Saying from the 1950’s: Roosevelt proved that only he could be President. Truman proved that anybody could be President. Eisenhower proved that we didn’t need a President.
The USA, arguably the world’s oldest democracy, has yet to elect a female President. We got close twice this century: Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2016 and Kamilla Harris in the most recent election. Both were defeated by Donald Trump. For what it’s worth, Clinton got several million more popular votes than Trump, but it’s the Electoral College, stupid. Harris, arguably, was dealt a bad hand: by the time Joe Biden dropped out, it was too late. Whatever.
A Google search of female heads of state reveals more of them than you might imagine. Among the major powers, women leaders are numerous – U.K., India, Pakistan, Israel, Germany, Italy, Mexico, South Korea, Argentina, Chile. So, what’s with the USA?
Ironically, both women were defeated by Trump, rated by most historians as the worst chief executive ever. How much better off we’d have been if The Donald had been finished off in 2016, we’ll never know. Looking at the dynamite start of this administration doesn’t provide much hope for the future of this experiment in self government (we have a republic…if we can keep it).
The rest of the world seems to better utilize half of its populace than we do. India, the world’s most populous nation, was ruled by Indira Ghandi. Israel, the dominant power in the Middle East, by Golda Meir. The U.K. has had three female heads of government (not counting a few queens), which included Margaret Thatcher. Remember? The Iron Lady? Another powerful woman, Angela Merkel, was Chancellor of Germany for 16 years. And the list goes on.
By contrast, we have just elected a 78 YOA retread to succeed an octogenarian, both white guys. Old white guys. Camilla Harris wouldn’t have been nominated as VP, were it not for Jim Clyburn’s rescue of Joe Biden’s faltering 2020 bid. This is the demographic cohort who should not be running things in this country anymore. Take it from one who knows.
It is hard for me to believe we can’t find a suitable woman. Wouldn’t Amy Klobuchar or Gretchen Whitmer, besides Harris, be an improvement over the clown show currently running things (into the ground)? I am, admittedly, a “blue dog Democrat”, but even Liz Cheney would be better.
Here again, one wonders what President Doofus owes to Elon. This Republican bid to slam a wrecking ball to the federal government is a bit much. How much of this is POTUS really in favor of, as opposed to debt repayment to Musk and other billionaires. We aren’t likely to find out anytime soon. But, it seems to me that he’d prefer to run the show from a golf course. The old guy could probably use a rest!
Rogernarc 