On Monday Joe Biden clinched the Electoral College. Very little stands in his way to inauguration on January 20th. The president is left with very few arrows in his quiver. Our team asked attorney and veteran political analyst Yuri Vanetik to survey the scene.
More than five weeks after the race was called for Biden, many top GOP senators & Trump allies now say they view Biden as the next president.
Lindsey Graham replied “Yeah” when asked if the Electoral College votes meant that Biden is now president-elect. https://t.co/ew3GY7qD5x [1]
— Rebecca Ballhaus (@rebeccaballhaus) December 15, 2020 [2]
“The expected happened. Biden officially clinched the American presidency as the Electoral College confirmed his victory. President Trump refused to acknowledge the loss. It will continue to be a point of debate whether, as Trump and his lawyers claim, the elections were sabotaged. It is difficult to dispute irregularities and some material level of fraudulent activity that surpasses presidential elections in the recent past,” said Vanetik.
But, if Trump loses, what are his legacies? “Trump reshaped the federal judiciary by installing 3 Supreme Court Justices and 220 judges to the federal bench. He appointed 53 Judges on the 13 Circuit courts – that more than President Obama appointed in two terms combined. He signed a $738 Billion defense bill – he established the sixth branch of the US armed forces. He made sweeping changes to the tax code through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. That is the biggest overhaul of America’s tax code in three decades. He reformed the criminal system through the First Step Act in December of 2018, delivering a major blow to the culture of mass incarceration, reducing mandatory minimums, and sentencing disparities. His administration broke up ISIS caliphate and eliminated terrorist Al Baghdadi.”
The next potential steps? “Technically, Congress could object to the electors’ verdict. I believe that this sentiment is not practical and pursuing the Congressional ‘loophole’ is futile. There just isn’t enough empirical evidence for the Congress to act, especially with a Democrat majority and anti-Trump sentiment in Congress…As the Atlantic’s David Frum points out in a recent commentary, Trump triggered an arms race of political mobilization with both Republicans and Democrats showing up to vote in record numbers. Trump’s supporters have created a platform of Trumpian ideology.” Can they build on it without Trump?
Where to now? “Republicans ought to focus on their strengths, rather than continue to lose face in what will inexorably be a presidential loss. Democrats will maintain the majority in the house they won in 2018. Republicans won seats in South Carolina, Iowa, and New Mexico. Republicans held onto Ohio, Missouri, and Michigan. Pelosi will have the smallest majority in a long time. It is a better strategy to focus on Georgia and to pursue a midterm retrenching strategy when it comes to creed, rebuilding a value base that has been compromised.”
And what does Vanetik say in conclusion? “In addition to focusing on Georgia and strengthening their Senate majority, Republicans need to win the battle of ideas to regain the White House. This is done not through the courts but through the hearts of the American people. If Republicans focus on winning the battle of ideas, they will play a hegemonic role in America’s governance. Both Biden and Harris are not charismatic leaders, visionaries, or policy experts. They represent the Democrat establishment that is focused on the welfare state, some opaque version of globalism, and deep resentment towards this president’s demeanor.” And that isn’t enough to effectively govern. Merely to effectively complain.
This piece was written by David Kamioner on December 15, 2020. It originally appeared in DrewBerquist.com [3] and is used by permission.
Read more at DrewBerquist.com:
BREAKING: AG Bill Barr Resigns [4]
Former DOJ and FEC Attorney Says The Election Is Probably Over [5]
Allen West Proposes More Perfect Union [6]