An Old Man Muses on our Recent Presidents

 HW Bush (the father) had honorable military and CIA service, and was the last Republican who was intelligent, honorable, and competent, though I disagreed with many of his positions. Romney comes to mind as an intelligent, honorable man, though he lost. Then there were a pair of unsatisfactory Republicans: one an idiot and the other both an idiot and dishonest: younger Bush (who tormented us when we lived in TX; his greatest failure was starting unnecessary wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost trillions and permanent brain injuries in thousands of American soldiers), and Trump, a narcissistic Facist who understands almost nothing except how to berate and antagonize others for personal gain. Most of the less-educated citizens now follow that party.

The Democrats fare a little better. Clinton was a moral scuz but most of his positions were good for the country (except his excessive support of Big Business), and Clinton has the distinction of being the last President who oversaw a balanced budget. Obama was brilliant and ethical, and somewhat effective--a miraculous performance, really, in light of our typical discriminations. He failed to get enough done in the scant two years he had with a friendly Congress. Biden knows how to get things done in Congress, but he gets an 'F' for his abject inability to cheerlead for his party and to generate understanding and enthusiasm for his positions, and for his enabling a genocide by Israel when he could've stopped it. I hope for better things from VP Harris, if she is able to overcome the forces which prey on the ignorant to foment hatred.

We would do better if (a) the Electoral College were scrapped in favor of a popular vote; and (b) an independent commission had to approve any candidate for President, finding they have enough relevant experience and a clean enough ethical record to be allowed to run. I almost want to add (c) only citizens who can demonstrate a basic level of critical thinking and understanding about government should be allowed to vote, for what is a vote if it is cast by someone who can't pass that bar?