Is Biden Old? Yes. Is Trump Old? Yes. But Only One of These Dudes Is a Fascist

Published: July 1, 2024 | Last Updated: July 1, 2024

As I write this, it is July 1, 2024. The November election is four short months away. And it seems a lot of people have suddenly realized that President Biden is very old.

There is a lot of chatter about Biden’s objectively terrible debate performance and calls for him to step down from major outlets like The New York Times, The New Yorker and CBS News.

And, look, I get it. He didn’t exactly shine on stage. It was embarrassing. But the fact that Biden is old is, well, not new. I get that people are nervous because so much is at stake in this election. I know, I know, I say that every election, but I say it because it is always true. There are no inconsequential elections in this country. Not when the Republicans are the party of Christo-fascists and the ultra-rich.

This morning I heard on my daily news podcast “What A Day” that there are people calling for Pete Buttigieg to replace Biden on the ticket. I like Buttigieg a lot. And I’m really proud of myself right now for spelling his name right without having to Google it. I have met him in person and he came off as very warm and sincere, and more handsome than in photographs. I actually think that he would be a good president, especially compared to Donald Trump.

But here’s the thing, a vote for Biden IS a vote for Buttigieg as Buttigieg is already serving in Biden’s cabinet as transportation secretary. In fact, if you look at the people heading the various departments under Biden. there is absolutely no question about their abilities to do their jobs. They are all intelligent and competent people.

In fact, compared to Trump’s picks when he was president, Biden’s cabinet is fucking amazing. Trump appointed sycophants and lunatics to run the government. And the results were a disaster.

Granted, a lot of us have Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Minded the Trump years because they were absolutely horrible, but Trump was a very bad president. His presidency saw us at the brink of throwing democracy in the trash. He tried to overthrow the government with his army of brainwashed MAGA extremists. You know, the ones who stormed the capital looking to kill Mike Pence and Nancy Pelosi.

I understand why people are nervous about Biden. But for all of the folks screaming that Biden should step down four months before the election, where are the people screaming for Trump to leave the race? Biden is still far and away a better President than Trump was. There is no comparison.

As I write this, the extremist Supreme Court is dismantling this country piece by piece. Trump appointed many of them. With the Supreme Court’s ruling giving Trump immunity to do whatever the fuck he wants, it’s clear that this is not a court that will hold Trump accountable in any way. We have already seen Trump’s total disregard for the rule of law and total disrespect for the majority of the country. We’ve already let Trump know how much he can get away with, and if you think he isn’t going to take that and run with it if reelected, you are delusional.

In fact, if you haven’t peeped Project 2025 yet, do yourself a favor and get familiar with it. Because this is the blueprint for the country if Trump is elected again. It is terrifying and something that the majority of this country does not want. The New Republic, in an article titled “Conservatives Plan to Ban Abortion and Cut LGBT Rights Starting Next January,” calls Project 2025 “a remarkably detailed guide to turning the United States into a fascist’s paradise.” Sounds bad! Because it is.

As much as the Democratic Party can be a disappointment to those of us who really want to see meaningful progressive policies enacted, they are the only choice for any kind of progressive change to happen at all. Republicans are hot for fascism.

Fascism is defined as “a far-right, authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology and movement, characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hierarchy, subordination of individual interests for the perceived good of the nation or race, and strong regimentation of society and the economy.”

You know, Hitler and Mussolini shit. And in case you’ve forgotten, LGBTQ+ people and other minorities didn’t exactly thrive under fascist rule. And by “not thrive” I mean “were killed."

The fact that Trump sees these figures as people to emulate should be disqualifying. Unfortunately, it has only galvanized the most extreme and hateful people in this country. If Trump is elected again, this is where we’re headed. This is not liberal hand wringing, this is factual. It’s all laid out in Project 2025.

So, yes, Biden is old (though only 3 years older than Trump). But the choice, while not exactly exciting, is clear. Trump cannot be allowed back into the White House. Or we as a country are doomed.