1968 Returns as Biden’s Nightmare

Politics repeats itself, and the presidential election of 1968 has returned as Biden’s nightmare. On Monday, student protests shut down in-person classes at Columbia and disrupted Yale, New York University, and Harvard, sparking many arrests.

The upcoming Democratic National Convention could face worse turmoil in Chicago, the same place where the Democrats held their 1968 convention amid anti-war riots that caused a bad impression with voters. Even Chicago’s very tough Mayor Richard J. Daley was unable to control the violent protests, which television cameras broadcast nationwide.

Today, with an emasculated police force and none of the law-and-order that ruled Chicago decades ago, the growing unrest could be disastrous for Biden’s reelection. Mass arrests, like that initiated by New York University on Monday, will become necessary and will not play well with young voters whom Biden desperately needs.

There was a strong third-party candidate in 1968 just as today there is Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Democrats are doing all they can to obstruct his access to ballots. The Biden Administration recently again denied RFK Jr.’s customary request for Secret Service protection, forcing his campaign to divert millions of dollars to spend on security.

More bad news for Biden arrived on Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition to review a ban in Texas on no-excuse mail-in voting by those under 65 years old. Ballot-box stuffing through the mails, with unverified signatures, is how Biden claimed victory in Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania in 2020, but the High Court just allowed states to rein in early voting abuse.

Ending America’s involvement in foreign war, which in 1968 was Vietnam, is a pivotal issue among young voters. Pushing through Congress a $61 billion package to extend the war in Ukraine “for as long as it takes,” as he promised, Biden has made himself the pro-war candidate. 

The only member of Congress born in Ukraine, Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN), voted against this bill that pours more fuel on that fire without spending a dollar on our own border security. Rep. Spartz, who faces challengers in her primary on May 7, tweeted her opposition to the America Last uniparty on X.

“A uniparty in Washington is failing the American people,” Rep. Spartz observed. “I spoke on the floor in support of my amendment to eliminate an additional blank check of $16B to @POTUS Biden hidden in this bill by increasing the emergency presidential authorities to spend for any foreign country or international organization – ANY – true blank check,” she added.

In other words, the bill just passed by the Republican-controlled House includes a $16 billion handout to Biden to spend however he likes, much of which could be used for political gain. One recent “national security” project by the Biden Administration is to “train at least 200 LGBTQI+ community leaders … with preference given to trans and intersex community leaders” to advance their ideology in India.

Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) has shown it is impossible for Ukraine to win this war against Russia, so the continued funding delays peace. Sen. Vance explained in an op-ed in the New York Times that “Russia has nearly four times the population of Ukraine” and “Ukraine needs upward of half a million new recruits,” while the “average Ukrainian soldier is roughly 43 years old” and already fatigued from 2 years in battle.

Ukraine lacks four million 155-millimeter artillery shells. But after doubling our capacity, we produce only 360,000 annually, which is less than one-tenth of what would offset Russia’s 5-to-1 artillery advantage.

Rep. Spartz points out that only $13.8 billion of the Ukraine package passed by the House will actually go toward direct military aid. Lobbyists, globalists, Leftists, and well-connected insiders in Washington and Kiev will get much of this $61 billion package.

The presidential election in Ukraine scheduled for March 31 was canceled by Zelensky to remain in power indefinitely, so it is unclear how many Ukrainians even support his government.

George Washington warned Americans against entanglement in foreign conflicts, in his Farewell Address published in 1796. Yet on Saturday Democrat congressmen were waving Ukrainian flags in the House of Representatives to celebrate deepening American involvement in that unwinnable war.

“History and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government,” Washington warned Americans in words probably drafted by his brilliant aide, Alexander Hamilton. “A passionate attachment of one nation for another produces a variety of evils,” they prophetically cautioned.

Perhaps the House Democrats who unanimously voted for the Ukraine package privately realize that billions of it could support partisan liberal goals. It would not be a surprise if a chunk of it is routed through lobbyists and others toward electing liberals or enacting their state ballot initiatives throughout America this Fall.

John and Andy Schlafly are sons of Phyllis Schlafly (1924-2016) and lead the continuing Phyllis Schlafly Eagles organizations with writing and policy work.