(I write under the shadow of a pandemic that has taken more than 310,000 American lives – and more than a million worldwide -and the nascent hope of a vaccine’s protection from this modern plague.)
It is time to move on from Donald Trump…but not before saying that his behavior since he lost the election is a disgrace to our country and to the office he holds.
He is a very small man, and as the damage he has done across the government becomes more widely known, he will grow smaller still.
Nothing, though, compares to Trump violating his oath of office by refusing to accept the outcome of the November election.
He had his chances to prove the election was rigged, 58 times, in fact, before state and federal judges and twice before the Supreme Court, failing every time.
The fact that he continues to try to subvert Joe Biden’s victory pushes violating his oath of office to the level of sedition. The term means “conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch.” That is exactly what Trump is doing now.
I don’t know how many Republicans actually support Trump’s behavior. We know 18 state attorneys general, several state legislators, and 126 members of Congress do.
The number of Republican voters among the 77% who believe the election was rigged also believe his behavior is justified remains unclear, but, make no mistake, those who do are as guilty as he is of undermining the Constitution, whether they realize it or not
The only other time in our history something like this has happened was when southern states refused to accept the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln and seceded from the Union before he could be sworn in.
I don’t believe we are there yet, though “secession” rumblings are being heard in a few states. I would also say that it wouldn’t be surprising if Trump would welcome that possibility and the prospect of “red” states “electing” him their president.
As I said, I don’t believe any of that happening is likely, yet I do think President Joe Biden will face a divided nation in 2021 similar to what Lincoln faced in 1861.
For that reason, Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address, reflected as it is of a Lincoln who still had much to learn, nonetheless contains his usual eloquent wisdom in calling on southern leaders to exercise caution in the decisions they were making, a wisdom that speaks directly to where our nation is at this moment:
“Before entering upon so grave a matter as the destruction of our national fabric, with all its benefits, its memories, and its hopes, would it not be wise to ascertain precisely why we do it? Will you hazard so desperate a step while there is any possibility that any portion of the ills you fly from have no real existence? Will you, while the certain ills you fly to are greater than all the real ones you fly from, will you risk the commission of so fearful a mistake?”
He went on to say, “A majority held in restraint by constitutional checks and limitations, and always changing easily with deliberate changes of popular opinions and sentiments, is the only true sovereign of a free people. Whoever rejects it does of necessity fly to anarchy or to despotism. Unanimity is impossible. The rule of a minority, as a permanent arrangement, is wholly inadmissible; so that, rejecting the majority principle, anarchy or despotism in some form is all that is left.”
“Majority rule.” In Lincoln’s view, this was the only antidote to anarchy and despotism. Rejecting it because of “ills you fly from [that] have no real existence” was, Lincoln believed, to proceed without forethought in destroying “our national fabric.”
When Joe Biden delivers his Inaugural Address in January, it will have been 160 years since Lincoln delivered his. The question he will face is, “Have we not learned anything in the interim?”
It is a sad state of affairs that we have to ask that question, that the Constitution with all its strengths and weaknesses remains secondary to the anger, hatred, personal grievances, misguided priorities, and foolish allegiances of Trump Republicans.
That the question has to asked tells us that Joe Biden faces the same task Lincoln faced, to save the country from permanent divisions.
Lincoln believed it was possible to do that without war. He was wrong because southern leaders had already given up the Constitution.
We will soon see if Trump Republicans have as well.
Joe Biden will do his best to unite the nation, to be the President of the United States of America.
But his best demands the same from us. He will need our help, our support, our encouragement, our goodwill, and our good sense.
In short, we must do our part in the work of forming a more perfect union that begins with preserving the Union itself.
linnposts.com 
well said Jan, I do believe that all the people involved in seditious supporting of Texas in its attempt to set aside the votes in the swing states, need to held accountable, I do support Pascrell’s move to not seat them, which will not succeed, I believe at a minimum they should be censored.
as an aside I support Texas secession move and the start a lottery, how long before Mexico invades.
Guy, your secession comment was tongue-in-cheek, but I’m with you all the way.
Jan,
Your post is on-target and pitch-perfect. No need for me to say more….
Thanks my friend!!
Bill Blackwell
Bill, your words are always more than welcomed, but thank you for what you said about mine.
Trump was elected to attempt to drain the DC swamp which has turned out to be far more difficult because the FBI and Justic Dept became swamp dwellers also. In addition, none of us on the right could have anticipated the degree of voter corruption that existed in Demo controled inner cities. I feel that the courts did not want to get involved because if a ruling favored Trump, the left would have rioted again. Please note that this has not been the case on the right.
You speak of “voter corruption” when not one piece of genuine evidence has been presented in any court to prove what you say is true. In fact, the opposite is true. There is ample evidence that there was NO corruption. Ben Ginsburg worked for the Republican National Committee. He says he and others spent 40 years looking for voter fraud and found none that was significant. Apparently, testimony like that means nothing to you. Moreover, you just don’t know what you’re talking about in regard to court cases. Judges did hear the cases and threw them out after they did. Case in point – The Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed to hear the evidence the Trump team said it wanted to present. Turned out they had no evidence and, therefore, did not argue that there was fraud or corruption. You know why? Because it is a crime to come into court and present false evidence. Trump’s lawyers knew that and that is why they did not make any claims of fraud. They knew they would be making false statements. If you don’t believe me, read the case. You can find it online. So stop making claims you cannot back up. You’re wasting everybody’s time, including your own.
Well done, Jan!! I am glad Robert decided to comment on your site. I have failed again and again to help him understand. His brain is ill-wired for logic or reason. You may remember that he was one of the feckless (not hate-filled) leaders(sic) on St. Paul Drive before we departed.
Thanks,
Bill
Plenty of corruption; people’s statements under oath attest to it. Finding individuals to actually pin it on for prosecution is the hard part. Time factor also. Hillary also denied that she lost previous election, and traversed the country with excuses and victimization to assuage those who sent money for her campaign. Besides, in the Spirit of Christmas, it’s not nice to call people names. Why kick a dead horse.
I approved this only to show how outrageous it truly is. How can a person bring up Hillary Clinton after four years and then talk about kicking a dead horse? On top of that, you accuse her of pandering (“assuage” doesn’t apply as you use it) to people who donated to her campaign while you support a man who is milking people for every dime he can get via another one of his con-games. Worst of all, though, you simply tell a straight out lie. Hillary Clinton conceded to Trump the day after the election. She did argue that the Russians helped his campaign which we now know they did. Not once did she say she has won. I posted your lie this time just to expose it, but I won’t again. I allow Trumpers to post comments, but anyone who wants to pass a lie off as truth as Trump does can find another venue.
Well said Jan. I do worry that we may never recover from the damage Trump and his supporters have done. I’m hopeful but weary. Also, was it not Trump supports, with his tacit encouragement, that were arrested for planning to kidnap the Governor of Michigan? Might this be the peaceful republicans Robert is referring to?
Wilbur, I don’t think Robert was referring to anything real, given his denial of the facts related to Trump’s lawsuits. He would likely deny Trump’s association with the Proud Boys who caused violence in D.C. last weekend even though Trump told them to “stand back and stand by” on national television. The level of reality denial among Trumpers is worse than Trump’s own corruption. Dealing with both makes all of us weary, but we must expose and defy willful ignorance wherever it shows its ugly head.