Editor's Note: From the Back Forty is Liberty Nation's longest-running and most popular weekly column.
The Biden administration spent a long week patting itself on the back for a well-done job, delivering sappy goodbye speeches and offering an uncanny number of federal pardons. Heartlanders of a certain political ilk, however, were excited that the book containing this recent chapter of American history would be slammed shut and reshelved in the archives. It was also a week for the losing team to get airtime in Senate confirmation hearings while snarkily pontificating over Donald Trump’s top picks to help run the government.
Biden Attempts a Nostradamus-Like Farewell
Winning on a doom and gloom “Save the Soul of the Nation” message in 2020, President Joe Biden circled back with a dark and foreboding message for democracy in America as he bid farewell to a tapped-out electorate.
While leveling a steely gaze at the camera, he warned Americans about "the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of very few ultra-wealthy people, and the dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked."
"Today," Biden said, "an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power, and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead."
Keith Reese took issue: “Oligarchy? For 4 years, we don't know for sure who's been running the country. What we do know is that it hasn't been Biden. And what we do know for sure is that the Dems are trying to leave it in as big a mess as possible and thwarting the will of the people.”
Ricky Van Fossen in Ohio had to compare apples to apples: “Simple case of one person’s billionaires are better than the other person’s billionaires!”
Up north in the cold metropolis of Chicago, Toney Martin was reminded of another gloomy sermon from number 46: “His cold and dark and winter speech, remember?”
Most flyover folks were ready for Mr. Biden’s departure, and some comments were less than praiseworthy. But one guy, Donnie Nichols of Kentucky, had everyone cracking up: “His farewell speech is like an encore at a Yoko Ono concert.” Yeah, that would make your ears bleed.
Evangeline Stover of West Virginia broke out in a somewhat butchered version of Annie’s “Tomorrow,” but you get the gist and excitement: “Tomorrow, tomorrow, the sun will come out tomorrow – it's only one day away!”
There were a lot of folks talking about the dark days being over. But Ronnie Lewis in Geneva, IL, had a different take on the Biden presidency: “I'm grateful for Biden's presidency. Jimmy Carter passed knowing he wasn't the worst president in the history of America.”
It’s Inexplicable
The Biden administration has performed a rock and roll farewell tour for the last few months. Random cabinet members have given goodbye speeches, patting themselves on the back and touting imaginary accomplishments as if those will be the words written in the history books. According to the folks From the Back Forty, however, the only positive aspect of the farewell tour is the “farewell” part. Some voices need never be heard on television again.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and US Attorney General Merrick Garland all had glowing reports of their great strides in the administration. Still, few heartlanders could sit through most of the remarks. In Oxford, MS, Terry King was astounded: “I’ve never seen so much EMOTION over a person’s job being over. Their collective terms of office were very clear. FOUR YEARS.”
Merrick Garland was the most downtrodden as he shakily delivered his last AG lecture with tears: “We swear that we will support and defend the Constitution of the United States.” People followed along with that line until it became a bit murky. “The same powers that enable the federal prosecutor to pursue justice also create the potential for grave injustice," said Garland. That had some folks thinking, “Hmmm?”
Texan Richard Lozano commented: “So glad he never made it to the Supreme Court.”
Will Biden Be Missed?
Joe Biden has spent 50 years as a paid government employee working his way to the top as President of the United States. Experience should be a given. But one last bill signing showed the nation again why he was forced to step aside as a candidate and drift calmly and quietly back to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
“[The bill] I’m signing is the establishment of the Highlands National Monument. Here we go. ... I've got to fill this in?” Biden said and stared blankly about the room. “The day of?” he read from the bill before seeking a friendly lifeline and asked his gathered staffers, “You’ll fill in the dates here, guys?”
Nathan Boston in Kansas City said: “He's unfit to run again or go to trial and all that...yet he's still allowed to sign stuff? Make it make sense.”
Well, Nathan, it will all make sense tomorrow.
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