We the people are living in turbulent times. Both front runners for the presidential nominations are deeply unpopular with the majority of voters. All the polls say that and it's true.
But up in the sky, a bat-signal has suddenly appeared. The man apparently summoned to save us is the Senator from West Virginia, Democrat Joseph Manchin.
This is important because if Manchin runs for president on a third-party ticket, he might well usher Donald Trump back into the White House. The Senator knows that and doesn't much like it. He voted twice to convict Trump on the bogus impeachment charges and overwhelmingly red West Virginia took note.
Polls say Manchin would be defeated if he ran for his senate seat again in 2024.
So he's not. However, he is teasing a presidential campaign.
Manchin believes President Biden is incompetent and the Democrats are now run by far-left zealots, which is certain. Out of control spending and the incomprehensible immigration system prove that.
The current federal power structure in the USA is almost frightening. Monday, November 20, is Joe Biden's 81st birthday. He definitely is acting his age.
The stark truth is that Biden has made almost everything worse in his first three years as president. The southern border has collapsed, prices for the essentials of American life have risen to painful levels, villains threaten us abroad, and public disorder has led to death and destruction in urban areas.
The President has no solutions to any of those problems. His only strategy is to spend like a maniac.
Joe Manchin opposes most Biden policies and is appealing to the "center" of the American electorate. He is a legitimate moderate who would govern far better than Biden is. However, the left will attack Manchin, as will the MAGA crew. The Senator believes Trump is a polarizing provocateur who will never unite the country.
I hope Joe Manchin does make a run even if he can't win. Everything is difficult. It takes big money to even get on the presidential ballots as he must organize massive petitions in all 50 states. That will cost tens of millions of dollars.
At age 76, this is the Senator's last shot. To me, it looks like he wants to get Biden and his crew out of there even if it means enabling Trump, who did well on policy as Manchin understands.
Hate cliches but this one is clear and true: if Joe runs against Joe, it will be a game changer.