Reflections on Three Important Events
I cannot let this time pass without recording it among other reasons for history's sake. There are three major events two of which would influence our lives for years to come.
The vaccine has arrived.
It had been promised for months that help was on the way and now it has finally arrived in the USA. The cure for covid-19 was now a reality and present in America. I recall Dr. Anthony Fauci director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases saying that help is on the way. But we need to continue the preventive measures- masks, social distancing, washing hands, quarantine where required, and testing. The research for the cure and making it available to the public was done in record time, “historic speed”. It was done in eleven months and there will be enough vaccines for 2.9 million people delivered to the hospitals. Some say by the summer and others say by the fall, all Americans, 320 million will have availability of the vaccine if they so desire.
However, the scientists want us to remember that this was not done overnight or in a year's time. They had been working on this for seventeen years. But it is generally agreed that the one thing President Trump can be given credit for is speeding up the process through what is called ‘warp speed’. But while he can take a bow in celebration, he must also bear the guilt for the devastation of the virus which at the point of this writing the virus to the U.S.A had reached over 300,000 deaths and over 17 million infections. He knew on January 28th that the unprecedented death and infections would invade America. In fact, he had said, “ the virus is dangerous, airborne, contagious and fatal.” He did nothing at one point, and later ridiculed and mocked those who were abiding by the preventive measures, then resisted or downplayed any attempt to eradicate the virus, even as deaths and infections were rising to staggering heights. It is unbelievable that at the beginning of the year over 300,000 people were alive and over 17 million were not infected but primarily because of Mr. Trump these people are no longer in the land of the living and the infections could’ve been substantially reduced. Let us hope and pray that the vaccine will be effective and by the end of 2021 covid-19 will be a thing of the past and gone the way other pandemic plagues or diseases have gone.
The Electors have had their say.
On December 14, 2020, at 5:38 pm California electors cast their final vote it was for Mr. Joseph Biden. All 55 California directors or electors gave Mr. Biden the final count of 306 to Mr. Trump’s at 232. Mr. Biden’s popular vote at 81.2 million and Mr. Trump at 74.2 million. It is now official- almost. Ordinarily, consistent with past times, for all intent and purpose the election process would be over. However, these are not normal times. These are political times unlike any that has gone before. We can give Mr. Trump credit for bringing to pass this unique period in America.
The elector's votes now has to go to Congress. Congress will have its final say. Again, in normal times it was a formality, nothing really serious. But now we have to wait until January 6, 2021, when Congress will ratify the vote of the electors.
History of the Electoral College
“The Founding Fathers established the Electoral College in the Constitution, in part, as a compromise between the election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens. However, the term “electoral college” does not appear in the Constitution. Article II of the Constitution and the 12th Amendment refer to “electors,” but not to the “electoral college.”
Since the Electoral College process is part of the original design of the U.S. Constitution it would be necessary to pass a Constitutional amendment to change this system.
The ratification of the 12th Amendment, the expansion of voting rights, and the State's use of the popular vote to determine who will be appointed as electors have each substantially changed the process.
Many different proposals to alter the Presidential election process have been offered over the years, such as direct nationwide election by the eligible voters, but none has been passed by Congress and sent to the States for ratification as a Constitutional amendment. Under the most common method for amending the Constitution, an amendment must be proposed by a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress and ratified by three-fourths of the States.”
Mr. Trump has refused to acknowledge Biden as President and will continue to call the election a fraud, a conspiracy that cheated him out of victory. He will continue in all probability after January 6th and who knows how long he will continue to claim that the election was stolen from him. What he plans to do next is anybody’s guess. But I would not be surprised if, in fact, he encouraged violent resistance. He has already, you remember, said to his followers – to the white supremacists, militia, and domestic terrorists to stand down and stand by. He has already said that Michigan needs to be liberated because of the tough policy of the Michigan governor on restrictions relative to Covid-19 and other statements that he has made which have been denounced by the majority of the media and practically all leading citizens except for Republicans. His remarks encouraged the wild statement made by his attorney Joseph DiGenova, he said, “Anybody who thinks the election went well,” he said, “like that idiot Krebs who used to be the head of cybersecurity, that guy is a class A moron. He should be drawn and quartered. Taken out at dawn and shot” what we have seen is a rise of violence directly attributable to the inflammatory statements made by Mr. Trump and his supporters. Even black churches have been desecrated by pulling down signs.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr Resigns.
It is highly significant that 20 mins after the electors voted U.S. Attorney General William Barr resigned. It is believed that Mr. Trump insisted on his resignation at this time to distract or minimize Mr. Biden’s election by the electors. He refused to give Mr. Biden the whole stage for himself; something dramatic must enter the picture. Mr. Barr’s resignation letter some believe was written by Mr. Trump’s people. It gushes with praise for Mr. Trump’s accomplishments most of which were immediately denounced as false.
After the vote by the electors, the overwhelming majority of Republican Party members did not publicly recognize Mr. Biden as President and the masses of Mr. Trump followers still believe that the election was stolen from Mr. Trump. What the future holds only God knows, what would happen to Mr. Trump or what decision Mr. Trump will make that too is in the knowledge of God. The rest of us will have to wait and see and hope and pray for the best.
To be continued...
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