The coming midterm elections are not looking good for Democrats. In fact, short of some kind of divine intervention, Joe Biden’s party is going to get absolutely boat-raced. It could stack up to be a wave election that makes 2010 look like child’s play, and I don’t say that lightly.

In the midst of that hostile environment, numerous Democrat incumbents have announced their retirements, which is usually a sure-fire sign of coming doom. You may recall all the articles from 2018 noting how Republican retirements were a very bad sign. Indeed, they did precede a blue wave, and the reverse is now occurring in 2022.

Just how bad are things? Nancy Pelosi may have given us a hint today with this cringe video (she apparently found the old “Full House” set), in which she announced that she’s running for re-election.

NOW – Pelosi announces she is running for re-election.pic.twitter.com/n9uLc4zCi4

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) January 25, 2022

The move also marks a likely reversal on her prior pledge to hand over her leadership position. I say that because there’s essentially no chance Pelosi is running for re-election at her age just to sit on the backbench. You only go forward in politics, and Pelosi isn’t the type to concede power to anyone.

So, why do I think this is another bad sign for Democrats? Because I don’t think Pelosi would be running again if she felt she could safely retire without it being a giant white flag for her party. It’s one thing to have marginal members retire. It’s another to have the House Majority Leader call it quits while staring down the barrel of a major election defeat.

With that in mind, I’m not at all convinced Pelosi will actually serve out another two-year term. It seems perfectly possible to me that if and when Democrats get blown out in November, she’ll change her mind. As I’ve said before though, to do so before the midterm vote would be catastrophic, and she knows it.

But let’s say she does intend to serve another full term. If that happens, it’s going to set up a major showdown with the progressive wing in the House, which has been patiently waiting to take the reins from the former establishment. They’ve swallowed Pelosi’s leadership for years now with the promise that she would finally hand things over after this year’s election. Now, that promise looks to have been broken, and it’s going to result in some major infighting when the time comes to vote on leadership.

Still, politics aside, there’s something deeply disturbing about an 81-year-old politician refusing to hand over power like this. Blame it on people living longer than they used to or something else entirely, but the American government has been turned into a quasi-oligarchy, where decrepit geriatrics rule the roost, enriching themselves, and serving until they kick the bucket.

That’s not healthy for our society, and it’s a trend that needs to stop. I don’t care what party you are from, I don’t want you in a high position of power if you are in your 80s. Retire and spend time with your grandkids like a normal, non-psychopath. The idea that Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, and the rest of the 80-plus crew are the best this nation has to offer strikes me as ludicrous. We can do better, America.