President Joe Biden recently launched his reelection campaign with the idea that he and the Democrats are the protectors of freedom and democracy, implying that Republicans are anti-democratic authoritarians.
All Republicans are summarily defined as “MAGA extremists” who hate freedom. Over pictures of Donald Trump with Ron DeSantis, and Jan. 6, the president says, “Around the country, MAGA extremists are lining up to take on those bedrock freedoms. Cutting Social Security that you’ve paid for your entire life while cutting taxes for the very wealthy. Dictating what health care decisions women can make. Banning books and telling people who they can love. All while making it more difficult for you to be able to vote.”
Yet, it seems that Biden’s ad targets Democrats with messages promoting abortion as healthcare, love as love, and gun control. Are these really the hallmarks of freedom?
Biden’s ad accuses Republicans of being “MAGA extremists” who are against freedom. He lists various ways in which he claims Republicans are harming Americans, like cutting Social Security, dictating women’s healthcare decisions, banning books, telling people who they can love, and making it harder to vote. But how accurate are these claims? In reality, entitlement programs like Social Security are not freedoms, and many of the issues Biden raises are either mischaracterized or distorted.
For example, Biden accuses Republicans of “banning books” without providing context. Parents are actually protesting the inclusion of sexually explicit or pornographic content in public school libraries. Furthermore, Democrats often advocate for censorship to combat misinformation, utilizing “fact-checkers” to silence dissenting voices online. This hardly seems like a defense of democracy.
The LGBTQ debate Biden refers to isn’t about Republicans telling people who they can love. Instead, it’s about Democrats pushing for “gender-affirming care” for children without parental consent and advocating for biological males to compete with girls in sports.
Biden’s ad also perpetuates the false narrative that Republicans are making it difficult to vote. In reality, 79% of Americans support requiring voters to present a photo ID at the polls. If that’s the case, why are Democrats opposing it?
Biden’s assertion that Americans believe in honesty, respect, and treating each other with dignity is contradicted by his own statements. He has labeled Republicans as “Jim Crow 2.0,” which is dishonest and disrespectful. Yet, these claims are largely ignored by so-called “fact-checkers.”
While Biden may claim to be fighting for the “soul of America,” his agenda attacks traditional religious values in favor of pro-abortion and LGBTQ extremism. His Justice Department even talks about infiltrating Catholic churches to search for “racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists.”
NPR reporter Scott Detrow mischaracterizes Biden’s 2024 campaign theme, saying, “In a hyperpoliticized culture war climate, he thinks most voters actually, in the end, just kind of want to see government get things done.” However, it’s the Democrats who are instigating this culture war, with news networks like NPR promoting their side and demonizing any opposition.
Biden’s reelection campaign is based on the notion that Democrats are the guardians of freedom and democracy, while Republicans are anti-democratic authoritarians. However, the claims made in his ad are misleading or mischaracterized. The truth is that both parties have their flaws, but to suggest that one side is the sole protector of freedom while the other aims to destroy it is a gross simplification of a complex political landscape.
