By: Bandith Carr
News 1-7-21
After promising just yesterday that “we will never concede,” President Donald Trump put out a statement before dawn this morning that, “Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless, there will be an orderly transition on January 20th.”
As everyone most likely knows by now, yesterday was an astonishing day for our country that will be remembered, analyzed, and studied for decades to come. Tens of thousands of protestors descended on our nation’s capital to protest the peaceful process of Congressional approval of the electoral college votes, a constitutionally mandated process marking the transfer of power, the central tenet of our democracy. The Congressional procedure was disrupted as violent protestors stormed the Capitol building, sending our duly elected representatives fleeing for safety. During the melee at the capitol building, one protestor was shot and killed. Three other people died during the protest from separate medical emergencies. The vote resumed several hours later and was finally completed at 3:45 this morning certifying former vice president Joe Biden as the official President-elect.
The large crowd had been urged to go to the capitol building at the “Save America” rally held by President Trump earlier that morning where he gave an address as well as Don Trump Junior, Eric Trump, Rudy Giuliani, and others. During his address, President Trump reiterated his multiple claims of election fraud, despite repeated investigations and court cases finding that there was no widespread fraud in the election. President Trump stoked the crowd by claiming the election was “rigged” and “stolen.” Trump addressed the crowd for over an hour, listing the various crimes he thought the Democrats had committed,, encouraging the crowd whom he called “patriots” and toward the end exhorting the crowd with the words “And we fight. We fight like Hell and if you don’t fight like Hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”
Indiana’s congressional delegation was split in their response to the situation. Senator Braun initially said he would vote to contest the certification. After the storming of the capitol, however, many congresspeople changed their minds, including Senator Braun. He reportedly decided it was more important to have registered his concerns publically but now move forward and get this past us. Of our 7 members in the House of Representatives, four did not vote to object to the certification of the electoral votes; however, Representatives Jim Baird, Jim Banks, and Jackie Walorski voted to object to the electoral college results in PA and AZ. And Rep. Greg Pence voted to object to the results in Arizona only. In the end, the objections lost by a vote of 93 to 6 in the Senate and 303 to 121 in the House.
Indiana Covid
According to WISH-TV, COVID-19 continues to rise at an alarming rate in Indiana with Hamilton County turning red yesterday – the highest alert level. This marks the first time that Hamilton County, Indiana’s second-most populous county, has been in the red category. To date, in Indiana, at least 8,452 people have died and another 2,812 people are currently hospitalized with COVID.
Vaccines
Covid-19 Vaccines are now being distributed throughout Indiana. The first allotment was given to first responders. Indiana has decided to break with the national protocol and will make the next distribution categories by age. Currently, people 80 years old and above can register online or telephone 211 to receive an appointment to receive the first dose of the vaccine. The appointment for the required second dose of the vaccine will be set at the first appointment. People 70 and above will receive the vaccine next, followed by those 60 and above. People in those age categories are urged to follow the news in order to know when to set their appointments.
