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United States Election Results Dysfunctional Congress Means Clash Among Rulers ContinuesAs more states certify their votes in Biden's favour and various CEOs and others call for Trump to concede, the ongoing clashes among the rulers are showing themselves in Congress. Among the areas of conflict are those concerning the transition; Senate confirmation of Biden's picks for his cabinet; the need to pass a massive omnibus budget bill or another emergency spending bill to avoid government shutdown on December 11; and disputes over the National Defense Authorization Act which usually passes readily. Transition and Civil War Threats
Trump's continuing claims that the election was a
fraud and, as his lawyer put it, "Americans must
be assured that the final results are fair and
legitimate," were also evident at a hearing called
by Pennsylvania state Republican Senators that
took place on November 25. Trump chose Gettysburg
as the site for the hearing and called in to say,
"This election was lost by the Democrats. They
cheated. It was a fraudulent election." Former
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge responded,
"History will record the shameful irony that a
president who lied to avoid military service
staged a bogus event on the hallowed grounds of
Gettysburg in a brazen attempt to undermine the
Republic for which scores of real patriots had
fought and died to preserve since its founding." Gettysburg is known for the Civil War battle fought there, with massive deaths on both sides. It is also where then President Lincoln questioned whether the union, based on the Declaration of Independence's claims of "liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal," could endure. Trump's administration and the election and
transition have all brought out the fierce civil
war taking place among the rulers, short of open
violence. The calls by many officials and CEOs for
"peaceful transition" are efforts to keep it that
way. The letter from the 166 businessmen for
example raised concerns about the legitimacy of
the elections and the need to keep the Union
united: Confirmation of Biden CabinetBiden has begun announcing his nominations for
various cabinet posts, including those for
Secretary of State, Department of Homeland
Security and Director of National Intelligence.
The Senate has to confirm these and another 1,200
positions in the bureaucracy with a simple
majority vote. Confirmation hearings usually begin
Inauguration Day, January 20, or within days
afterward. Normally, these confirmations are not
disputed, with a general courtesy extended to the
President who in this case is himself a former
Senator. In the past, to date, only nine nominees
have failed confirmation, with four of these
dating back to President John Tyler, 1841-1845.
Another 17 have been withdrawn. Biden has asked for "a prompt hearing" and called on the Senate to "begin the work to heal and unite America and the world." Republicans are already objecting to the nominees and current Senate head Mitch McConnell has yet to accept Biden as the President-Elect. The usual norms and courtesies evidently no longer apply. Outrage of Possible Government Shut DownThe possibility of a government shut-down December 11 also remains. An emergency spending bill was passed when the fiscal year ended in October. That funding runs out on December 11. Currently the House and Senate are negotiating a massive omnibus bill. Right now a $1.4 trillion package, covering all 12 budget appropriations needed for the various departments, is being debated. Differences concern budget amounts, which are being kept secret. Trump has said he favours the omnibus bill rather than another emergency stop-gap measure, which he could veto. His Chief of Staff has said he "cannot guarantee" a shutdown will be averted. Previously, each of the 12 budget appropriations would be debated separately, and include public hearings. Now, no such hearings occur and the numbers are kept from public view, and even from legislators, often until the final vote for a huge 1,000 page bill. The process is indicative of the deterioration of Congress as a legislative body, and the elimination of serving the public good, or at least providing the public an opportunity to speak. It also means that use of the budget as a means to lessen conflicts among the ruling factions no longer functions, with threats and actual government shutdowns the result. Given COVID-19 and the already large numbers of unemployed, such a shutdown involving laying off hundreds of thousands of government workers is widely seen as an unacceptable and horrendous attack on the people. Pentagon FundingThe National Defense Authorization Act, something that usually easily passes by a large majority, also has not passed. It is a yearly bill that funds the Pentagon, including U.S. wars of aggression. This year $740.5 billion is planned. Among the areas of dispute are amendments that attempt to assert Congressional control in situations where the President has usurped power. One requires the President to get Congressional approval before removing any more troops from Germany or Afghanistan. Another requires the President to consult Congress before using the Insurrection Act. Trump had threatened to invoke this in June in order to use the military against demonstrators across the country demanding an end to racist police killings, and equality and justice. The National Defense Authorization Act also includes language requiring the renaming of 10 military bases named after Confederate generals. These include Fort Bragg, Hood, Robert E. Lee and others. Trump has said he will veto the bill if it includes these measures. Senate head McConnell has said he will not bring the bill for a vote if it will be vetoed. Others are raising that a veto could impact the two Senate races in Georgia, January 5. Those races will decide whether the Senate will be 50-50 or whether Republicans will maintain control, 52-48 or 51-49. Some say the veto could favour Democrats; others claim it favours Republicans.
All of the on-going disputes make clear that the
current governing institutions no longer function,
raising the growing possibility of violence both
among the factions and more likely against the
people, as they strengthen their resistance and
demands for control. The people are refusing to be
divided and are rejecting governing structures
that enforce inequality. Their many actions of
various kinds show they are organizing instead for
a new direction for the country that favours their
interests and represents their anti-war,
pro-social drive. This New is reflected in the
fight for an Anti-War Government, Peace
Economy and Democracy Where We the People
Decide!
For Your Information166 New York
Business Leaders Send Open Letter on
Presidential Transition
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After
Michigan certified its vote on November 23, and an
open letter from 166 businessmen called for the
transition to proceed, the General Services
Administration, which had been blocking official
transition support for Biden, "ascertained" that
he was the winner. This action released millions
in funding and opened the way for mutual briefings
concerning COVID-19, domestic and foreign security
matters and more. However, it remains unclear
whether the various cabinet departments, all part
of the Office of the Presidency, will cooperate.
Attorney General William Barr has so far not done
so. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien has
promised a "professional transition" with the
Biden team. These differences within the cabinet,
along with Trump's continuing lawsuits to block
seating of Biden electors from Pennsylvania and
Arizona in the Electoral College, for example, are
indicators that the usual rules and norms are
still not being followed. 
As with
the 
