President Biden gave his first State of the Union speech last night and laid out his vision for America's future with a heartfelt sincerity and optimism that was very refreshing after enduring four years of narcissistic complaints, blame, whining, and attacks from the former guy.
His primary message, it seemed to me, was that America's democratic system is being challenged by autocrats around the world. He called out the autocratic nations of China and Russia in particular and noted that they are trying to prove to the world that democracy isn't strong enough, and cannot respond quickly enough to compete with the rule of autocracy in today's world.
Biden firmly disagrees, and he calls the nation to regain its footing and rise to the challenges of today.
He did not explicitly call out the greatest autocratic threat to America's democracy - Trump and the Trump Cult of authoritarian white supremacist and Evangelical extremists and terrorists here at home (although he did say he would respond to the white supremacist terrorists in America).
It is clear to me that the threats from autocrats, from abroad and at home, are a real issue, and and I am very happy to know that this administration sees the issue and opposes the autocracies rather than embraces and emulates them as the former guy did.
A breath of fresh air, a breath of honor and decency and humanity, and a commitment to place America as a leader of the world as an ally, as a moral leader, as a champion of democracy, and as its proper role as the hope of the world.
