Photo credit, property of New Line Cinema, fair use
Understandably, lifting a generous amount of text from previous blog entries may seem like self-referential laziness. Nevertheless, for the current post, I think that doing so is necessary for context. In a blogpost entitled The Puppeteer and the Puppet, I framed the examination of a political topic thusly:
I thoroughly enjoyed The Lord of the Rings film series which was based on The Lord of the Rings high fantasy novel written by J. R. R. Tolkien. Perhaps to the dismay of others, I never read any of Tolkien’s work. Nevertheless, I appreciate his legacy.
In The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, the King of Rohan, Théoden, suffers possession and premature aging from a wizard named Saruman. During his affliction phase, Théoden is advised by sycophant Gríma Wormtongue whose poisonous machinations have unfavorable effects.
With this framing in mind, I now turn to yesterday evening’s presidential debate [6/27/2024] involving former president of the United States [U.S.] Donald Trump and current president of the U.S. Joe Biden. The former is 78-years-old and the latter is 81-years-old.
As a requisite disclaimer, I don’t participate in the voting process. This is partially due to the religious teachings up with which I was raised. As well, I don’t believe in the functionality of the U.S. democratic republic voting process. Nevertheless, I don’t advise others to behave as I do.
In any case, having viewed the disastrous performance of Biden, it remains clear to me that he mirrors Théoden during the king of Rohan’s possessed phase in both temperament and behavior. For the record, I’m not claiming that Biden is literally possessed.
Nevertheless, I’m not entirely convinced that there isn’t a Wormtongue lurking in the background of the Biden administration. Herein, I’m making no remarks about the likelihood of his apparent cognitive decline, nor am I intentionally violating the Goldwater Rule.
Since having posted the aforementioned entry, I’ve paid close attention to commentary on the Trump-Biden debate. In particular, I’ve observed significant instances of doublespeak regarding the matter. To offer clarity regarding this term, one source states:
The use of language as a tool for propaganda was referred to as ‘doublespeak’ by the British writer George Orwell: language that is meant to mislead. In other words: words and expressions that evoke certain emotions towards the opponent.
Here, “propaganda” refers to the spreading of ideas, information, allegations, or rumors for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person. Within the realm of politics, propaganda disseminated by Mockingbird and missing link media platforms is arguably common practice.
In particular, one doublespeak term I’ve increasingly heard throughout the past half-decade or so, and which has been widely used following the Trump-Biden debate, is “our democracy.” Perhaps it would be useful to provide an example of this Orwellian term in actual use.
On July 1, 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) issued a ruling on the matter of whether or not a former president enjoys immunity for certain actions which occurred when in office. The ruling was said to favor Trump as he’s ostensibly been targeted with lawfare action of varying degrees.
Providing a dissenting opinion to the ruling, Justice Sonia Sotomayor contradicted herself by stating:
Never in the history of our Republic has a President had reason to believe that he would be immune from criminal prosecution if he used the trappings of his office to violate the criminal law. Moving forward, however, all former Presidents will be cloaked in such immunity. If the occupant of that office misuses official power for personal gain, the criminal law that the rest of us must abide will not provide a backstop. With fear for our democracy, I dissent.
Justice Sotomayor correctly asserts that the U.S. operates as a Republic (capital ‘R’ for a proper noun) though incorrectly concludes that our nation functions as a democracy (lowercase ‘d’ due to the fact that this isn’t a proper noun). Our government isn’t a direct democracy.
To elucidate this point, in a blogpost entitled Disturbing Democracy, I used the technique of disputation from Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) with a hypothetical client. Therein, I acknowledged that while democracy is an element of the U.S. system our nation is a Republic.
For a concise distinction between democracies and republics (lowercase due to an improper noun), consider what the following source states:
By definition, a republic is a representative form of government that is ruled according to a charter, or constitution, and a democracy is a government that is ruled according to the will of the majority. Although these forms of government are often confused, they are quite different. The main difference between a republic and a democracy is the charter or constitution that limits power in a republic, often to protect the individual’s rights against the desires of the majority.
To give an example of a direct democracy which is inferred in the doublespeak term “our democracy,” imagine you and nine other people are having lunch at a restaurant with a pricy menu. Each of you casts a vote regarding who will pay the bill.
The two options are for individual payment (each diner pays for only the items which that person consumed) and group payment (all diners evenly split the bill and pay an equal share). On this particular day, because you’re trying to lose weight, you ordered a side salad and water.
The cost of your individual meal was $8. However, other diners splurged and because of this fact the majority vote was to evenly distribute the mean cost among each diner (adding the cost for each meal and then dividing by ten, as this is the total number of diners).
You voted to pay for only your individual meal ($8) though through the direct democracy process you were outvoted and now must pay $58 due to an even distribution of the total balance. That’s democracy in action and it’s not what the U.S. founders supported.
