After four years of ghost governing, many people are questioning how this frail, senile old man became president of one of the world’s most powerful nations, the United States of America. Joe Biden’s troubling performance has triggered a political crisis within the Democratic Party, leading many Americans to believe he is not truly the one in charge. If you are in a state of senility, you need to step away from the presidency, not only because America is on the brink of one of the most dangerous periods, but also as a matter of personal responsibility. The rest of the world knows that Joe Biden has been disconnected from reality and no longer lives in this realm.
In July, to the relief of some and panic of others, President Biden announced on X/Twitter that he would be withdrawing from the 2024 presidential race. In his statement, he gave no specific reason for stepping down, simply stating that it was in the best interest of his party and the country, allowing him to focus on his duties as president—a commitment he has largely neglected. However, it’s no secret that the reasons are rooted in his cognitive incapability to lead for another term, particularly after what many consider a disastrous four years in office.
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is the 46th president of the United States, with a long career in public service. His political career began in 1972, when he ran for the U.S. Senate as a Democrat from Delaware and won the election, becoming one of the youngest senators in U.S. history. However, shortly after his victory, tragedy struck. His wife, Neilia, and their infant daughter, Naomi, were killed in a car accident just weeks before Christmas. His two sons, Beau and Hunter, were seriously injured but survived. Biden considered resigning from the Senate to care for his family but was persuaded to continue. That one tragic incident could have been the spark that changed Joe Biden’s view of the world, damaging his soul forever.
Josephine Hart, in her novel “Damage”, suggests that individuals who have endured deep emotional or psychological pain develop a certain resilience, making them unpredictable. Their suffering gives them a sense of fearlessness, detaching them from conventional concerns about consequences. Having already survived their worst experiences, their trauma and inability to find stability, happiness, or success can warp their worldview, leading them to believe that life is random and meaningless. As a result, some damaged people can feel like real losers or, in more extreme cases, transform themselves into true villains—much like The Joker.
“All damaged people are dangerous. Survival makes them so.’ ‘Why?’ ‘Because they have no pity. They know what others can survive, as they did.” Josephine Hart
The joker, as a card, functions as a wild card outside the traditional deck, introducing unpredictability and power into gameplay. Its value is flexible, capable of changing to suit the needs of the game. Like the joker card, Joe Biden, in certain interpretations, might be viewed as a political “wild card,” someone who operates outside traditional political molds. His evolution from a senator known for supporting military interventions to a president with a more progressive, left-leaning agenda, shows a capacity to shift his approach radically. A striking example of this is his expressive change in stance on LGBTQ+ rights, illustrating how he plays the role of a political wild card, adjusting his positions whenever it serves his interests.
During his time as senator, Biden was openly opposed to gay marriage, declaring: “Marriage is between a man and a woman, and states must respect that.” However, as president in 2022, Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act, which enshrines federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages, requiring all states to recognize such unions. He also reversed the ban on transgender individuals serving in the military, a move critics argue reduces combat readiness and inflates the military budget due to the elevated healthcare needs and taxpayer-funded transitioning surgeries. Once a vocal critic of the LGBTQ+ community, Biden later embraced progressive “Wokeism,” often leading many to view him as a politician who adopts whatever position offers the most political lift—much like a joker card. Just as the joker embodies unpredictability and injects power into the gameplay, Biden’s positions seem to shift in the blink of an eye, adapting swiftly to suit his agenda.
In comic book history, the Joker stands out as one of pop culture’s most iconic villains, best known as Batman’s archenemy. His backstory is often explored through the lens of tragedy, portraying him as a failed stand-up comedian who turns to crime out of madness and desperation. In the film Joker (2019), Arthur Fleck is portrayed as a man deeply devoted to his mother, whom he sees as a victim of a failing society. However, upon discovering that she may have lied about his past, including the circumstances of his birth and potential abuse, he confronts her in a moment of intense emotional turmoil. Consumed by rage and confusion, Arthur ultimately kills his mother for betraying him, viewing it as an act of release from the burden of caring for her. In psychology, this pivotal moment catalyzes his transformation into the Joker, cementing his tragic journey into villainy.
