Last weekend, Joe Biden was declared president-elect of the 2020 United States presidential election. We have only 70 more days left of Donald Trump’s term before Biden is inaugurated. This time is politically known as Trump’s “lame duck presidency” – or when the incumbent candidate must begin to transfer power to their successor.
Historically during the lame duck period, Presidents have been known to grant pardons and commute prison sentences. Brock Obama pardoned 64 individuals and commuted the prison sentences of 617 individuals. George W Bush pardoned 33 individuals and commuted 5. And Bill Clinton pardon 140 individuals, the day of inauguration, only hours before giving up power. It is unsure if Trump will continue this trend, but so far during his presidency he has commuted the sentences of 16 individuals and pardoned 28 people.
So far, this period has not started on productive footing. On November 9th, Trump fired his Secretary of Defense. The Trump-appointed head of the General Services Administration is refusing to sign a letter of ascertainment allowing Joe Biden’s transition team to begin their work. In fact, Trump and many members of his administration and the GOP have not conceded Trump’s campaign. Myths of voter fraud are being pushed by Republican voters and leaders to deny the legitimacy of Biden’s win. As of publication, lawsuits have been filed in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, and Nevada. However legal experts are noting that these lawsuits are a long shot and many judges have already dismissed them for failing to offer evidence substantial enough for the allegations of fraud. It is uncertain if and when Trump will concede and allow for a peaceful transfer of power.
So, what can we expect during the lame duck period between now and January 20th?
Georgia is hosting runoff elections, which are essentially a rematch election between candidates because neither received 50% of the vote – originating from the Jim Crow era, Georgia is the only state to require this still. Georgia is hosting elections for two seats in the Senate; if both Democratic candidates win, the Senate will be balanced. Politicians from all over the United States will be campaigning for their respective party in order to keep or gain control over the Senate. The election will be held on January 5th, 2021 and will decide the first two years of Biden’s presidency in correlation with his relationship to Congress.
Biden is inheriting the crisis of the coronavirus. On November 9th, he announced the members of his coronavirus taskforce, made up entirely of doctors and health experts with the intent to seek a science-based approach in bringing the pandemic under control. Biden has been quoted saying that their priority is managing surges in infection rates, finding a safe and equitable vaccination, and protecting at-risk populations. The task force is intending to work with state and local officials to create public health and economic policies that will address the virus, as well as racial and ethnic disparities, reopening schools and businesses, and committing to expanding testing and implementing a vaccination distribution plan.