Brief history lesson aside, I now examine the inferred meaning of the Orwellian term “our democracy.” Who is indicated by the qualifying term “our” regarding this phrase?
Is the understood system of governance the case, whereby each qualified U.S. citizen who votes has the opportunity to be represented within the Republic? If so, if one person’s candidate or party doesn’t prevail, has the democratic feature of the Republic then failed?
Suppose that you believe there were no shenanigans in the 2020 presidential election and that Biden truly received more votes than did Barack Obama during his first election. Although I have doubts, I’ll grant the premise.
Théoden, the king of Rohan (Biden), is said to be running the country. If this is the case, I’m uncertain as to how one explains a March 24, 2022 press conference in which Biden stated:
And the United States, as the leader — one of the leaders in the international community, has an obligation to be engaged — to be engaged and do all we can to ease the suffering and pain of innocent women and children, and men, for that matter, throughout — throughout Ukraine and those who have made it across the border.
I plan on attempting to see those folks, as well as I hope I’m going to be able to see — I guess I’m not supposed to say where I’m going, am I? But anyway, I hope I get to see a lot of people. (Laughter.)
Why did the President allude to the notion that he had limits on what he could and couldn’t say? Who was it that was of higher authority than Biden that was perceivably regulating his speech?
As well, during a September 10, 2023 press conference, when preparing to answer questions, Biden stated, “And now, I will take your questions. Let me see. They told me — they gave me five people here,” in regard to selected members of the media from whom he would allow questions.
Who was “they” and why was the President being told with whom he could and couldn’t converse? Is such behavior indicative of Théoden maintaining control over his actions, or could it be that Wormtongue or Saruman – unknown puppeteers – maintain influence?
Additionally, perhaps someone can explain why at a March 5, 2024 meeting Biden stated, “I have a lot of questions. I better not start the questions. I’ll get in trouble. (Laughter.).” Moreover why are people generally laughing at the inference of Biden not being in charge of the U.S.?
Regardless of whether or not Biden actually was ostensibly the most popularly-elected president, he currently occupies the highest office in the U.S. However, there’s evidence to support the notion that the individual for whom millions of people voted may not be running the country.
If not Biden, then who? Keep in mind that in 2020, Obama stated:
I said this before. People would ask me, “Knowing what you know now, do you wish you had a third term?” And I used to say, “You know what? If I could make an arrangement where I had a stand-in, a front man or front woman, and they had an earpiece in and I was just in my basement in my sweats looking through the stuff, and then I could sort of deliver the lines, but somebody else was doing all the talking and ceremony, I’d be fine with that.”
Of course, I’m not the first person to highlight that Théoden may’ve been compromised. The “our democracy” veil is thin and people can see through it. During a 2023 debate, Vivek Ramaswamy famously stated:
I also want to close with one message to the Democrat Party. End this farce that Joe Biden is going to be your nominee. We know he’s not even the President of the United States. He’s a puppet for the managerial class. So have the guts to step up and be honest about who you’re actually gonna put up so we can have an honest debate.
I imagine people remaining skeptical concerning matters addressed herein. Perhaps such individuals value an outlook of the Central Intelligence Agency’s 1996 memo in which the Agency committed itself to “countering and discrediting the claims of the conspiracy theorists.”
Are my criticisms of the term “our democracy” and Biden little more than an elaborate so-called conspiracy theory that may be dismissed offhand? Suppose it’s so and that I’m operating in a manner that doesn’t comport with logic and reason (rationality).
How might an otherwise rational individual examine whether or not Théoden actually supports democratic government structures? One could assess whether or not the U.S. supports actual anti-democratic systems of governance. As an example, consider that one source reports of the war in Ukraine:
Since the war began, the U.S. Congress has voted through five bills that have provided Ukraine with ongoing aid, doing so most recently in April 2024. The total budget authority under these bills—the “headline” figure often cited by news media—is $175 billion. The historic sums are helping a broad set of Ukrainian people and institutions, including refugees, law enforcement, and independent radio broadcasters, though most of the aid has been military-related.
Likewise, a spate source reports of U.S. and other nation’s support to Ukraine:
To date, nearly 50 Allies and partner countries have provided security assistance to Ukraine. Among their many contributions to Ukraine, Allies and partners have delivered 10 long-range Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), 178 long-range artillery systems, nearly 100,000 rounds of long-range artillery ammunition, nearly 250,000 anti-tank munitions, 359 tanks, 629 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), 8,214 short-range air defense missiles, and 88 lethal UAVs.
Funding and arming the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, appears to be a moral and ethical imperative of Rohan. Is this truly democracy at work? Which U.S. citizens voted to redistribute wealth in such a manner?
More importantly, consider that one source reports, “Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy late Monday [11/6/2023] ruled out holding a presidential vote in the spring and urged his countrymen to avoid political divides, saying they must concentrate all resources on fighting Russia.”
