The Decision

4/24/2014 dwm photo

As Tuesday turned into Wednesday and the early and absentee votes were counted, it began to look like former Vice-President Joe Biden could become the 6th former VP elected President of the United States.

As his term in office approaches its close, the current person in that position continues making bizarre statements and Tweets just as he started.

Referring to his inauguration, he asserted millions flocked to the Capitol Mall despite photos and Capitol Police (who track such things) counting a lower number.

The day after the election, he said votes should be counted in states where he trailed Mr. Biden, but stop where he had the lead.  For several years, he's falsely alleged voter fraud as rampant and claimed to be a victim in advance without proof. 

The old joke, "How can you tell if a politician is lying? When their lips move" has some basis in truth.  For some reason, the President follows the George Costanza (character on Seinfeld) precept that "It's not a lie if you believe it."  The President tweeted or said outlandish untruths louder and louder on repeat until they entered consciousness long-enough to be considered true.

All votes cast on or before Election Day deserve to be counted.  I tend to agree with the idea that any mailed absentee ballots with a postmark of November 3, 2020 deserve to be counted.  Our Constitution is what our President and other elected civil servants swear to uphold and protect.  It's the bedrock of our democracy.  

Because of the pandemic, a lot of people voted early like I did to avoid being exposed or exposing others to the deadly virus.  Which, not coincidentally, is another thing the President decided didn't exist other than when he beat it.

Early Wednesday afternoon, the Wisconsin Secretary of State indicated the state voted narrowly in Biden's favor.  Michigan was next, leaving Vice President Biden close to a victory.  As the early ballots were counted after the closing of polls, vote totals in Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Georgia showed Mr. Biden making up ground.

Since I first wrote this Wednesday evening, votes in Pennsylvania alone could be enough to overtake the President and send the Vice President to the White House.  

I don't expect a Joe Biden presidency to be perfect.  I do expect him to be presidential.  I expect a person in office who knows and understands the Constitution.

The political divide in this country is deep and wide.  There may be no retreat from dyed-in-the-wool positions; but I sincerely hope we can look at each other as Americans and not by our color whether its red or blue.  Unfortunately, the current officeholder doesn't seem interested in bringing people together during his first campaign; most of his term; and at the end as he criticizes the people he is supposed to lead.