Hunter Biden and his problems are part of a broader family problem - and Joe Biden Is at the Center Of It: Countless parents across America have had to deal with a child who faces addiction to drugs or alcohol.

It is hardly an American problem, but the nation has been gripped by multiple drug epidemics in the past 40 years.

In fact, the United States continues to fight the impact of the Opioid Crisis, while Fentanyl deaths have spiked in recent years.

President Joe Biden has the unfortunate (and perhaps even dubious) distinction of knowing the toll that addiction and substance abuse can have on a family. Five members of the Biden family have been to rehab for drug and alcohol abuse.

This has included Joe Biden's son Hunter, daughter Ashley, his brother Frank, niece Caroline, and his daughter-in-law Hallie.

The Bidens aren't the "first" First Family to have to deal with such personal issues. Betty Ford, the wife of former President Gerald Ford, famously admitted to being an alcoholic in 1978 – and after treatment, she went on to become a role model for those struggling with substance abuse. 

Likewise, former President George W. Bush's twin daughters were cited by Texas police for underage drinking during his first year in office – while he had been known to indulge a bit too much before he quit drinking entirely when he turned 40. 

However, the Biden family certainly seems to have issues with addiction.

Who's to Blame? Joe Biden? 

When confronting a child's addiction, parents are often told it isn't their fault – but one must question where you went wrong when two of your offspring suffered from substance abuse. Joe Biden has attempted to excuse it by suggesting, "It's a disease from mommy and me," in a letter to Hunter. That attempt to pass the buck is simply the usual tactic from Biden, who rarely takes responsibility for any setback, personal or otherwise.

Years back, writing for The New York Post, Maureen Callahan described the Bidens as being as dysfunctional as the Kennedys, yet even more protected by the press. It explains why some in the Republican Party are hell-bent on investigating the business dealings of Hunter Biden, and his ties to Ukraine and China.

It further puts into the spotlight why there was so little reporting of Hunter's affair with his sister-in-law Hallie, the widow of Beau Biden who died from brain cancer in 2016. In addition to carrying on a sexual relationship with Hallie Biden, there have been reports Hunter introduced her to drugs, the UK's Daily Mail reported. It is unclear how deep in addiction she was, but it resulted in a 10-day stint in rehab, paid for by then former-Vice President Joe Biden.

All of it questions President Biden's claims that he is "so proud" of his son, while he’s never publicly admitted to expressing any "disappointment." There should be some pride in the efforts of those suffering from addiction to get clean, but where is the disappointment or shame that required those efforts?

Instead, it almost sounds as if this was a problem entirely beyond the control of Hunter – and suggests he should bear no responsibility for his actions, including those involving his sister-in-law.

Perhaps some public shaming could have helped matters because little else can explain how Hunter, Ashley and Hallie all needed treatment. At some point, the problem can't simply be described as a "disease" inherited by Joe's late first wife. There seems to be a problem with parenting - and that would be on Joe Biden.

But, in the case of Hunter – maybe he's just a bad seed.

Author Experience and Expertise

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.

Image Credit: Gage Skidmore.