Divided America: it’s a good election outcome
Rejection of Donald Trump does not mean voters endorsed the Democrat agenda; they want moderation instead
Charlie Dent
© Ingram
The dust is still settling on the US election, and “election day” may well become an “election week”. Joe Biden has said he is confident he will “emerge victorious” after all votes are counted. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s campaign team has demanded a recount in Wisconsin and launched lawsuits in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state.
Yet amid all the to and fro, some things are already clear and some encouraging conclusions can be drawn.
First, on the volume of mail-in ballots and counting delays. Such ballots increased dramatically due to the pandemic and no one should be surprised by that. Democratic voters were also more inclined to vote by mail, while Republicans preferred to vote in person on the day. In addition, some states, such as Pennsylvania, have little experience with mail-in voting on this scale — another factor slowing the count.
In Pennsylvania, which may end up determining the presidential result, that scenario manifested itself as Democrats returned about three times as many absentee ballots as Republicans. Predictably, these ballots skew heavily Democratic.
They are also counted after the in-person vote, which takes time. That is why Mr Trump’s initial lead on election day has been narrowed by the flood of mailed-in votes.
What does this all mean? On the current trajectory, Mr Biden will reach the needed 270 electoral votes and become president-elect. Though unexpected, the Senate is likely to remain under Republican control. Even more surprising, Republicans have picked up seats in the House of Representatives, which will embolden their minority.
Partisans on both sides of the aisle may be dissatisfied with this outcome, but Americans have reason to celebrate. They are tired of the endless drama, chaos and disturbing behaviour of Mr Trump’s presidency. So they voted to change the executive leadership. However, rejecting Mr Trump does not mean they endorsed the Democratic agenda.
On the contrary, to check its far-left wing, a substantial number of Biden voters also supported Republican candidates down-ballot as a way to provide political balance and protect the nation from the excesses of a one-party Democratic government.
Off the table now are packing the Supreme Court with additional justices; statehood for Washington DC; defunding the police; fracking bans; a “Green New Deal”; and punitive business tax increases. The Senate filibuster, one of Congress’s few mechanisms that compels bipartisan co-operation, will remain intact.
This divided government represents a repudiation of both Mr Trump and the Democratic party’s left wing. Neither party has a clear policy mandate. Congressional Republicans would be wise to find common ground with Mr Biden, assuming he becomes president, and seek incremental changes that benefit the American people.
Issues such as the pandemic response, transportation infrastructure, rural broadband and rebuilding relationships with US allies are plausible areas to find common ground.
If all goes well, there may even be opportunities to clean up the rough edges of Obamacare and the Republican party’s tax reform. Just imagine that: Democrats and Republicans acknowledging and remedying the shortcomings of their marquee legislative achievements.
No doubt there will be partisan fights and gridlock that impede progress in some, or many, areas of public policy. But better that than grand reforms passed on a partisan basis that are not durable or sustainable, and become grist for endless vitriolic debate.
Mr Biden may not have a policy mandate, but he clearly has a governing one: to steady the ship of state after the trauma of Mr Trump’s rule. Republicans would be wise to a co-operate in this endeavour.
The writer is a Republican politician and former Pennsylvania congressman.
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