The year 2020 truly was one that most of us would like to forget. But beyond all of the burdensome restraints placed on us, despite all of the constant pressures on our well-being and normalcy, there must be some good things that have affected us as well.
For instance — vocabulary. I now have a much better understanding of the words “incitement” and “sedition.”
I now know that “turning the corner,” when repeated over a period of weeks and months, really means “you think it’s been bad so far, just wait and see how much worse it’s going to get.” Should have listened to the experts.
I have also learned that the phrase “won in a landslide” not only means winning something by a lopsided margin (far more points, votes, higher score, etc), but it can also mean having the second-most points, a lower score or fewer votes.
And who knew that “massive voter fraud” would (1) apply when two votes out of 5 million were cast by dead people (Georgia), and (2) would be rampant in only five or six states that were lost, but not in any of the states that were won, despite (3) all 50 states certifying their results as fair and accurate?
Finally, our collective civics IQ has been raised. We now have a more complete understanding of impeachment, and what the 25th Amendment is about. And that the constitution does not grant the vice president the authority to pick and choose which electoral votes to count and which ones not to count. And that if you are a subscriber to “law and order,” those who riot, those who forcefully storm the government and seek to inflict damage and harm, are “loved and special.”
Yes, 2020 was a year to forget. Will 2021 be the year we truly “turn the corner”?
Pat Cullen, Stillwater
Spiteful and frivolous
Those who accomplished the second impeachment of president Trump have made one thing perfectly clear.
The old precedent was that removing a sitting president was a momentous decision, taken with due diligence and great seriousness. As recent rhetoric reminds us, overturning an election should not be done lightly.
However, the House of Representatives last week made it clear that impeachment is a mere political act. No serious deliberation or due diligence is required. A president can be impeached for any reason or no reason. All that is required is a majority in the House of Representatives who oppose him.
I am ashamed of our Congress for taking this step — again, which has been a goal of Trump’s opposition from before his 2017 inaugural. This is a final spiteful frivolous political act against a president who has accomplished so much, but in the eyes of his opponents can do no right.
Don Lee, Eagan
Just admit it
For those pleading for unity in our current national crisis, let’s ask this of our current POTUS: Simply admit that you lost the election.
This certainly would “lower the temperature,” bring unity and usher in a truly peaceful transfer of power.
You can’t have it both ways, folks — if the leader of a democracy refuses its results, that’s not democracy. For all the talk of the “dangerous precedent” that this second impeachment will set — please look at what actually just happened. A president refused certified election results, and riots, terrorism and murder occurred in democracy’s sacred spaces.
Just because you might believe the Democrats and the mainstream media have been out to get Trump doesn’t make his his behavior of the last two months any less abhorrent. A resounding conviction is the only thing to make sure no leader in this country indulges in overturning an election again.
Jeff Zupfer, St. Paul
Remembered for nothing else
President Donald J. Trump impeached again, you report — the first president to be impeached twice.
In other words, the first Congress to impeach a president twice, while ignoring the country’s urgent business. Instead of focusing on Covid-19, threats foreign and domestic, health care, education, infrastructure, Congress impeached a president who is about to leave office.
Democrats in Congress, led by Nancy Pelosi, will be remembered for nothing else but their attempt to take down President Trump — thereby canceling the wishes of 74 million voters.
Dave Racer, Woodbury
Supporting lies
Police officers assume risks every day. Friday we heard of the death of a Capitol Police officer at the hands of a mob. Unlike many risks and subsequent deaths and injuries suffered by police officers, this one was avoidable. President Trump chose to incite the mob that formed at our Capitol.
Our president could have taken the high road when he addressed the crowd before they chose to riot. He is responsible not only for that officer’s death but the others who died as a result of this stain on our countries history. U.S. Reps. Hagedorn and Fischbach of Minnesota have also demonstrated their lack of concern for the mob actions as evidenced by their decision to continue to vote against ratification of the electoral votes. The reasoning for the necessity of a delay and inquiry into so-called vote fraud was based solely on lies perpetrated by Trump. Their vote shows they still support the lies the president has espoused. The same lies that fueled the rage demonstrated by the mob. That rage and subsequent actions led to those deaths, including that of the police officer. With so-called supporters of police like Hagedorn and Fischbach, who needs enemies?
Greg Johnson, Eagan
The writer is a retired police officer
Legacy
It is appropriate that we, as a nation, take a few moments at this point in our long history to reflect upon the stain of dishonor and wrongdoing that has marked Donald Trump’s entire term in office, and especially these dreadful final days that have included the desecration of the people’s house by a riotous mob spurred on by no less than the man himself.
By so doing, one cannot help but be reminded of the biblical verse from Proverbs that so aptly describes what will be the lasting legacy that marks his welcome passing from the scene: “He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind.”
John W. Wheeler, Maplewood
Jump on
Some friendly advice for the loyal opposition: With Donald Trump bound and determined to split the GOP in two, it’s time for Republican senators and representatives to jump on the Ranked Choice Voting bandwagon.
John Crea, St. Paul
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