Joe Biden Has a Weird Understanding of Patriotism

By David Harsanyi

Tuesday, May 04, 2021

Things Joe Biden finds patriotic: wearing masks and paying taxes. Things Joe Biden can take or leave: constitutional amendments.

Back in 2008, while running for vice president, Biden claimed that paying higher taxes for redistributionist policies was “patriotic.” It was, he explained, “time to jump in, time to be part of the deal, time to help get America out of the rut.” This would be a big part Barack Obama’s “Economic Patriotism,” a plan written by an administration that kept telling us left-wing economic policies were synonymous with patriotism, but religious freedom, freedom of speech and economic freedom were antiquated notions in need of fixing. And, well, if you disagreed, Biden might accuse you of “betting against America.”

Now, Biden, who says the United States is merely an “idea,” will demand more patriotic compliance by pumping another $80 billion into the IRS for enforcement. Just as the Founders imagined.

And when Biden was asked last week why he continues to participate in his unscientific, performative, vaccine-undermining mask-wearing, he explained: “It’s a small precaution to take that has a profound impact. It’s a patriotic responsibility, for God’s sake.” Upholding the rule of law or defending your nation or giving blood or volunteering at your community food bank might be patriotic. Wearing masks is repressive on a personal and societal level and should only be done (perhaps) during emergencies; and even then, as minimally as possible and with utter disdain — much like paying taxes.