Sunday, November 08, 2020

Presumptive President-Elect

      It's looking extremely likely that Joseph Biden will be the next President. 

      As of yesterday, votes were still being counted in every state except Georgia, where I think a recount is just about certain, and Hawaii.  States aren't obliged to get everything sorted out until 8 December and with close elections in several states and court challenges, we should not expect final results until that day -- and there may still be questions through the rest of the process.  The electors will vote on 14 December and the states have nine days to get the results to Congress; Congress doesn't get around to counting until 6 January 2021.

      So don't get your knickers in a twist if the wrangling goes on and on.  Don't be irked that the guy down the block still has a solid wall of Biden signs fronting the sidewalk or that the woman next door keeps on flying a Trump flag high, wide and well-lit.  Celebrations and defiant fuming are going to linger.  It was a close race -- and it's still a close race.  People need to come to terms with it and at present, "it" is simply a set of really high probabilities.

     Our voting is done.  The results will be what they will be and it is both possible and desirable to disagree graciously while waiting for the process to run as it has run every four years since 1788-89 (and that one was kind of a mess despite a nearly certain outcome.)

     Stop.  Breathe.  You did your part, no matter which way you voted.

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