Biden asks Americans to act like grown-ups -- but Republicans are too addicted to being brats

[marmar]

Biden asks Americans to act like grown-ups — but Republicans are too addicted to being brats
From Afghanistan to vaccines to the 2020 election, Republicans petulantly pick childish fantasies over reality

By AMANDA MARCOTTE
PUBLISHED AUGUST 17, 2021 1:15PM


(Salon) The most striking thing about President Joe Biden's Tuesday speech about the sudden fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban was the underlying message to his Republican critics and their handmaidens in the Beltway press corp: Jesus Christ, start acting your age already.

"I want to remind everyone how we got here, and what America's interests are in Afghanistan," Biden said before he went on to level with viewers about how he "came to understand firsthand what was and was not possible in Afghanistan."

"Staying and fighting indefinitely in a conflict that is not in the national interest of the United States" is no longer acceptable, Biden made clear.

It was sober-minded, realistic and frank. It's time now for the so-called adults to put away their G.I. Joes. Action movies are fun, but this is real life, and in real life, there are some problems that can't be fixed by rallying around the flag and punching the bad guys. It is time, in other words, to grow up.

....(snip)....

And now the press is having a tantrum of their own in the face of Biden's tough words about how Afghanistan was always going to fail. But Biden's speech was a cold reminder that now, more than ever, is the time for Americans to set aside childish things and act like adults. It's not just about finally putting those cartoon fantasies about benevolent American imperialism in the past. It's about having a clear-eyed view of what a mess our country has become — from the pandemic to our crumbling infrastructure to our threatened democracy — and being able to roll up our sleeves, take responsibility, and get done what needs to be done.

Unfortunately, we have a serious obstacle to acting like a grown ass country: A loud-mouthed Republican minority who, like toddlers who refuse to put their pants on, insist on having a full-blown whiny baby tantrum. ...........(more)

https://www.salon.com/2021/08/17/biden-asks-americans-to-act-like-grown-ups--but-republicans-are-too-addicted-to-being-brats/

[babylonsister]

1. The press needs to grow up, too.

And don't get me started on the brats!

[Cosmocat]

8. This more than anything

We really can't do anything about those who lap up the conservatism/GOP/republican BS. It has an appeal to people, the pride, the hate, the fear.

But, we could POSSIBLY survive them if everyone else stopped with the both sides bullshit and realized that while dems/liberals are not perfect, they are 1,000,000 times better than the tweaked out Rs who are relentlessly driving this country into a relentlessly corrupt, chrisofascist, authoritarian idiocracy.

Until they are, accurately, catetorized as the craven fascists they are, we have on chance.

[crickets]

2. Well, this perspective is a breath of fresh air. K&R

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. I stand with Joe Biden

Link to tweet

[pecosbob]

4. Newsflash...many of the loudest and most extreme are former models and actors

It's reality television bullshit.

[Wounded Bear]

5. Good read...nt

[Evolve Dammit]

6. Does that hit the nail on the head or what? It's like dealing with Roseanne Barr and Bart Simpson

every fucking day. They don't fucking care about anyone or anything, as long as they are fat and happy. Half this country sucks.

[SallyHemmings]

9. +10000

[Evolve Dammit]

11. Only half of us even bother to vote, so not sure where the other half sits on issues.

[Vinca]

10. I still support Biden's decision. This, too, shall pass. We can't care more about Afghanistan

than the Afghanis. If their military, which outnumbered the Taliban by hundreds of thousands, hadn't fled, I might feel differently about what seems to be a sudden withdrawal (although we only had 3,500 troops there at the time). Biden should tell the Taliban leader that we'll be back full force if they continue blocking access to evacuation. If there are still problems, he can make his point by bombing a Taliban camp or two.