Transition? What Transition?
By Ed Kociela
We’re only a couple of days away from Thanksgiving and I find plenty to be thankful for, primarily the fact that we have less than two months before we usher the scofflaw in the White House out to the street.
I don’t care where he goes as long as he goes because it means we will soon go about the business of rebuilding the nation’s image and reputation in the global community and end this dark, national disgrace.
I have no doubt that Team Biden will be ready to jump in energetically and begin the work of clawing the nation’s way back to respectability.
But, instead of getting the running start most new, administrations begin with, it will be a game of catch-up from day one, thanks to the petty minds of the president and his party, which, until Monday, refused to ascertain that Joe Biden won the White House by a decisive margin three weeks ago.
It’s called payback and while, I guess, it is an accepted ploy in the business world where megalomaniacs with more money than brains will press an issue they know they cannot win in the courts for years until the other side simply runs out of money or gives up, it is unacceptable behavior when it comes to our governance. The thing is, captains of industry are rolling the dice and making decisions based on private investments and when push comes to shove, are not saddled by fulfilling the public trust. Presidents, on the other hand, swear an oath to “faithfully execute” the office. While this president tried his damnedest to execute the office, the patient is still on life support, awaiting a much-needed transplant. The United States is desperately in need of a new heart, brain, and soul, which will come on Jan. 20, 2021, when the new president is seated. The prognosis from that point is good, even though the money to fuel the transition of power was withheld for nearly a month because it would be a concession from the guy who lost that he has lost, something we expected from this narcissistic scourge.
What this all means, of course, is that it will take the new administration longer to become maximally effective, which means this crisis will be prolonged. Three weeks may seem like a snap to some, but in the timeline of global politics, health, and continuation of government, it is an eternity
More people will fall to COVID-19 because the implementation of new medicines or replenishing of equipment will be delayed as a result of the refusal of this administration to free up the money designated to ensure that the handoff of power is as seamless as possible.
It means the nation’s security is on the line because of the fragile relationships with friends and foes. The nuances of diplomacy and intelligence data are an ever-shifting bundle of tone and substance that can be triggered either positively or negatively depending on factors as far-flung as the weather or the value of the U.S. dollar, not to mention the ideological clashes. At best, these are fragile relationships and alliances that require intense focus. The delay of three weeks in tapping into the ebb and flow of these relationships and alliances means a loss of the subtleties critical to international discourse. In that world, things change minute by minute, and tracking why they change, how they change, and where they change is vital to taking the pulse of making it all work.
There are matters of security that could expose the soft underbelly of the United States to those with the intent to do harm. The terror threat, which will never be eliminated, is a day-by-day puzzle, whether government-sponsored or factional. Whether it is North Korea or ISIS the movements, the shifts in emphasis and power, the funding are critical to the wonks who set policy and procedure. Since there are many different levels of security clearances, there is a torrent of information that is not being shared with the incoming administration because of this obstructionism, information that could result in the loss of lives and treasure.
Then, there’s the matter of the economy and how to keep it afloat. This isn’t something that can simply be cured by feeding money into the pockets of the big players, it means taking care of working stiffs like us. The one stimulus package that was put together was not the stopgap legislation needed. According to the International Monetary Fund, other nations have done much more than the United States. Canada has a program to pay $2,000 every four weeks to those affected by the pandemic. Australia has instituted wage subsidies of $1,500 per employee every two weeks. Denmark is paying 75 percent of the wages for workers. France is reimbursing small business owners who have been instructed to continue paying their employees who cannot work. There was talk about a second stimulus package in the United States, but that was before the election. It is doubtful that the administration will be benevolent in encouraging the continuance of a second stimulus bill in lieu of the election results. Call it the president’s payback for his lopsided loss, even though it means we have more people in the U.S. eating out of the local food bank than ever.
Finally, there is a healthcare card, which is critical. We have too many people who cannot afford medical care, who are toughing it out on their own, who continue to work even though they are ill because they fear being put out on the street.
Instead of addressing these stark issues, the president spends his time posting tweets about how the election was stolen from him. The only break we get from these lies is when he decides to rumble around the golf course.
So, I am now also thankful that Team Biden is beginning to get the recognition it deserves as the winner of the election, even if it comes in through the back door.
Still, looking at it all, I’m relieved that the government has advised against large gatherings on Thanksgiving because I, for one, would be tempted to pound some people to a pulp with a big, fat turkey leg.
As it is, I am still grateful that soon we will have a new dealer and a new deck of cards.
The ones we have are stacked against us.
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