Old friends Joe Biden and Mitch McConnell seem to be giving each other political cover as they face questions about their age and health.

Joe Biden and Mitch McConnell struck up a friendship during their nearly quarter-century in the Senate together. Now in their 80s, the Democratic president and the Senate GOP leader appear to be giving political cover to each other as they fend off questions about their advanced age and health issues.

Notably, McConnell, R-Ky., 81, hasn’t joined Donald Trump, 77, and other Republicans who have attacked Biden’s age, health and mental acuity as he seeks re-election.

And after McConnell’s second freeze-up last week, Biden was one of the first to call McConnell, telling reporters that his “friend” sounded like “his old self” and that such episodes are a “part of his recovery” from a fall and a concussion this year.

  • SCB@lemmy.world
    61·
    2 years ago

    He was looking at the bigger picture. A decent person would’ve supported the strikes, but Jimmy Carter proved that a decent person doesn’t make for a very good president

    Jimmy Carter would also not have allowed rail workers to illegally strike, in violation of their contract, and in such a way that thousands of people would literally die. That is why their contract forbids striking.

    Like Biden, Carter would have sought to continue to address issues regardless of the strike not materializing.

    "We’re thankful that the Biden administration played the long game on sick days and stuck with us for months after Congress imposed our updated national agreement,” Russo said. “Without making a big show of it, Joe Biden and members of his administration in the Transportation and Labor departments have been working continuously to get guaranteed paid sick days for all railroad workers.

    https://www.ibew.org/media-center/Articles/23Daily/2306/230620_IBEWandPaid

    • Count Zero@lemmy.villa-straylight.social
      31·
      2 years ago

      Then maybe we shouldn’t have allowed the railway companies to try and fuck them over into suicide schedules for profit.

      Or, and I’m just spitballing here, if the rail companies are that important then maybe they shouldn’t be allowed to be run for profit. If they’re that critical, maybe they should be GASP nationalized.

      Maybe you should be angry at the financiers that bought the companies and forced the workers to run suicide schedules for forcing the workers into a position where they started to feel like they had to strike to have normal human lives.

      You’re blaming the victims here.

      • SCB@lemmy.world
        43·
        2 years ago

        Then maybe we shouldn’t have allowed the railway companies to try and dick then over into suicide schedules for profit

        Vote for Congresspeople who will change the law.

        I do not appreciate Presidents changing laws on a whim. That’s Trumpian horseshit.

        I haven’t blamed anyone for anything - I’ve simply explained the end result that occurred, because of Biden, after you stopped paying attention.

        If you’d cared enough to continue following the story, I wouldn’t need to explain any of these things to you. I knew what to look for because I did care enough to continue following the story.

        • Count Zero@lemmy.villa-straylight.social
          21·
          2 years ago

          We’ve had an imperial presidency since at least bush. If you’d cared enough to pay attention recently, you’d know that legal precedent has already occurred to give the president almost any power they want.

          Calling that Trumpian either shows your age, or how long you’ve cared about this.

          Incrementalism is an intentional tactic used by liberals to explain why they can’t undo the things the right wing does, and to explain why they can’t change things them selves when they are in power.

          Liberalism is a fucking disease.

          EDIT: Congress sure as shit wasn’t required to fuck over all the air traffic controllers. Funny that. Congress is never required to fuck over workers, but it is always an excuse as to why we can’t do things for the workers.