Lisa Senecal of Stowe is a columnist for VTDigger. A fourth-generation Vermonter who grew up in Orange, she is a writer, co-founder of the Maren Group and chairperson of the Vermont Commission on Women.
We have a president-elect. Yes, it’s true. No matter the kicking, fussing and, unfortunately, lying, we do still live in a democracy.
As the current White House occupant has so enjoyed reminding Americans, elections have consequences. The consequence of this one is that Donald Trump will be a one-term president.
Elections can only have one winner and one loser, but in our system, the loser continues in the winner’s seat for nearly three months. Anyone who has been in a position of managing people knows that once a person knows they are losing their job, it’s generally best to have them depart sooner rather than later. But running a country is a big job, so time to transition from one administration to another is a wise practice — that is, if the loser is willing to concede.
The inability to do so isn’t just petulant; it puts our domestic and international security at risk.
What is even more troubling is that, in addition to impeding the transition, he has little interest in doing the job himself. With the ever-present national security concerns, severe economic hardships on so many, a pandemic raging out of control, and world leaders watching America fumble democracy, Donald Trump’s enablers in Congress have made excuses for him, as Trump has for himself. He’s told us that he does not like losing and does not do it well. His Republican enablers in the U.S. House and Senate tell America that he needs time to come to terms with losing. Apparently, lying about the integrity of our elections is just a necessary part of the process.
Both of my sons played youth and high school sports. Neither of them enjoyed losing. In fact, I’m quite sure that I did not meet a single player or parent who enjoyed it when their side lost.
But you know what those players did not get? Time to come to terms with the loss before needing to display good sportsmanship. Parents with kids who play or played sports know what every kid on a team is required to do — even after a huge, consequential loss that devastated them. You line up, shake hands or bump fists and say “good game” to every member of the team that just beat you. Kids get around 30 seconds to come to terms with a loss before being expected to show respect for their opponents, the other team’s coaches, and the refs.
Trump’s inability to muster the maturity of a youth sports athlete doesn’t hurt him; it hurts our country. It’s literally killing Americans.
The pandemic is raging out of control. We have field hospitals being set up again. We are fast approaching 200,000 new cases every day.
We’ve seen this play out before. After the increase in positive cases comes the increase in hospitalizations and then an increase in deaths. Refrigerated trucks can once again be seen outside hospitals across our country. Every day that passes cannot be about Trump’s ego, but must be focused on Americans’ lives, jobs, educations and loved ones.
Congressional Republicans want us to give him time. We literally have no time to spare. For tens of thousands of Americans, time is running out.
The last incumbent president to lose reelection was George H.W. Bush in 1992. Bush volunteered to join the military at 18 years old during World War II. He flew 58 combat missions and had 128 aircraft carrier landings. There is reason to believe that, like most of us, Bush liked to win. So, you can imagine, his reelection loss to Bill Clinton must have been devastating.
But he didn’t claim the election was rigged or that his loss was proof that our democracy had failed. He graciously conceded and, when Clinton was inaugurated, this is the letter Bush left for him in the Oval Office:
Dear Bill,
When I walked into this office just now I felt the same sense of wonder and respect that I felt four years ago. I know you will feel that, too.
I wish you great happiness here. I never felt the loneliness some presidents have described.
There will be very tough times, made even more difficult by criticism you may not think is fair. I’m not a very good one to give advice; but just don’t let the critics discourage you or push you off course.
You will be our president when you read this note. I wish you well. I wish your family well.
Your success now is our country’s success. I am rooting hard for you.
Good luck —
George
I don’t think many expect or can even hope that Trump will find it within himself to begin acting this way. What I find more devastating and potentially has much longer-term effects is the unwillingness of Republicans in Congress to defend our democracy and congratulate our next president.
The losing party has been doing this for more than 200 years. It’s not complicated — at least it should not be.
It’s predicted that an additional 100,000 Americans could fall to Covid-19 by Jan. 20, inauguration day. It should not be too much for Americans to ask or expect our leaders to put the lives of the American people above their political ambitions. It should not be too much to ask or expect, but with the existing Trump enablers in office, it obviously is.
