Joe is In

Looks like we have a new president, arguably the first one we've had in four years. Unlike his predecessor, Joe Biden has a long career of leadership roles in government office behind him. He's more qualified and more mature--and I mean that in a positive way. His detractors tend to go after his age which does seem like it's affecting him. He certainly seems wearier than the Joe Biden I remember running against Obama for the Democratic nomination twelve years ago. But that may be an advantage as much as a disadvantage. Certainly, we could use a less impulsive leader.

His inaugural speech, like most such speeches, had little in the way of substance, offering instead abstract soliloquising about unity. Some of it pretty good--I particularly liked the quote from Saint Augustine. But rhetoric about unity is really a slap in the face to the opposing side if it's not accompanied by any show of understanding. Implying Trump's followers are all racists who watch fake news isn't a unifying gesture. I continue to marvel at how people seem increasingly unaware of the inflammatory things they say.

I'm pessimistic, obviously. For all he said about the working class, I don't think Biden will find ways to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. or make strides to employ those left unemployed by the popular shift to online shopping. I don't know what power he has to reverse the homeless crisis and the bizarre real estate environment causing it. But maybe time will prove me wrong. At least he won't be distracted by petty squabbles on Twitter, or try to distract us with them.