By Art Jimenez
A cliché, whose actual origin is Europe, says “when America sneezes, the world catches a cold.” To which the colonial minds add, “And the Philippines catches pneumonia.” This not only acknowledges the USA as the global leader led by the most powerful man on earth whose policies will impact the world’s political, military, and economic policies in the next four years.
This is why heads of states in all continents await anxiously who will be inaugurated US President on January 20, 2021 although the majority are quite vocal about their preference for contender Joe Biden and contempt over the incumbent Donald Trump.
In the Philippines, Trump essentially represents the continuity of his South China Sea quarrel and trade war with China, racism, disregard for human rights, abuse of authority, constant lying and bullying, and proffered friendship with our own president. In contrast, a Biden victory means CHANGE in the Fil-Am relationship on human rights and the environment although the American Embassy in Manila insists the close friendship and cooperation between our countries shall remain intact.
As things stand today, only the US media and foreign networks (like Aljazeera and BBC) have described Biden as “president-elect” for having bested Trump on the popular vote (79.8 million votes vs. 73.8 million) and topping the minimum 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House (Biden’s 306 versus Trump’s 232).
Btw, Biden was President Barack Obama’s vice president during his two terms at the Oval Office, from 2009 to 2017.
Electoral College Votes
When Americans vote (called “popular vote”) in their precincts for their choice of presidential and vice-presidential candidates, they are actually also voting for a group of people who have pledged to vote for certain candidates in the Electoral College. The “college” is not a school but a group of electors chosen by the democratic and republican parties in each state who have committed to vote for the party’s paired president and VP candidates. The pair who wins the popular vote in a state also wins the number of Electoral College votes assigned to that state.
A state’s College Electoral votes equal the number of senators (100) and representatives (435). Washington D.C., the nation’s capital, is assigned three (3) electoral votes. The total comes to 538. The presidential candidate who receives a majority of the 538 votes (i.e., 270 or more) wins the presidential race regardless of the outcome of the popular vote. The VP-elect shares the win automatically.
In 2016, for instance, Hilary Clinton won the popular vote against Donald Trump, 65.8 million vs. 63.0 million. But because Trump garnered the majority of the Electoral College votes at 306, versus Clinton’s 232, Trump was declared new President with his VP, Mike Pence in tow. How did this happen? Simple. Trump won in states with high Electoral College vote allocations.
Going back to Biden, here’s the timeline leading to his January 20, 2021 Inauguration:
December 8. Deadline for resolving election disputes (i.e., recounts and court suits) at the state level filed by the losing party, in this case the Republican Party, aka Grand Old Party (GOP). These moves are legal, though deemed delaying tactics as Biden’s lead are considered insurmountable and fraud-free.
December 14. Electoral College members write their vote for their respective states and Washington D.C. They are expected to vote the same way the popular vote went in their respective states. For example, Biden won in California with 55 electoral votes, the highest in the entire country. This means the Democratic electors for California will vote as a block to represent California to the Electoral College. As already mentioned, the candidate who garners at least the majority of the total Electoral College votes wins the election.
The “Certificates of the Votes” are signed in six copies and sent by registered mail to various officials, including the Senate President, who is also the incumbent Vice President. The latter must receive his copy by December 23.
January 3, 2021. The new Congress is convened.
January 6, 2021. In the joint session, Congress counts the electoral votes and announces the winner or Biden who gets at least the majority 270 electoral votes.
January 20, 2021. The 59th presidential inauguration day will be at noon at the West Front of the US Capitol Building in DC. Senator Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, become the new Vice President and President of the United States of America, respectively. The oath is administered first to VP Harris, and then to President Biden.
A high school classmate Vibered to me the following January 20, 2021 most likely scenario.
- The US Secret Service divides its attention between the incumbent and incoming president.
- The CIA begins to brief both Trump and Biden (including top-secret intelligence traditionally reserved for the president). The same is done by the counter intelligence teams of the CIA which “spy” on the CIA.
- The White House staff begins to redo the place in line with the taste of Biden.
- The White House staff removes all of Trump’s belongings and bring in those of Biden’s.
- The deduction for White House rent on Trump’s salary stops and Biden’s rent begins.
- Melania Trump stops being the household boss at noon of January 20 and Jill Biden takes over.
- At noon of January 20, all the power organs of the US cut official communication with Trump. These include the Pentagon the CIA, FBI, Attorney General. The Secret Service maintains minimal communication since it will continue to guard and protect the ex-president, spouse and children under age 16.
- The Beast (i.e., the Presidential state car called Cadillac One or The Beast) and Air Force One salute Trump for the last time and move their attention to President Biden. The Beast begins to carry Biden’s blood samples as in the tradition, without instructions from anyone!
P.S.
As I write this, President Trump just tweeted GSA Administrator Emily Murphy, advising her “to do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols and have told my team to do same.” Analysts view this as the process of Trump’s conceding the elections without expressly saying so.
Now Joe Biden can truly sigh a sigh of relief!
