2020 Election Aftermath

2020 Election Aftermath

1. About 143 million Americans – across 50 states -exercised their constitutional right to vote. This was democracy at its best. America is a nation  founded on the principle of “we, the people” –  guided by the notion of the “consent of the governed.”

2. 270 Electors fairly elected Mr. Joe Biden as President of the United States, and Ms. Kamala Harris as Vice President.

3. Mr. Biden garnered 72 million votes across people from 50 states. His opponent, Mr. Trump, garnered 68 million votes.

4. The popular vote total for President-elect Biden was 4 million more than that for Mr. Trump.

5. As it were a 4-year “nightmare, America has now awakened from leadership incompetence, meanness, boorishness, bigotry, xenophobia, bombast, narcissism, intimidation, and entitlement. We now anticipate leadership of intelligence, experience, compassion, curiosity, empathy, dignity, decency, and respect for others.

6. According to the US Constitution, Mr. Trump must leave office in January 2021. Yet, we are left to grapple with “Trumpism,” the philosophy of white superiority, racism, negativity toward minorities/immigrants, overt patriotism, extreme nationalism, small government, rampant fear, strong military, aversion to federal deficits, pro-life, love of guns, questioning foreign alliances. Incredibly, 70 million Americans voted for those emphases!

7. America is still deeply divided, among blue and red states. This suggests that the metaphorical “Civil War” is far from over!

8. According to constitutional statutes, 435 members of the US House of Representatives were duly elected.

9. Again, by constitutional stipulation, about  30 members of the US Senate’s 100 members were duly elected.

10. A good number of state governors and state legislators were duly elected.

11. The American tradition of the supremacy of the rule of law was upheld despite vote-counting delays, frivolous lawsuits, inflamed rhetoric, threatened protests, and potential violence.

12. That the outcome of the presidential election was delayed by lawsuits and complaints illustrates an un-American spirit which undermines decency, patriotism, and the MAGA mantra.

13. Blacks did a commendable job of voting, at about a 60% level of turnout from registered voters. Despite various voter-suppression strategies and outright racist practices, black stood in line for early voting, mailed in ballots, or showed up on Election Day. Blacks honored the memory of black forbears who were threatened, humiliated, intimidated, jailed, lynched, and other indignities for simply trying to vote as citizens of this democracy.

14. Incredibly, Americans view reality from divergent perspectives. For some, wrong is right; white is black; false is true; up is down; and in is out. This is crazy! Facts, truth, standards, morals, norms, leaders, and institutions really matter.

15. The healing of our nation starts with truth,  turning to God, moral clarity, optimism, concern for others, renewed dedication to cherished American ideals, opportunities for all, and leadership from communities of faith.

16. With the announcement of the President-elect, there was cathartic joy by millions in the streets of major American cities and towns. Optimistic people felt relieved by the change in our leadership structure.

17. Adhering to medical science, we must tackle the Covid pandemic which has affected 9 million Americans, with 230,000 fatalities, while drastically changing routines, families and students, as it has radically upended our economy.

18. The election has revealed deep fissures in  American culture: urban versus rural; races against one another; suburban versus exurban; college-educated versus non college; blue-collar versus white-collar; religious versus non-religious; pro-choice versus pro-life; gun-owners versus pacifists, among other distinctions. Part of the way out of enmity, division, and partisanship is to affirm our shared humanity as Americans!

19. As a man of faith in God, with affection for America, with appreciation for the opportunities I’ve been afforded, with optimism, I anticipate good things!

20. Hope, even in an unprecedented year, comes not from a donkey (Democrat) nor from an elephant (Republican). Instead, hope comes from the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

21. That Christians are God’s special concern should encourage us despite Covid-19, fires, floods, hurricanes, indifference, police murders of blacks, protests, closures, and more, God is still able!

God Bless,

Pastor Collier

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