I read an interesting critique of Biden’s campaign speculating about why, in spite of his impressive achievements in office, he seems to be trailing, or at best tied with, the destructive Trump in a nation many (on all sides) perceive to be broken. The author of the op ed writes as a professional centrist with a seeming bent toward the myth of The Great Communicator, Ronald Reagan. Aside from some nods to the MAGA right (Trump’s economic policies the first three years of his administration were widely seen as a great success), he makes an excellent point.

In a moment when so many are angry and feel betrayed by our institutions, where even an historically strong economy leaves millions feeling screwed, Biden the Institutionalist needs to vow to make fundamental, transformational change to fix broken institutions and commit to using the government to make real fairness a core and long term goal of his next term.

Ronald Reagan was a bigot and something of a dunce, though he was indisputably a very effective front man for the interests of our greatest, if most avaricious, citizens, the 1%, the best of us, born booted and spurred, continuing the ride the rest of us. There was no reason, but an appearance of giving credence to both sides of the political spectrum, for the op ed’s author to mention Reagan in the paragraph about Biden committing to reform, or to cite with approval Reagan’s words about limited government, but the larger point makes sense. Biden should stress his commitment to making the necessary reforms to a system many Americans now see as badly wounded, if not already broken beyond repair (enter dictator, who alone can fix it). Democracy has not broken yet, but there are crucial reforms that will make it stronger against determined enemies, here and broad, that we now know are maniacally intent on permanent minority rule.

A few examples of desperately needed reform: an independent, nonpolitical system for lifetime judicial appointments in which party operatives and ideologically committed judicial fraternity members would be ineligible for office. A rebalancing of the Supreme Court with several additional law abiding new justices. An end to the filibuster and the Electoral College, two crucial instruments for minority control, both remnants of slavery. No more one legislator blocking of all appointments in the manner of ignoramus Senator Tommy Tuberville. An independent commission to rule on electoral maps and have new ones drawn and implemented quickly. An interbranch dispute resolution court to quickly decide all conflicts between the three branches of government. An expedited way to keep vexatious, frivolous, transparently delay-seeking legal motions out of our courts. There are many institutional reforms that need to be done, a commitment to do them would strengthen Biden’s appeal and inspire voters to sign on.

Otherwise the party that has carried out its long term goal of creating hostility against our own government, who has broken all of the institutions that protect the will of the majority in a democracy, gets to benefit from the broken system. By their disabling of government, MAGA/Koch vindicate the demented Reagan’s glib assertion, regurgitating a very old line and making it his own, that the nine most terrifying words in the English language are “I’m from the government and I’m here to help” Here is a paragraph from the op ed I mentioned up top.

Even better would be an effort to develop a reform agenda: Mr. Biden could declare it’s long past time for America to put its house in order, to begin cleaning up the messes of the past two decades, to face our problems and return to our own best national self. He might even think of adapting and repurposing for the center-left a few lines from Ronald Reagan’s first Inaugural Address: “It’s not my intention to do away with government. It is rather to make it work — work with us, not over us; to stand by our side, not ride on our back. Government can and must provide opportunity, not smother it; foster productivity, not stifle it.”

full op ed