The year 2020 was marked by an extraordinary amount of difficulty, both at home and abroad. A global health crisis seemingly appeared out of nowhere, straining resources and economies and, worst of all, taking lives. As the country navigates the pandemic, it also must deal with extreme political tensions that have only grown worse.
In normal times, the dawn of a new year might bring at least a small sense of renewal and optimism. From a political standpoint, 2021 looks to be even more polarizing than the last 12 months. The transition to a new administration will largely be colored by claims of election fraud, mishandling of the pandemic, and guilt by association.
The weeks following the election have been dominated by President Trump and his team insisting that victory was stolen. Despite a mountain of legal losses and former Attorney General William Barr’s declaration of “no widespread election fraud,” the arguments remain. On Jan. 6, the Electoral College results will be certified by Congress. On Wednesday, Sen. Josh Hawley announced he will object to the results. Others may follow. Even after President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in on Jan. 20, the vocal protests against his win will continue.
As Trump’s term winds down, those associated with it have already begun to be demonized. Anyone who worked for or supported him will be strongly spurned. It isn’t enough that the Trump administration will be over. The promise to hold forever accountable for Trump’s behavior anyone other than the president largely comes from those who view the last four years through an extreme lens. Trump has many faults, but the United States is neither a third-world country nor in the grips of presidential oppression. Yet those ideas formed long ago and will last well after Trump’s presidency concludes.
The best thing that could happen in the new year, apart from the end of the pandemic, is a reduction in the animosity between Republicans and Democrats. This hostility exists between national leaders with public personas right down to regular people who castigate each other online. The distrust and dislike have existed for generations, but in 2020, social media and a special blend of turmoil and mistrust have magnified our differences for the worst. We are in desperate need of a reduction in the strain, however slight.
Turning the page from one year to the next will in no way bring about a sense of major relief. Throughout 2020, the idea has been if we can just get through the year, surely the next one will be better. While it’s true as it relates to the pandemic due to increased inoculations, the strife between the Left and the Right is destined to remain strong.
In order to relieve a portion of the conflict, people on opposite sides of the aisle must stop looking at each other as the greatest enemy. Without existing as neighbors who agree to disagree, the discord will only rage on. If anything, a year that brought about so much pain and struggle by way of a virus has been the ultimate lesson. There will always be differences in how the Left and the Right address the nation’s problems. A reduction in biting partisanship doesn’t mean an abandonment of principles. It simply means living with others with whom there is disagreement without becoming hostile. After a year that saw so much, this is easier said than done.
The suspicion of and bickering with political adversaries won’t end on Jan. 1, but there can be an effort to improve relations with the other side. If anything, the year that was is a stark reminder that the U.S. needs to head in this direction.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
