The Washington Post’s Elise Viebeck (who one presumes from her political writings is a Democrat) has no problem reporting the growing number of dissidents from her party who plan to skip the presidential inauguration this Friday. But Democrats as a whole, and especially centrists, should have a problem with the boycott.
Currently, according to Viebeck, the count is at 52. “The number,” she writes, “rose sharply after Trump tweeted Saturday that [John] Lewis (D) is ‘all talk, talk, talk’ and should ‘finally focus on the burning and crime infested inner-cities.'”
But that’s just one of many lame excuses members of the party have devised as justification for their petulant show of unAmericanism. It’s almost as if they have forgotten the demoralizing defeat they suffered on Election Day, and not just at the federal level of government. The American people made a statement, which the Donks chose to take as a shot across the bow.
Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?
It’s hard to see how answering the mandate they received with defiance won’t lead to further comeuppances. There is only one electorate in this country, and when it speaks, it expects its elected representatives in government to listen … or pay the price.
Republicans dutifully did what was expected of them in 2008. Despite lingering doubts about Barack Obama’s competence and character that have since been borne out as legitimate concerns, every member of the party turned out for his inauguration, honoring the peaceful transfer of power.
Democrats this year have chosen otherwise. They do so at their own peril.
