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By Mwizenge S. Tembo, Ph. D.
Emeritus Professor of Sociology
I had just graduated from Chizongwe Secondary School. I had a job as Assistant Manager at Dzithandizeni Nutrition Group non-profit organization in the remote Chipata town in the Eastern Province of rural Zambia in Southern Africa 51 years ago in 1971. I was 18 years old. My Boss Manager Mr. Daka was about 40.
My boss and I were driving home in a pick-up truck late at night after attending a meeting in the smaller town of Katete. We suddenly realized we had 48 kilometers to get home but the petrol tank was close to E as in Empty. We pulled over in the dark in the middle of nowhere and weighed all emergency options. None of the options were going to solve the problem of getting us back home that night. My boss decided on one solution.
We were driving a stick shift or non-automatic manual vehicle with the old simple automobile engines and steering wheels of the time. He said to get through the 48 Kms on very little petrol that was close to E, he was going to floor the accelerator for a kilometer. Then he would shift the gear into neutral and coast for as long as possible. Then he was going to switch on the ignition again and floor the car for another kilometer. Repeat and rinse. When going over the three river bridges, he was going to coast down, switch the ignition off and coast to a high speed all the way to the bottom of the river bridge. After coasting over the bridge he would switch on the ignition again and floor it to get up the steep slope. At 2:00 am we arrived home safely.
President Biden, the Democrat Party, the White House, the Re-election campaigns in the swing states, and everyone who cares about the America they have known for more than 200 years, should realize that this November election is existential. If Republicans, Trump and the MAGA supporters win the election it will be the end of America. We may have autocracy and chaos for maybe 30 to 100 years. Once an autocracy or dictatorship is established it lasts a long time because of course you cannot vote the regime out of power. Misery, suffering, and death are what happen. The nation will be lucky to regain democracy. If anyone is still in doubt, just look at the damage that has been done to the nation in the last 8 years since the 2016 election. The Republican party is broken and is incapable of governing. Only the Democrats and one man will save the nation.
President Biden is an older man who is 81 years old. He is a reliable old pickup truck. I have watched close to 15 public events including unscripted interviews and the NATO press conference since his disastrous debate. He still has tremendous drive and energy.
President Biden’s petrol tank needs to get us through the crucial 48 kilometers or 3 months first to win the November elections. We need not be afraid. His petrol tank is getting close to E. But his performance during the 2 weeks of public campaign events and unscripted press conferences and interviews suggest he might still have some petrol. Options such as switching horses or buying a new vehicle at this time in terms of finding a new Democrat candidate might not work or might backfire.
What I would suggest is that during the next 3 months, President Biden should floor the automobile campaign accelerator for some days. Then his aids should let him coast some moments or for a day or two. But since he is the President of the country and leader of the free world, he should never put the vehicle in neutral or switch off the ignition. The modern American Presidency and election campaigns are too complicated an America and world engine as compared to 50 or 100 years ago. President Biden’s aides should let his engine idle for a while sometimes. He should never have flown 15 times zones in 14 days.
If this advice is accepted, President Biden will thrive and make it to the November elections and beyond. He might even serve the full four years of his second term. Republicans and what are left of the reasonable MAGA should support this move. When Biden wins, Republicans can use the next four years to reorganize themselves, reclaim and re-rebuild their party, and be competitive in the 2029 Presidential elections.
My only concern is that Joe Biden and his NATO are war mongers. We need an end to NATO expansionist wars. For that, Trump fits the bill for the next president of the USA!
politics are not as simple as lunch meal solution. you have to weigh haves and have nots of each candidate. sometimes a have not can be so disastrous as even one can level everything built over decades down. the question of Biden or Trump is of democracy versus autocracy
Can’t the Dems find someone younger?
My comment is awaiting moderation.
Yet all I did was quote what Professor has written in this article.
You are ill informed about US politics. Your article is so misleading and misinformation propaganda about the Republican Party.
We don’t need another 4 years of Democrats
Dementia is a medical condition and not equivalent to a car running of gas.
You can replenish your gas but not an old brain running out of memory.
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