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The 'Debate' and what is really important
Last week’s over-hyped hoopla, aka the Biden-Trump “debate”, was emblematic of an America growing old. It should have set off alarm bells about the looming spectre of an ageing society fuelled by falling fertility and family disintegration. Sadly, it did not. That aspect was entirely overlooked by an agenda-driven media focused on shaking up the presidential race.
Set-up
When I first heard of this exceptionally early presidential debate – even before the party conventions – my antennae went up. Why so early in the game? Unprecedented. As a former denizen of the DC swamp, I was suspicious.
Why? Agendas.
- The powers-that-be will do virtually anything to prevent President Trump from returning to the White House. Whatever your opinion of him, there is no denying that the US establishment is waging an anti-Trump jihad. This is acknowledged – privately – by mandarins of both the GOP and Democratic establishments. If President Biden, world peace and our standard of living are collateral damage in this quest, so be it. Trump is a disrupter. Some believe that is just what we need; status quo beneficiaries do not.
- It has long been known that President Biden, 81, is not up to par. There have been numerous private entreaties for him to bow out of the race, per Lyndon Johnson. No dice. Failing that, let him take himself out. Get him before the multitude, sans teleprompter, face-to-face with the brash bare-knuckles Bronx brawler. It worked. President Biden’s subpar performance gave regime media what they wanted: cover to push him out of the presidential race. CNN, arguably the most partisan Democratic-leaning network, made sure that footage of a frail Biden being helped off the stage went viral.
President Biden was set up. On cue, the narrative flipped. Legacy media is going after him hammer and tong. The New York Times Editorial Board: "[T]he greatest public service Mr. Biden can now perform is to announce that he will not continue to run for reelection." Time Magazine: “It’s Time for Biden to Step Aside and Give Democrats Their Independence This July 4.” Trump was just along for the ride. His debate performance received scant mention amidst the tsunami of pseudo-pity for Biden.
Geriatric Jubilee
Former President Trump, at 78, is chronologically three years younger than President Biden, but light years ahead in the blood sport of hurling off-the-cuff soundbites in his crowd-pleasing outer-borough braggadocio. While many question his fitness for office, he is definitely compos mentis.
The youngest of the three major candidates this time around, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, 70, was unfairly though not surprisingly excluded from the event. Gerontocracy or not, the partisan duopoly is not about to provide an opening to upset that applecart. Two long-shot “progressive” perennials are the 74-year-old Green Party’s Dr Jill Stein and the Justice for All Party’s Dr Cornell West, 71.
What’s wrong with this picture?
America’s average retirement age is 61. Since 2000 the median age rose over 11 percent, from 35 to 39.
In the same period, the under-18 percentage fell from 26 percent to 21.7. The retirement age cohort surged from 12 to 17.3 percent. There are now as many Americans above 60 as there are below 20.
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Such dramatic demographic change is cause for alarm. So-called “entitlement” programs such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are running in the red. As noted in these pages several months ago:
Look no further than the latest US Census: “The U.S. population in 2020 was older and had fewer children under age 5 than in 2010 or 2000…”
America’s total fertility rate is 1.6, the lowest ever recorded (since 1800)
We hit peak life expectancy of 78.9 years back in 2014… There has been a five-fold increase in drug overdose deaths in the last decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that for Americans born in 2021, the average life expectancy will be 76.4 years, the lowest since 1996.
The CDC also reported that US infant mortality increased by three percent from 2021 to 2022, the highest year-on-year increase in decades.
From 2010 to 2020, America’s working population grew by 3.1 percent (6.4 million). The nonworking population swelled by 12.9 percent: that’s 13.1 million more non-workers. Per the Los Angeles Times: “The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the number of people 75 and older who are still working is expected to grow 96.5% over the next decade.”
Get the picture? Any of that mentioned in the “debate”? The matter of who occupies the White House next year pales in comparison to America’s demographic crisis. Public discussion of our twin crises, family disintegration and depopulation, could inadvertently shine the light on pro-natalism. That’s not happening – yet. Are such concerns merely the fixations of zealots like Pope Francis, Vladimir Putin and Elon Musk? Hardly. But they were essentially ignored in the sensationalised circus that was last week’s sorry spectacle.
Rural America is dying
From 2019 to 2023, over 80 percent of America’s rural counties registered more deaths than births. From The Washington Post’s “‘Too many old people’: A rural Pa. town reckons with population loss”:
State lawmakers and other leaders now consider the population loss a crisis and are drawing up plans to try to reverse the trend. They say neither Pennsylvania nor the nation can afford to lose small towns and the institutions that power them. Not only are they a touchstone of American life, but they are also key to driving certain sectors of the economy, like agriculture.
Let’s hope that lawmakers are thinking about this. We’re in the early stages of a full-blown demographic collapse. This issue should be front and centre.
There is a deepening sense of fear as population loss accelerates in rural America. The decline of small-town life is expected to be a looming topic in the presidential election.
“Looming topic in the presidential election?” We’re still waiting. Between the “get Trump” mania and the “get Biden out” crusade, America’s demographic collapse is largely ignored.
Don’t be distracted by that debacle of a “debate”. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if politicians would discuss helping American families with the same fervour that they go after each other? Maybe next time.
Does this analysis resonate with you? Let us know your thoughts below.
Louis T. March has a background in government, business, and philanthropy. A former talk show host, author, and public speaker, he is a dedicated student of history and genealogy. Louis lives with his family in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
Image credit: Depositphotos
Have your say!
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mrscracker commented 2024-07-06 02:22:27 +1000That’s what most Americans I speak with are thinking, Angela. The debate was set up ahead of time to oust Biden before the convention.
But if in fact Mr. Biden’s been a useful front man for Deep State Democrats why would they want to expose that now publicly rather than keep the puppet show running 4 more years?
I guess the folks that cook up conspiracy theories might have a better insight into all this than we do.
:) -
Angela Shanahan commented 2024-07-05 23:37:13 +1000This is a more interesting article than the Potemkin one. I like the idea that the whole thing was a set up because we DID all know that Biden was incompetent. And how did we find out. The dastardly media, of course!
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Michael Cook followed this page 2024-07-05 12:43:25 +1000
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Anon Emouse commented 2024-07-04 12:42:53 +1000Also, framing this as Biden is “not up to par”? Literally every single slight on Biden (age, fumbling words, falling asleep) have been committed by Trump as well. Why aren’t YOU or any other media calling for Trump to drop out?
Why haven’t you examined the voluminous lies told by Trump during the debate? He claimed democrats are trying to legalize abortion “After birth”. Why aren’t you calling that out as a blatant lie?
Lastly – the media doesn’t want Biden out – it wants a close race, because a close race drives ratings (and therefore ad revenue and operating budgets). So of course they’re going to scrutinize Biden and give Trump a pass. What’s more concerning is that you seem to be willing to give Trump a pass as well. -
Anon Emouse commented 2024-07-04 06:17:48 +1000America has a demographic crisis, in part, due to rising prices in the economy. Children are expensive to raise, and the middle class has been hollowed out since the 1980’s and Reagan neutering bargaining power of unions.
Further, Jack Welsh of GE and his ilk popularized the concept of “downsizing to increase stock price”. -
mrscracker commented 2024-07-04 01:01:14 +1000Pretty much everyone I’ve spoken with is of the same opinion that Mr. Biden’s party knew exactly what they were doing setting up this debate.
Some parts of rural America are in fact declining but that varies per state & region. Remote work made it possible for people to escape pricey cities for smaller towns. There’s a real boom going on in the MidSouth. Folks from both Florida & the North are seeking a better climate & affordable housing. -