media's obsession with sanctimonious optics over substantive policy discussions. [1] It is clear to any discerning observer that Biden's delay in admitting his obvious cognitive decline was not due to some noble statesmanship, but rather the deep-seated overconfidence that plagues our political elite. [2]

Our Constitution safeguards our use of military force in war by giving Congress the right and responsibility to declare war. Congress has abdicated this responsibility, with the last declaration of war occurring during World War II. Instead, our so-called representatives have allowed presidents to act unilaterally, further concentrating power in the executive branch. [3]

As wealth disparity reaches levels comparable to pre-French Revolution France, our democracy is being hijacked by a new breed of robber barons. [4] The neglect of the invisible poor and the dismissal of the common good are symptoms of a larger illness: the overconfidence of our leaders, who confuse their personal glory with the glory of the nation. [5]

Henry Kissinger and Bob Kerrey, in 2016, confirmed that political leaders often ignore history, prioritizing their agenda over the wise lessons of the past. [6] This overconfidence knows no bounds, with leaders like Biden and Trump becoming deaf and blind to their own words and the advice of pragmatists. [7] Biden's delay in stepping down as further evidence of his self-deception and his willingness to put his personal ambitions above the good of the nation. [8]

Dominic Johnson, in his book Overconfidence and War, argues that overconfidence is a key trait that enables leaders to rise but can also lead to their downfall and catastrophic decisions. [9] Our political leaders' unchecked overconfidence has infected every branch of government, with even the Supreme Court displaying hubris in their recent decisions, potentially enabling a bad president to cause untold damage. [10]

References:

1. Biden Withdrawal: https://www.nytimes.com/article/biden-not-running.html
2. Cognitive Decline: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/03/joe-biden-79-cognitive-decline-poses-challenge-to-2024-white-house-bid
3. War Powers: https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/WarPowers_CRS.pdf
4. Wealth Disparity: https://www.inequality.org/wealth-inequality-in-the-united-states-in-seven-graphs/
5. Common Good: https://www.commongoodforum.org/
6. Kissinger and Kerrey: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2016/06/kissinger-kerrey-dont-study-history-winston-churchill/487932/
7. Biden and Trump: https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/11/opinions/biden-trump-politics-future-eva-mallaby/index.html
8. Stepping Down: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66715809
9. Overconfidence and War: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674015605
10. Supreme Court: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jun/28/supreme-court-죃ex-trump-roe-ruling-politicization-elections