Peaceful Transfers
To the Editor:
The history of the United States has been unique in that changes in leadership, the transfer of power, is peaceful, unusual among the histories of many nations. The election of Lincoln in 1860, that precipitated the Civil War was an exception. But the precipitation of that tragic conflict was not the issue of the legitimacy of Lincoln’s election. Our elections may be loudly and bitterly fought, but after the results are in, soldiers and tanks and angry mobs do not appear in the streets. Instead the transfer of power is almost seamless. We Americans take this historically uncommon phenomenon for granted. Yet, now we have a president who is threatening this long standing tradition of American politics.
President Trump has refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the election on November 3. Without any evidence, Trump is attempting to persuade his supporters that massive fraud is occurring due to mail-in ballots, that the only way he can lose is a fraudulent and rigged election. On Sept 24, FBI Director Christopher Wray, testified under oath, before the Senate Homeland Security Committee that “we have not seen, historically, any kind of coordinated national voter fraud effort in a major election, whether it’s by mail or otherwise,” So, this claim of widespread election fraud is yet another outrageous, unsupported Trump lie, but this lie could have dire consequences.
President Trump is seeking to undermine confidence in our election process apparently because he wants to be able to challenge the results if he loses. And Trump, being Trump, always needs someone else to blame for his failures. However, we should not worry whether President Trump will vacate the White House if he loses the election. The Twentieth Amendment to the Constitution clearly states that a president’s term ends at noon on January 20, and at that time the newly elected president will be sworn in. If Trump does not win the election he will no longer be president as of noon, January 20. That is the law of the land, as stated in our Constitution.
The surreal circumstance of an American president refusing to concede defeat and claiming he actually won creates a potential for violence that could occur if Trump proclaims the election was rigged, that he is actually the winner, that the Democrats cheated, and that he will still be president after January 20, 2021. Such blatant demagoguery, unseen in United States presidential history, could result in violence throughout our country as extreme partisans take to the streets to vent their rage fomented by an irresponsible president whose primary concern is his own selfish wants and needs. The consequential erosion of faith in the legitimacy of the electoral process by which Americans choose their leaders, the bedrock of our democratic republic, will be an incalculable tragedy for America.
Hopefully, the grim scenario and dire consequences of a lawless president inciting riots will not happen. Folks of good faith on all sides can work together for the greater good. Although I am vehemently opposed to another term for President Trump, I know very decent, intelligent folks who support Trump. For reasons I cannot fathom, despite all that President Trump has said and done, many good citizens believe he deserves another term. But that is the way it works in America. The important thing to remember is that regardless of our political affiliations and passions, most Americans want the same things: good, affordable health care, good schools, safe environments, fair taxation, and a reasonable expectation that hard work and playing by the rules will yield a good life.
As I’ve written before on this opinion page, we Americans are much more alike than we are different. We the people are not the enemy. So, I think the best way to reduce any post-election confusion and chaos is for all eligible voters to vote, whether by mail-in ballots or in person at a voting station. Both methods for voting are legal. And when you vote, share a patriotic faith in the legitimacy of America’s electoral process, just as Americans have for 233 years. That faith has served us well.
Bill Balch La Grange