Dear Media Organizations,
Today marks a very momentous occasion. The removal of a sitting President is a rare moment in modern American politics. It’s also symbolic of a loud and clear decision by the American people that we want change in Washington. So far you seem to “get it.” You seem to understand. Your coverage of the election has been the best it’s ever been. Thank you for that!
As an entity, the fourth estate has really come to understand its place as the keepers of the truth. The first defense against tyrants. Your entire industry was under attack by President Trump and for the most part, you held your own and held your ground. Congrats!
This is in stark contrast to my first election, which was in the year 2000, exactly 4 years ago TO THIS DAY November 7th! The 2000 Election went very differently and the media was far less responsible in the way they conducted themselves having seemingly forgotten their role in our democracy.
Times have changed, so have you.
This week many news outlets redeemed themselves by fact-checking or even refusing to air the horrendous remarks by President Trump designed to undermine our democratic process and stoke violence in the streets. Again thank you for that and congratulations on your progress. For the first time in a long time, I’m actually kind of proud of how our media handled an election. Especially considering the time it took to reach a conclusion.
But your job is not yet done. Now is the part of the process where we find ourselves itching to move forward but stuck in a sort of limbo. Unable to actually begin the process of change until January 20th, 2021. The Lame Duck Session. During this time it’s going to be tempting to look forward think about all the “wish list” types of things we hope President-Elect Biden will be able to accomplish.
It’s also very tempting to ask hypothetical questions of the incoming administration.
For instance, when will the Joe Biden Administration begin working on Supreme Court Reforms? Will President Biden ask Congress to reform how Elections are conducted to make them fairer, more transparent, and more efficient in the future? Will Joe Biden Pardon Trump if Trump doesn’t pardon himself? Will Biden direct the Justice Department to prosecute Donald Trump’s many crimes? Will he direct them to reopen investigations? Turn over documents Bill Barr has refused to release? Will he direct prosecutors in the Southern District of New York to carry out prosecutions and issue indictments against Trump that could not happen while he was President?
All of these are pressing questions that the American people want answers to, however, I am writing to urge you not to ask these questions! Not now at least. Please wait until January 20th!
Joe Biden is making a good faith effort to heal the partisan divide in this country, such questions will only undermine his ability to do so. We do not yet know what will happen in Georgia, President Biden may very well be forced to work with the likes of Moscow Mitch in order to get ANYTHING done in his first term.
It is also very likely President-Elect Biden will be unable to answer such hypothetical questions until he is in office, but any non-answers he gives are just as likely to enrage GOP toadies like McConnel and Graham as any actual answer you may be seeking. It’s best to just not ask the questions until this lame-duck season is over.
So, again, while we definitely want and our country needs answers to these questions, I think the American people would much rather find out prosecutions and investigations are underway and indictments are being filed, when they happen rather than hearing now from the President-Elect on what he intends to do. Intentions can and likely will change if the GOP gets wind of the plan and decides to use such intentions as bargaining chips in backroom negotiations.
Do not give them that power. If laws were broken, justice should be served, free of political influence. That means not asking a politician to comment on matters of law enforcement. Especially over the next few months.
To be clear, I am not an optimist. I am not a “let’s find the common ground, let’s cover both sides equally” type of person. I am a partisan Democrat through and through. But, the GOP has gone off the rails. The Q-Anon Trump Expanded Universe of Conspiracy Theories segment of the nation is dangerously deranged. To save our country we need to pull the GOP back from the fringes.
That’s what this Lame-Duck session should be about.
The reintegration of feral Conservatives back into sane political society could be the only way we save the hearts and minds of our friends and relatives who currently post Q-Anon nonsense on Facebook every day. Social Isolation is their true disease, Trumpism is simply the worst symptom.
So I implore you, as just one citizen in this nation to ignore that voice in your collective head that wants to ask hypothetical questions that might undermine progress, and in all honestly have no actual chance of getting a satisfying answer anyway.
January 20th will come and when it does you can ask anything you want. Just for now, while we’re all trying to deal with our families over Thanksgiving and Christmas, can you please not give the fringiest of fringe conservatives any more hypothetical reasons not to come to the table and give this new President a chance?
Thank you for your time.