The Joker’s character is a study of chaos and insanity, depicting a highly intelligent and manipulative figure driven by the belief that life is meaningless, and society’s rules are arbitrary. While comparing Joe Biden to the Joker may seem an extreme statement, the parallel lies in unpredictability. This metaphor implies that Joe Biden lacks a solid ideological core. Someone who frequently shifts his positions to gain political advantage, regardless of his previous viewpoint or the potential consequences on critical issues like military preparedness.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, as a senior figure on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Joe Biden earned a reputation for backing U.S. military interventions, showcasing the more hawkish side of his political persona. Several key decisions during this period helped reinforce his image as a strong advocate for U.S. involvement in global conflicts. Biden played a central role in supporting the Iraq War Resolution in 2002, which authorized the use of force against country. He endorsed the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction (WMD), based on intelligence reports that were later debunked. At the time, Biden sought the invasion as a necessary measure to “take Saddam down” and end the WMD program. In October 2004, by which time it had become clear there were no WMDs, Biden told an audience at the Council on Foreign Relations: “I never believed they had weapons of mass destruction.”
He was also instrumental in pushing for NATO bombings in Serbia, when Milošević’s government rejected an ultimatum requiring him to allow 30,000 NATO troops into Serbia to occupy Kosovo. Even former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, known for his warmongering views, criticized the ultimatum as a “provocation” and “excuse to start bombing.” A senior State Department official admitted that the U.S. had intentionally made the demands too high for the Serbs to accept. As the bombs began to drop, Biden emphasized that the war was crucial for demonstrating “our ability to secure our interests anywhere in the world.” At least 450 civilians were killed in the airstrikes, although Serbian estimates suggest the actual number was much higher.
Following the 9/11 attacks, Biden supported the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, calling for a long-term international security force to be deployed to the country. During the early period of the occupation, he was aggressive about the role of the United States in “reshaping Afghan society” and clear about using military force as a tool for political strategy. By 2007, his views underwent a dramatic transformation as he fully reversed his earlier stance, shifting from a tenacious hawk to a heedless dove.
Joe Biden began working with Barack Obama in 2008, when Obama selected him as his running mate for the presidential election. Biden, who was serving as a U.S. Senator from Delaware at the time, was officially announced as Obama’s vice-presidential pick, serving two terms with him from 2009 to 2017. During the Obama administration, Biden agreed to re-enter the Iran Nuclear Deal, which many considered flawed from the start. Over time, he released billions of dollars to Iran, which allegedly funded terrorism affecting countries like Israel, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Providing financial support to Iran has enabled the country to resume its funding of key terrorist groups in the Middle East, with the consequences becoming starkly evident on October 7, 2023.
Barack Obama is an ambiguous figure. To some, he’s the ultimate socialist leader; to others, a false hero. Before taking office, he signed The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA), offering home loans to underprivileged Americans, many of whom couldn’t afford them. This led to a wave of mortgage defaults and contributed to the 2008 financial crisis. Housing prices dropped, banks faced bankruptcy, and millions of Americans lost their homes and jobs. Despite the devastation, the Obama-Biden government pushed for bank bailouts, leaving the working class to suffer the most.
At the time, the Obama/Biden administration was slammed for its mismanagement of the 2008 financial crisis, sluggish economic recovery and controversial healthcare insurance policy, widely known as the Obamacare fiasco. Their foreign policy, especially in the Middle East, added fuel to the fire. Both Obama and Biden have shown an ability to disrupt expectations and navigate complex systems with a certain inconsistency, whether for destructive or constructive purposes. Yet, despite the upheavals, Joseph Biden was handed four more years of phantom governance, marked by empty promises and a lack of real accountability. We’ll explore that in part II.