Does support of an ostensible dictator represent “our democracy”? Is it a morally and ethically good option to take money from citizens of the U.S. – many of us who didn’t authorize U.S. involvement in foreign wars – and give it to a man leading a country which is deprived of the democratic process?
Perhaps I’m behaving like a conspiracy theorist. Perhaps not. After all, I have knowledge of history. Having served on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps between 1996 and 2007, I know of the words issued by Major General Smedley Butler.
In a 1935 short book entitled War Is a Racket, Butler issued the following declaration:
And let us not forget the bankers who financed the great war. If anyone had the cream of the profits it was the bankers. Being partnerships rather than incorporated organizations, they do not have to report to stockholders. And their profits were as secret as they were immense. How the bankers made their millions and their billions I do not know, because those little secrets never become public – even before a Senate investigatory body.
Is it possible that a Marine Major General was also inflicted by so-called conspiracy theorizing when he identified forces behind the U.S. presidency which impacted global operations? How fortified is one’s level of hubris not to at least consider the possibility of matters outlined herein?
In any case, last night, on July 1, 2024, Biden gave a speech in which he addressed the SCOTUS immunity ruling by stating:
This decision today has continued the Court’s attack in recent years on a wide range of long-established legal principles in our nation, from gutting voting rights and civil rights to taking away a woman’s right to choose to today’s decision that undermines the rule of law of this nation.
Although Théoden appears concerned with the “rule of law” when it comes to Trump, on June 30, 2023, the SCOTUS ruled that the Biden administration overstepped its authority when it announced that it would cancel up to $400 billion in student loans in Biden v. Nebraska.
One could presume that Biden observes an “our democracy” standard in respect to decisions by the SCOTUS. However, one source reports:
On Wednesday [2/21/2024] Mr. Biden wrote off another $1.2 billion in student-loan debt, bringing the total amount he has canceled to some $138 billion. That’s not as much as the $400 billion debt cancellation a 6-3 Supreme Court majority struck down last summer, but it’s still a handout to 3.9 million borrowers.
Whether Théoden, Wormtounge, Saruman, or even Sauron himself, it would appear as though actors responsible for “our democracy” support their own agenda and not that regarding a democratic process underlying the Republic. Audaciously, Biden concluded his speech last night by stating:
I know I will respect the limits of the presidential power, as I have for three and a half years. But any president, including Donald Trump, will now be free to ignore the law.
I concur with Justice Sotomayor’s dissent today. She — here’s what she said. She said, “In every use of official power, the president is now a king above the law. With fear for our democracy, I dissent,” end of quote.
So should the American people dissent. I dissent.
May God bless you all. And may God help preserve our democracy.
Three things come to mind. First, as outlined regarding Biden’s unconstitutional student loan debt forgiveness actions, he’s clearly ignored the law.
Second, Biden instructs U.S. citizens regarding what we should, must, or ought to do. Why should we dissent concerning presidential immunity when Biden has already indicated that violation of law is well within acceptable limits for those benefiting from “our democracy”?
Last, I highly doubt that “God” has any interest in the preservation of “our democracy,” contrary to what Biden expressed. It’s absurd to maintain that a deity would back a governmental body when Revelation 18 and 19 clearly indicate otherwise.
Admittedly, the current post is intended to serve as a critical critique regarding the doublespeak term “our democracy.” While I’ve evidenced some suspicions herein, there simply isn’t enough actual evidence to outright declare that Biden is absolutely being controlled or influenced by nefarious actors.
It very well may be that, as I suspect, the term “our democracy” alludes to power, control, and superiority over those who actually value the democratic process – thus eroding an outcome regarding the will of the people. Besides, I think it’s at least plausible that “our democracy” is synonymous with “our control.”
Nevertheless, what remains clear to me is that if the current President of the U.S. is actually in charge, I’ve been able to tolerate and accept the fact that I have no control and exceedingly limited influence regarding those who benefit from the Orwellian “our democracy” phrase.
Unfortunately, I suspect that a significant number of people who don’t similarly practice REBT in this manner will disturb themselves regardless of who remains or becomes president in 2025. I hope my prediction is wrong concerning nationwide violence that will result either way.
Besides, one doesn’t merely vote oneself out of tyranny any more than one had a say as to whether or not U.S. funds would be sent to finance overseas wars which have no legitimate interest to our nation. Thus, the illusion of control or influence will either continue or it won’t.
Irrespective of how “our democracy” plays out in 2025 and beyond, I suspect I’ll continue keeping a rational outlook – even if I dislike what I experience. If you would like to know more about how not to upset yourself as Saruman’s orcs begin marching, I’m here to help.
If you’re looking for a provider who works to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.
At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply helping you to feel better, I want to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
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