"It Wasn't a Good Week for the Republic"

Penn Live

by Charlie Gerow -- Opinion Contributor -- Jan 10, 2021 As we ushered out 2020 and welcomed the new year last week, many breathed a sigh of relief. After the tumult and challenges of the year past there was hope and optimism that 2021 would bring us much better.

At the end of the first week of the new year many are nostalgically thinking of 2020 as “the good old days.” We’ve witnessed, in the space of a few days, things we never imagined possible.

The onslaught at the U.S. Capitol this week outraged all America. For those of us who have consistently stood in support of the rule of law, it was an especially troubling chapter. It wasn’t merely that there was violence. That’s obviously criminal and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The fact that the law was ignored should also be condemned, consistently, uniformly and without regard to who is perpetrating lawless acts. Unfortunately, that has not consistently occurred. Too many have overlooked and even condoned some acts of lawlessness while stridently attacking others.

The aftermath of the assault of the Capitol has already too often devolved into more partisan rancor and cheap attempts to gain short-term political advantage. It is deeply troubling that so many, across the political spectrum, believe that taking to the streets with increasing disregard for the essential laws of society is the best way of having their voices heard. Restoring faith in the basic institutions of our nation is a paramount objective now. President-elect Biden had an opportunity to take the high road in the aftermath of Wednesday’s events. He chose instead to deliver a demagogic litany of old charges against President Trump and, more disturbing, his supporters, 74 million of whom cast votes for him just a few weeks ago. The Vice President-elect chose to follow suit, adding her personal attack on the police highlighted with divisive racial overtones. What happened to the calls for unity?

"Restoring faith in the basic institutions of our nation

is a paramount objective now."

It wasn’t a good week for the Republic. It also wasn’t a good week for the Republican Party. The week began with the opening of the new session of Congress. The far left agenda of the Democrats who will control the House for two years was on full display. The House rules, which now ban, the use of words like “Father” and “Mother” or “Son” and “Daughter” revealed the priorities of the Left at a time when we are still reeling from the effects of the pandemic and other real problems that face our nation. The prayer offered by a Democrat Member was largely forgotten in the wake of what followed in the week, but the absurdity of concluding with “amen and awoman” cannot be overlooked. This isn’t reflective of the mind of the nation. It’s patently ridiculous and would be laughable if it weren’t so serious in its offering. Between Monday’s opening session of Congress and Wednesday, Republicans managed to lose two U.S. Senate seats under Georgia’s “runoff” system, thus giving Democrats a trifecta of control of the national government. With total control for the next two years will go a truly radical agenda unless Republicans can find a moderate Democrat or two to help hold the line. Without a Joe Manchin or a Kyrsten Sinema, we’ll be faced with huge tax increases on working families, defunding police and the military, an assault on natural gas development and thousands of Pennsylvania jobs and a Green New Deal. Already the far left is calling for statehood for the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, a naked attempt to permanently alter the United States Senate. They’ll likely move to overturn the Senate filibuster rules, pack the federal courts and permanently tilt the federal government to the left.

"It wasn't a good week for the Republic"

The good news for Republicans is that these are not the agenda of most Americans. The radical elements will cause the pendulum to quickly swing back, probably very strongly. With that goes tremendous opportunity to the center-right which is where most of the nation still is. Back when I was playing ball or coaching we lost a few (only a few, but every one hurt-a lot). We always picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off, vowed to learn the lessons of the loss and not allow another “L” on the ledger.

That’s where the Republican Party finds itself right now. In these dark hours there is great opportunity to provide the answers the American people want and deserve. The GOP has a lot of work to do, including keeping disappointed Trump voters actively engaged and building on their down ballot successes of 2020. For the nation it is time for our political leaders to daily ask of themselves if their actions are motivated by what they truly believe is best for the nation or whether they are acting merely to gain some cheap political points. This New Year and many to follow depend on it.

Charlie Gerow, a prominent national columnist, TV and radio commentator, attorney, and former adjunct professor at Dickinson and Gettysburg Colleges, is the President of Quantum Communications. He presently serves on the (PA) Governors Innovation and Privatization Advisory Council, and on the Board of the American Conservative Union.