On Saturday, MSNBC and other news networks declared Joe Biden the new president-elect. Hearing that news, I felt more joy than I have experienced in a long time. We had planned to go to a Protect the Vote demonstration in Northampton. We went and it turned into a celebration.
Watching the people in the street and listening to all the cars honking, brought to mind scenes of liberation from other countries and other times. 75 million Americans voted, defeating fascism, and defending democracy. That is an awesome accomplishment.
Because we live in a 24/7 news cycle, cable stations still need things to talk about. Besides continuing to chronicle the insane behavior of Trump and his Republican minions, the other topic of news is supposed divisions among different parts of the Democratic Party.
My wish is that we all take a deep breath, work in Georgia to create a Democratic Senate, and give Joe Biden a chance. Before we vehemently deride him as hopelessly moderate, let’s remember that Franklin D. Roosevelt was not inherently radical. If the Biden-Harris administration gives us a 21st century New Deal, shoring up and expanding the safety net, I will be really happy.
Here is a video of the celebration in Northampton.