Editor’s note: We endeavor to bring you the top voices on current events representing a range of perspectives. Below is a column arguing that Democrats can’t afford to replace Joe Biden as their nominee in the 2024 presidential election. You can find a counterpoint here, where Carrie Sheffield argues that Democrats should ditch Biden.
Joe Biden’s presidency is an unmitigated disaster, and even Democrats know it.
Hard working Americans have a front row seat to skyrocketing inflation, a botched Afghanistan withdrawal, tone-deaf energy policies and a seemingly never-ending series of embarrassing gaffes.
It’s no surprise to see President Biden’s approval rating continue to crater, and it’s even less surprising to hear the continuous rumblings of someone taking his place as the Democratic nominee in 2024.
Unfortunately for Democrats, replacing Biden in 2024 is nothing short of an admission of failure and a dramatic sign of weakness. This is not an option for a party so entrenched in its progressive ideology. Republicans would be wise to note the bind Democrats now find themselves in and use it as an opportunity to embrace true conservative principles.
Since first taking control of Washington, it has been painfully evident that Democrat lawmakers are unwilling to let go of partisan dogma no matter how much evidence has been presented contrary to their beliefs.
As the result of trillions in reckless spending and an absurdly loose monetary policy, inflation runs rampant at a 40-year high. This hasn’t stopped Biden and Democrats from foolishly doubling down on modern monetary theory and repeatedly making the absurd claim that spending will help inflation.
Biden has consistently embraced a Green New Deal approach to energy policy to appease the most radical voices within his party. From canceling the Keystone XL pipeline to placing a moratorium on federal oil and gas leases, Biden’s America-last energy policy has had disastrous consequences for consumers. The administration’s reaction to the dramatic rise in gas prices hasn’t been to reduce barriers to production and embrace energy independence. Instead, this administration uses the pain Americans are feeling at the pump to push electric vehicles.
Democrats are digging in their heels on far-left ideology, although they are blatantly wrong. They have no choice but to dig in; to do otherwise undercuts their agenda and their worldview.
Americans are watching in real time as progressivism fails, something Democrats cannot afford to admit. At its core, replacing Biden on the 2024 ticket is a glaring sign of weakness and lack of confidence in the administration. Why would any independent voter lend their support to a party that doesn’t have the confidence to run a sitting president for reelection?
The last time a sitting president chose not to run for reelection was President Lyndon Johnson in 1968. Over a half century ago, mired in controversy and low approval ratings, Johnson decided not to run for reelection. A devastating blow to the Democratic Party, the 1968 election ushered in a new era of Republican dominance in presidential elections. For the next 24 years, Republicans won all but one presidential election and, on two occasions, swept 49 out of 50 states.
This administration represents an incredible opportunity for conservatives to highlight the failings of leftist ideology and usher in an era of limited government and prosperity. To do so, Republicans cannot simply be the loyal opposition; instead, they must stand in stark contrast to progressives and embrace a platform of conservative principles. After all, should we expect anything less from the left after what we saw of them during the Trump years?
Leftists have little to gain by dumping Biden in 2024, but they’ve got everything to lose. This administration is a case study of the deeply flawed nature of far-left ideology. Biden is failing as a United States president, and his incompetence and pride trap Democrats with little choice but to re-nominate him. Republicans must seize on this opportunity and expose leftist ideology for the failure it is proving to be.
Kilian Laverty is a policy assistant at FreedomWorks.