Bits ‘n’ Pieces: Nov. 12, 2020

By Lorraine H. Marie
Reader Columnist

East, west or beyond, sooner or later events elsewhere may have a local impact. A recent sampling, with a focus on various reactions to Joe Biden’s election to the presidency:

With 4.4 million more votes for Biden than for President Donald Trump, and with Biden having secured the Electoral College as well, Trump nonetheless refused to concede — albeit, there’s no legal requirement to do so — stating the election was stolen from him and “this is far from over.” 

Fox News’ Brett Baier: “We have not seen hard evidence” of Trump’s claim of electoral fraud.

Robert Reich, former secretary of Labor, stated that Trump’s presidency was “the closest we have come to a dictator.” He predicts Trump will try to prevent states from meeting the legal Dec. 8 deadline for choosing electors, forcing a special election commission to decide the winner a mere two days before inauguration. Given Trump’s personality, Reich also suspects Trump will constantly work to inflame national tensions both before and after leaving office.

The international community of foreign leaders showed relief at news of Biden’s victory, according to The New York Times. The Washington Post said traditional U.S. allies were “celebrating.”

On Fox News, having witnessed the huge voter turnout, due in part to use of mail-in ballots because of COVID-19, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said U.S. election laws need to change or “there will never be another Republican president elected again.”

Families Belong Together, which works on immigration issues, including separation of children from parents at the border, said the results show “family separation and cruelty are against our values.” They aim to right the wrongs perpetrated by the Trump administration. With three months to go, FBT remains on alert since learning of an immigration “blitz” planned by Trump adviser Stephen Miller.

QAnon members, who number in the millions, were alarmed when their anonymous leader went silent as election results indicated Trump will not serve a second term, Slate.com reported. Followers of QAnon believe top Democrats are pedophiles and that Trump was secretly fighting them to save the world. A national poll showed 50% of Trump supporters believe the conspiracy theory. While there had been predictions of QAnon violence, Forbes reported there was only one arrest of two people driving to Philadelphia to deliver an alleged truckload of ballots. One suspect was linked to QAnon, and both were arrested on weapons charges after a tip to law enforcement. An investigation is ongoing.

The Economic Policy Institute noted that the new administration pledged to prioritize the needs of working families. To the EPI that would include more bargaining power for workers, curbing income inequality, addressing infrastructure and education, protecting social insurance programs, and working on closing gender and racial wage gaps. Broad support for that, EPI stated, was indicated by Florida voting to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and Colorado approving a 12-week family and medical leave program. Arizona approved higher taxes on those making over $250,000, to be used for education. 

“This is not a time for timidity or austerity,” EPI stated. “This is a time for courage and ambition.”

Whether Republican U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell retains power depends on Georgia voters, where two U.S. Senate races saw the candidates each get less than 50% of the vote, forcing a Jan. 5, 2021 revote. If both Democrats win, McConnell will lose power, since there will no longer be a majority of Senate Republican lawmakers. As of Nov. 10, Biden appeared to be ahead in Georgia.

The environmental community was glad to see on Biden’s webpage that he’s pledged that climate change will be prioritized and the transition team will exclude fossil fuel profiteer-types.

Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon was permanently banned from Twitter after calling for the beheading of infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci and FBI Director Christopher Wray. Bannon said the heads should be put on pikes at the White House as a warning against dissent there. Bannon faces charges of fraud for taking money from donations for a border wall; his attorney withdrew from his case.

Blast from the past: In the election cycle of 1800, votes were cast on dates set by each state, resulting in votes rolling in from April to October. It was a chaotic election cycle and gave rise to the 12th Amendment, which dodges deadlocks, and which also gave rise to today’s Electoral College system.