The national wounds, left by many years of political divisions, are deep. Many Americans did not realize how deep they were until the violent discord spilled out Wednesday on TV and digital screens, a disturbingly violent U.S. Capitol siege.
Those who took their unhappiness with the election to this level are in the minority, but many more of the incumbent president’s supporters share at least some doubts about the validity of the votes supporting President-elect Joe Biden.
And that forms the shaky foundation on which Biden must begin delivering on his pledge to unify the nation after he is inaugurated Jan. 20.
Tension remains high in the days that remain in President Donald Trump’s term, following what on Friday Gov. David Ige called a “horrible attack on democracy.” However events play out in the near term, they are sure to complicate the efforts of a new administration to advance an agenda.
But that should not push a moderate agenda out of reach. The advantage Biden brings to this challenge is legislative experience, which provides a reality check about the realm of the possible. And what’s possible will be fixes on which a consensus can be struck. There are common-sense things on which there can be agreement, and that’s what should be pursued first.
In the first two years, Biden is assured his Democratic Party has a majority, however thin, in both houses of Congress. What would help establish a basic level of trust with some of the public in clear opposition would be a focus on public health and pocketbook issues — work that can deliver some measure of success, as quickly as possible.
The most recent congressional aid package provides funds to states distributing the vaccine, but federal agencies must play a much larger role in getting shots in arms efficiently. The Biden administration has pledged to get more of the vaccine out quickly, and if the public could see the wheels of government providing this critical function with competence, some measure of faith could be restored.
This also means promoting the practice of social distancing and mask-wearing to help bring down the catastrophic levels that swept the mainland as winter descended. Even temperate Hawaii has been struggling to contain a worrisome surge in infections.
The expression “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression” certainly applies here. After a wearying election cycle, Biden’s political opponents on Capitol Hill, and some of those who elected them, may be willing to afford him a honeymoon period when work can get done.
But it will be a brief one, at best, so the incoming administration will have to prove itself, and quickly.
If Biden is to be “the president for all Americans,” as he promised, he will need to find ways to reach not only across the aisle in Congress but across an emotional scar that cuts across the nation. There are many in small-town America who have felt estranged from government for years, as job opportunities dried up in an increasingly global economy.
Addressing the needs of families hurt in the pandemic would be one way to build bridges. Funding to help state and local governments maintain basic services should be top of the list for additional pandemic recovery aid, as well.
Further, the public wants to see more avenues for employment. An infrastructure program would at last provide some jobs that are sorely needed.
Support for a large-scale campaign bearing the “Green New Deal” banner falls short. But any large investments spanning improvements to transportation and other systems also should include developments in renewable energy and elements of the green economy.
What counts is that communities in rural and urban America see the prospects for their lives improving, and their capacity to support their families increasing.
There’s ambivalence on Biden’s left flank for his centrist positions. The Democrats’ progressive wing represent another potential fault line he will need to navigate. That’s where his appointments may help, and Biden must continue to surround himself with diverse points of view.
Progressive ideals of environmental protection, racial equity and the interests of working families can be part of regulatory fixes that the administration has promised to make immediately. Cabinet members and other appointees who are more forward-thinking can help inform the decisions government makes.
There is a long list of international alliances to rebuild after the fractious years of Trump foreign policy, and that will require assembling experienced hands that can reopen diplomatic channels.
As important as that is, it’s the domestic agenda that has to consume the new administration at this juncture. Much of this is the pursuit of policies that help people directly, but the rhetoric will be key, as well.
Anger and resentment lead to bloodshed, as the past week has shown. The way forward is surely along the middle path, guided by steady hands and calmer voices.
