Who
knew that Martha and the Vandellas’ 1964
soul hit would become the semi-official theme song of Joe Biden victory celebrations not only
in the U.S. but around the world?
And
people did dance, in American streets,
in Coronavirus sequestered homes,
even in Supermarket aisles. In far-off Belorussia where their own streets have been crowded with protests against authoritarian regimes and the oppression
of women took heart from the American defeat
of a fascist regime and danced as
well. There was jubilation in London,
Paris and the capitals over other allies who had felt abused and neglected by
a United States gone mad.
Commentators
were stretching for anything to compare
with the spontaneous eruptions after
the AP and other news outlets finally officially declared Biden the President Elect when Pennsylvania finally fell decisively in his column.
Certainly
nothing like it had been seen in a Presidential
election in memory. Let’s face it,
Joe Biden is a nice enough guy and a
steady hand, but in a normal
election celebrations would have been confined to a hotel ballroom packed with his staff,
donors, and party operatives. Even Vice President Elect Kamala Harris’ glass
ceiling shattering success as
the first woman, first Black, first Asian, and first bi-racial
on the ticket would not normally
have triggered such jubilation.
The
celebrations were much more about the defeat
of Donald Trump and Trumpism than for Biden and
Harris. After days of nail biting anguish the announcement unleashed
spasms of relief.
But
it is still a deeply divided country. Trump supporters are as dejected as Biden fans are elated—and many of them are enraged. They are taking their cues from their beloved idol
who not only refuses to concede, but is still screaming fraud and totally unsubstantiated charges that the
election was rigged and a vast conspiracy of just about everyone
is lying. His lawyers, including the clearly deranged Rudy Giuliani are busy filing
law suits that stand no chance
of reversing the outcome even with
his packed Supreme Court.
On
the day and night of street celebrations, Trumpistas laid mostly low and
avoided confrontations. There were
demonstrations in Arizona, Detroit, Philadelphia, and elsewhere but they were
dwarfed by the displays of jubilation.
The
danger is in coming days when individual psychos may feel empowered to get
their revenge on any of the alleged conspirators to steal the
election for Trump or simply against their neighbors
who put out the wrong yard signs.
More serious yet are the Militias
and White Nationalist extremist groups
who are heavily armed and semi-organized might take the
opportunity to launch their longed
dreamed of civil war/race war. The Boogalooers,
Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and others remain incredibly dangerous.
In
the meantime Biden is pressing forward with transition plans with which Trump has no intention of
cooperating. On the contrary, look for
him to sabotage everything, destroy documents, and leave executive offices and Cabinet Departments in chaotic shambles.
And,
of course, there is the uncertainty over
control of the Senate. Pending the result of two run-off
elections in Georgia where Democrats face up
hill races, the best that can be expected is a 50-50 split with new Veep Harris voting to make Chuck Schumer Majority Leader. Odds are
however that Mitch McConnell will keep
his job and declare a strategy of total obstruction to all administration appointments and initiatives. Biden will be handcuffed on his biggest objectives that he cannot achieve by executive order. Look for at least two years of Congressional trench warfare.
Despite
it all, we have enjoyed our moment of triumph and on January 20 Biden and Harris will be officially sworn in as President and Vice President.
I
return today to a favorite quote from Thomas
Jefferson. In 1798 Jefferson was
Vice President to his old Revolutionary friend and comrade John Adams do to the original Constitutional
provision that awarded the vice
presidency to the man who finished second
in the Electoral College. The Founders had not foreseen the rise of
political parties. But Adams and
Alexander Hamilton created the Federalists who were interested in protective tariffs,
a central bank, a vigorous executive, protection of the privileges of the landed
elite, and opposition to the radical
egalitarianism of the French
Revolution. All of that was an anathema
to Jefferson, James Madison, and other who created an opposition Democratic-Republican Party. Things were looking
particularly glum that year with an undeclared naval war with France brewing
and Adams packing his appointments of judges,
marshals, land agents, and other functionaries
with Federalist loyalists. The Alien and Sedition Acts potentially criminalized
Republican activity.
In
a letter to John Taylor on June 4,
1798 Jefferson wrote:
A little
patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells
dissolve, and the people, recovering their true sight, restore their government
to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are suffering deeply
in spirit, and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous
public debt… And if we feel their power just sufficiently to hoop us together,
it will be the happiest situation in which we can exist. If the game runs
sometimes against us at home we must have patience till luck turns, and then we
shall have an opportunity of winning back the principles we have lost, for this
is a game where principles are at stake.
Jefferson,
of course, did not believe in actual witches, but he was adept in the use of metaphor.
And he was prescient. A little more than two years later he was
swept into the Presidency and the power of the Federalists largely smashed in
the election that has gone down in history as the Revolution of 1800.
Thar
quote has given me comfort before including when Democrats dramatically lost
control of the House of Representatives in 2002 and when Trump defeated popular
vote winner Hillary Clinton in 2016.
And
now it seems that once again the Reign of Witches has been vanquished.
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