Posted on 01/22/2024 5:52:41 AM PST by MtnClimber
Add it all up, and the world abroad agrees America is in rapid decline and will not or cannot defend its interests, or for that matter itself.
Lame-duck presidencies, especially in the last six months of their final term, in general can offer opportunities for America’s enemies to take advantage of a perceived vacuum as one government transitions to the next.
But these normal changeover months are especially dangerous when a perceived weak or appeasing lame-duck president is likely to be replaced by a strong deterrent successor that will likely serve as a corrective to his disastrous policies.
James Buchannan (1857-1861), a northern but pro-South president, was a particularly anemic chief executive. He had done little if anything to try to deal with the growing rift between North and South, especially the furor over the Dred Scott decision and Bloody Kansas. Even when warned, Buchannan did little to beef up the U.S. Army or increase its weapon stockpiles to deter any potential secessionist state.
After Buchannan declined to run for a second term, the South understood that the abolitionist and anti-slavery Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln might well be elected in 1860—given the North/South split within the Democratic Party. And they understood that President Lincoln might well use force to stop secession.
Therefore, in the waning days of the Buchannan administration, after Lincoln’s victory, seven southern states seceded during the presidential transition, a confused North reacted little, more would follow, and a terrible Civil War became inevitable.
During the waning days of the crippled second term of Richard Nixon in summer 1974, communist North Vietnam saw a once deterrent president fatally weakened by Watergate. It was encouraged by a renewed antiwar movement, a likely soon anti-war Congress, and the next president, Gerald Ford—a probable caretaker soon to be replaced
(Excerpt) Read more at amgreatness.com ...
Jimmy Carter had “Iran problems” and so does Biden. Isn’t that curious?
VDH ping
Enlightening VDH article! I never thought about Buchannan being a lame duck having an effect on the Civil War.
In particular, both enemies and neutrals have accordingly drawn a number of self-interested conclusions about the waning Biden administration and what may follow:
That Joe Biden, to their apparent delight, has in the last three years reversed the Trump deterrence policies and thus has green-lit their aggressions.
That given the ensuing chaos, they have further agreed that Biden’s growing unpopularity with the American people makes it likely that both he and his appeasement policies will be gone by January 2024.
That Donald Trump may well return to office. That would mean a much worse deal for Russia, China, Iran, and its terrorist satellites, and thus recognition that 2024 is a brief window of opportunity for aggression.
Very good read to sum up 2024 and to get you thinking and acting.
FR Index of his articles: Victor Davis Hanson on FR
Town Hall: Victor Davis Hanson on Town Hall
American Greatness: Victor Davis Hanson on American Greatness
His website: Victor Davis Hanson
Please let me know if you want on or off this new VDH ping list.
As a reminder, Professor Hanson has asked that we do not post the full article of his writings. Thank you for following the link to finish his article.
Content created by the Center for American Greatness, Inc. is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a significant audience.
bk
Buchanan’s birthplace is Cove Gap, PA, approximately 10 miles north of the Mason-Dixon Line.
Maryland would have been a Confederate state had there not been Federal troops garrisoned around DC that prevented it.
So it is no surprise that Buchanan was “on the fence” regarding slavery.
Also, I have not been able to determine whether his father was a citizen when James was born 8 years after his father’s arrival from Ireland.
“James Buchanan Jr. was born April 23, 1791, in a log cabin in Cove Gap, Pennsylvania, to James Buchanan Sr. and Elizabeth Speer.[4] His parents were both of Ulster Scot descent, and his father emigrated from Ramelton, Ireland in 1783. Shortly after Buchanan’s birth, the family moved to a farm near Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, and in 1794 the family moved into the town. His father became the wealthiest resident there, working as a merchant, farmer, and real estate investor.[4]”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Buchanan
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It is gong to be a difficult year. And not in a good way.
It's too bad VDH is the one who has to remind FReepers of the rules of the road on this our own website. We're not supposed to be reproducing ANY article in its entirety, not just his.
We are supposed to use the Excerpt button. That's why it's there. There are a number of people here who ritualistically reproduce the text of entire articles.
Which is a complete waste of bandwidth when the article goes on for pages at a time, and is a real PITA to have to wade through to get to the comments. And when the article all along can be accessed in its original form with the simple click of a button on the provided link.
There is no excuse for this kind of stupidity. If I were an FR Mod you would be looking at 60 days suspension if I caught you pulling this stunt.
Pay attention--you know who you are.
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If I find a article I like here on fr I always click the link to give them the hit that they deserve.
What I am most concerned about is another stolen election or a Trump Presidency sabotaged again by more experienced saboteurs. Worse yet would be their reaction if they are not able to sabotage Trump's Presidency or to his authoritarian counter measures to their resistance.
“Over 10K US Army Soldiers promoted under COVID-era policy have not completed training requirements”
Me, too.
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