(Note: This article is categorized as an Op-Ed. As such, all opinions are that of staff writer Kelsey Byrd’s, and do not reflect the ideas or thoughts of Memorial High School nor the MHS Journalism staff team as a whole.)

At this point, Donald Trump and his many, many frivolous lawsuits may have the distinct honor of being the biggest losers in a year marked by losses. And that’s not the liberal bias talking, but an objective observation of Trump’s continuous failures in court and in the election as his proven-to-be futile attempts to disenfranchise millions of voters have all failed on an international stage. However the biggest blow to the baseless fantasies of Trump’s second-term-hopes came yesterday when the Electoral College met to certify their votes. In doing so, the Electoral College re-re-re-re-re-re confirmed the now-old-news of Biden and Harris’s landslide victory, with the Biden-Harris ticket finishing with 306 electoral votes, and Trump lagging behind with 232. 

The rules of the Electoral College are both reflective of the olden times in which they were established, and purposefully specific. After the 538 electoral votes are divided up among candidates in November, it won’t be until another month when the electors meet again on the first Monday after the second Wednesday of December. The purpose of this odd-placement was for situations exactly like those of the 2020 election, in which states might need to settle disputes over contested results (or in this case, participate in a repeated cycle of Trump losing more than the Jacksonville Jaguars). 

While the date is the same across the nation, where electors meet up varies depending on the state. This year extra-safety precautions had to be taken by going to undisclosed locations in some states, all in response to the often violent vitriol of adamant Trump-supporters who follow their leader in his pathway to discount democracy. Despite the death-threats and anger fuming from through-in-through “Trumpers”, the Electoral College saw zero faithless electors, meaning every elector voted in accordance with popular vote in their respective state. This is a notable change from the 2016 election, when 10 electoral members either succeeded in or attempted to vote for a candidate contrary to the one they were pledged to. Come 2020 though, it was all smooth-sailing, with some states like Michigan and Pennsylvania having the room erupt into applause after announcing their votes going to President-elect Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Of course, despite the resounding nature of the event, Trump has and will continue to carry on with his division-deepening fit of un-American ideals of an unforeseen proportion. While Trump’s ineptitude in character has always been apparent, it is interesting (and disturbing) to see the GOP enable this kind of destructive behaviour. Even after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell finally acknowledged who will be the next president, many of his party either remain silent or directly encouraging. History will remember those who stood up for democracy and those who volunteered through action or complacency to watch it stomped on by an orange rage monster.