Listening to Joe Biden—something I forced myself to do for a few minutes of his “news conference,” was definitively awful. It seems that most Americans agree. The man has lost what small modicum of sensibility he once possessed. No questions of substance were asked, none were answered, and no doubt his people vetted each in advance. Here’s one example:

“Thank you very much for this honor. James Rosen with Newsmax. I’d like to—I’d like to raise a delicate subject but with utmost respect for your life accomplishments and the high office you hold: A poll released, this morning, by Politico/Morning Consult found 49 percent of registered voters disagreeing with the statement, ‘Joe Biden is mentally fit.’”

Was that even a question? How about “President Biden, will you take a cognitive test? Trump did so to prove his mental fitness to serve as our President, will you?”

Nor was Biden asked substantive questions about crime, the border, the economy and inflation, easing COVID regulations, the January 6 political prisoners, or really anything that the American people care about. The whole thing was nothing more than a closely scripted window into the convoluted maze of Biden’s confused thoughts—and Russia, Russia, Russia.

Our esteemed media and “party leaders” created Biden the President. There seems to be no clear path away from three more years of this torture. It’s a given that Kamala would be an equally awful choice. Having her meaninglessly cackling to other world leaders, or unthinkingly directing our military towards rash actions, might be even worse for the American people than what Joe’s being directed to do and say.

If this were the corporate world, our two “heads of state” would be relieved of their positions, pronto. There wouldn’t be mere whispers about incompetence but real consequences: The company’s stock would plunge and stockholders and the board would demand change. Too bad government doesn’t run that way.

On the flip side, I tried to listen as Hannity talked with Donald Trump and realized that as awful as things currently are, I simply can’t stand to hear, yet again, the retread litany of how we accomplished so much, only to have it all snatched away. It’s like queueing up a once-favorite song and realizing you’ve heard it ten too many times, the artist was a one-hit-wonder, and it no longer holds your interest.

Image: Joe Biden (edited in befunky). YouTube screen grab.

It’s time to give way to the next generations. Biden is 80. Trump, by the next election, will be 78. Too darned old, both of them, to think on their feet—as are Nancy Pelosi (81), Mitch McConnell (79), and Chuck Schumer (71).

In the Senate, 64 of the 100 senators are over 65 years old and 26 are over 75. And yes, 14 are over the age of 80. Granted, Congress is a bit younger, but there are too many entrenched lifers there, too. Thirty-two percent of our representatives are over 65. The argument that they bring gravitas is easily countered by the fact that they accomplish absolutely nothing and seem to prefer it that way.

We need new blood—but we have a problem. Smart, honest people look at politics and run the other way. They see that it’s a game, complete with a system that doesn’t work, the frustration of endless procedural hearings and crooked, limitless, unreadable bills, plus endless fundraising. They see that the goal is to reward deep-pocketed cronies by funding their pet projects, and that faceless bureaucrats are working in the background, getting it done the way they see fit, so why bother?

There are always some idealistic, young, and eager congresspeople. Time and again, I’ve seen those newbies start strong only to slowly succumb to the machine. Once one gives up integrity in favor of raising money, it’s all over.

I remember an old TV ad slogan from my youth, “money talks, nobody walks.” I think it was a used car sales pitch, but if anything is more crooked than used car sales, it would be government. The rewards are there and plucking those rewards inevitably becomes the sole focus. That, and doing the bidding of the funders. It’s a system designed to fail the people and it works as promised.

We need an overhaul. It should include passing new rules about length of service, and even a rule about who is eligible to run. Candidates should have first succeeded in a real, productive job in the real world, one with a track record. Let those that serve us come from strength, knowledge, and life experience. Give them term limits that allow them to come away from their term still youthful enough to go back and resume a productive private life, rather than relying on parlaying their government position into the cash cow that funds their future.

Maybe if we fix the system, we can right our ship of state.