Listen HerePresident Trump still refuses to concede
By Collin Frazier
@Collin_53
After an election season full of mudslinging, the 2020 Election reached its conclusion on Nov. 7, with former Vice President Joe Biden securing the necessary 270 electoral votes for presidency with 306 total. This makes Donald Trump the first president since George H.W. Bush, and eighth overall, to unsuccessfully be re-elected for a second term.
Professor of History and Chair of the Department of History, Law, and Gender Studies at the University of Findlay Dr. Kathy Mason says Trump’s approach may have been too narrow.
“President Trump emphasized maintaining the enthusiastic support of his base, rather than building a broad coalition to secure his re-election,” Mason said in an email interview.
Despite overwhelming evidence of Biden’s win, President Trump is refusing to concede, noting that there were claims of voter fraud favoring President-elect Biden. But what his claims are doing to democracy in the U.S. is what many find most disturbing.
“President Trump’s seemingly baseless claim of widespread election fraud undercuts support for the president-elect and undermines faith in our system –both at home and abroad,” Mason said.
Although it is not an official law, one crucial aspect to democracy is a peaceful transition of power. Even with President Trump refusing to concede, Mason believes a peaceful transition will happen no matter what.
“Representative democracies function when the population believes that elections are fair,” Mason commented. “The transition of power will be orderly and peaceful, and the interests of all citizens will be protected– regardless of who is elected.”
President Trump has had a history of being unwilling to accept defeat. With this in mind, along with the ongoing pandemic, Mason believes it will be unclear how history will remember the Trump Presidency.
“Donald Trump has never displayed a willingness to admit defeat in business or political life, and he usually does not distinguish between national and personal interest,” Mason stated. “It is hard to predict how history will judge this president, but I think it is safe to say that his administration will be judged by its handling of our current pandemic.”
The Electoral College will cast its votes for the presidency on Dec. and President-elect Biden’s Inauguration is scheduled for Jan. 20.
