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Biden Warns That MAGA Republicans Pose ‘Clear and Present Danger’ to Nation
It was fitting for Joe Biden to deliver Thursday night’s Independence Hall speech at a venue lit by gas lights. Backed by a blood-red background and two military men shrouded in darkness, the president condemned half the nation as insurrectionists who pose a “clear and present danger” to the United States.
The language was deliberate as it was divisive. “Clear and present danger” is a legal doctrine created by the Woodrow Wilson-era Supreme Court to curtail the free speech of Americans. At the time, an antiwar activist was jailed for advocating draft resistance during World War I. In Schenck v. United States (1919), Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., wrote for the majority:
The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that the United States Congress has a right to prevent. It is a question of proximity and degree. When a nation is at war, many things that might be said in time of peace are such a hindrance to its effort that their utterance will not be endured so long as men fight, and that no Court could regard them as protected by any constitutional right.
Thereafter, courts employed the “clear and present danger test” to limit citizens’ First Amendment rights. That is, until Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969) replaced it to address only “imminent lawless action.”
Notably, Biden resurrected this extinct phrase to attack his political enemies just as the authoritarian Wilson used it to attack his detractors. He floated a legal pretext to silence Republicans heading into the midterm elections. The administration has already directed tech companies to ban dissenting voices on social media, so such a move would be in character. Not to mention using the FBI to raid Trump’s home and the DoJ to harass Trump’s legal team.
The speech, titled “Soul of the Nation,” was an attempt to reframe the November elections as a battle between the virtuous bearers of light (like himself) and the sinister, Ultra MAGA semi-fascists. His serial message-switching between good-vs.-evil rhetoric and bipartisan unity was jarring.
“Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our Republic,” Biden said, adding they “are determined to take this country backward … promote authoritarian leaders and fan the flames of political violence.”
“For a long time, we’ve reassured ourselves that American democracy is guaranteed. But it is not,” Biden said between coughs. “We have to defend it. Protect it. Stand up for it. Each and every one of us.”
Having dropped back to a 38 percent approval rating, the president and his allies are obviously sweating the election looming two months away. Joe “he’s gonna put y’all back in chains” Biden has thus reverted to form, spreading hatred and division in the name of “preserving democracy.”
But a one-party state isn’t democracy. It’s an oligarchy at best and authoritarianism at worst.
Published in General
You won’t reach him as you probably know. So the only thing left to do is to give him the treatment that Biden wants to give us.
This is a parody. The Tweeter that posted it said so. I’ll try to find the exact disclaimer.
Though it’s telling that so many believe Ms. Rubin is capable of calling for such things. She paved the way for it.
Gather ’round you trustworthy people. Form your tribe and take care of each other. Because there ain’t nobody else watching out for us. We’re going to have to take care of each other from here on out.
I am reading a book that had something interesting to say on the cliche that those who study history are doomed to repeat it. The response to that was we are doomed to repeat it whether we know it or not because we are all still the same struggling humanity with the same failings and the same rebellion against God and the received wisdom of our forefathers.
The irony is Jonah Goldberg wouldn’t know liberal fascism when its standing in front of a red-lit “Liberty Hall” with military backup giving a speech advocating for the suppression of political opposition. The devil is getting a good laugh about now.
Heh. Great point. This image could be the cover of Goldberg’s book! But he supports it.
Protein Wisdom Reborn – When Turnips Attack. H/T Instapundit
In my curiosity about why a group of someones in the White House thought that speech and its visual presentation was a good idea I went to the CNN website. The speech doesn’t even exist there. As though CNN editors don’t want people to know that Biden even gave a speech. But there are multiple articles about the raid on Mar A Lago and the legal issues facing former president Trump. I also saw on Fox News an article about Biden trying to walk back what he said in the speech.
Well, it’s there, but it’s definitely below the fold.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/01/politics/joe-biden-democracy-speech/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/02/politics/biden-trump-threat-to-democracy-analysis/index.html
And even a very mild counterpoint:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/02/politics/biden-philadelphia-speech-criticism-marines-cnntv/index.html
OK, but “below the fold” isn’t going to be noticed by the general public. A “prime time” speech by the president of the United States is a big deal. If it’s not on the top of the front page of the news media, the news media is trying to bury it.
Thanks. Perhaps someone has already posted a link of the video and I missed it, but if not, here it is so you can watch the whole thing.
https://youtu.be/NA3Outfs7K8
Is she a real person? Maybe it’s a fake account…..
My lord, he really is pretending he never said what we all clearly heard him say.
And it’s entirely possible that given his mental state (and potential for being controlled by supernatural forces) he really may not remember what he said.
When do you think the demon entered his mind? The first time he molested a child?
No one is sure whether is really was a Jen Rubin tweet or a hoax. Beth Mandel originally thought it real, but now believes it a hoax.
Oh, there’s not a doubt in my mind that the media is trying to bury it.
They’re flailing around. Joe’s trying to walk it back. Some in the White House are reinforcing his evil statements. Nobody knows who to check in with.
Oft evil will shall evil mar.
His White House press secretary said if you are not with the majority you are An extremist.
Yes, a very fascinating statement. Deviate from majority opinions on anything — you’re an extremist. Do not leave the group. Connect to the hive mind. You are Borg!
But, it’s not Trump, so it is OK.
They went from deniers to supporters.
So, how many of us will be going on this year’s NR Cruise?
You can have my seat. This week Charles Cooke penned an article entitled “Save Our Political System: Impeach and Convict Joe Biden”. Two days later he wrote an article entitled “Donald Trump is still a Lunatic”. I assume he has someone else in mind for the Presidency; or maybe he’s just conflicted.
We will not be going on any cruises, since they all require Covid vaccination, and Ray is a refusenik (and I abide by his choice). It looks like we will not be able to go to Canada either, for the same reason.
Bill Clinton went to visit Russia for a number of months when he was young. I believe Hillary was with him. That was in the middle of the cold war. No one did that who wasn’t interested in supporting communism.
Obama notoriously wrote that the biggest influences in his life were communists.
We are now experiencing unrelenting communist methods to destroy us. The crazier the “woke” agenda, the more insane, then the more they demonstrate that they can force us to comply with anything that they want us to do.
Now, Joe Biden isn’t a communist. He’s too stupid to be one. He’s a thug who prospered only because he was tall with a big smile and he spoke about whatever he was told to talk about, without ever really knowing what he was saying.
This speech had nothing to do with will of Biden, he has no will left, he’s a drooling senescent moron. His handlers are driving their agenda to destroy us harder and harder.
The satanic imagery was intentional. It was meant to rile us up. Coincidentally, that Fetterman guy looks pretty satanic with his beard and facial features. I’m not sure if that is intentional or not.
The CIA and the FBI are acting as though they will never have to atone for their perfidy. They have every expectation of being perpetually in power.
Biden’s mouthpiece says that anyone not agreeing with their agenda is an “extremist.”
We are approaching an abyss. If we don’t wrest control of Congress and allow them to steal more elections, then we are done. Even if we do succeed in countering their ballot box stuffing, they will never stop.
Get hip, kids. Raggedy Anntifa just doubled down on Biden declaring war on WELL OVER half of the country.
Never.
He hates us. He hates Trump supporters. If he says different he is lying, even if it is tonhimself.
Is NR a magazine that has cruises, or a travel agency that has a newsletter?
Or grifters?