No Class: January 18

The time between a presidential election and inauguration is often called the “Lame Duck period,” evoking an image of a winding-down prior to a peaceful transition of power. Given what’s happened to date, this term seems completely inappropriate.

From continuing challenges to the validity of a notably fair and orderly electoral process, to Republican demands that officials from their own party be dismissed, even executed, for failing to challenge a disappointing outcome, to questionable pardons, efforts to remove US troops from critical areas, and an accelerated drive to make political appointees permanent civil servants, we’re witnessing scenes unimaginable just a few years ago. And it appears there’s much more to come.

“Operation Warp Speed” targeted the pandemic. Today, the phrase seems more appropriately to describe the rush to complete as much of the Trump administration’s agenda as possible in the time remaining, to ensure that President-elect Joe Biden will begin his term with one hand tied behind his back.

How much damage can a President inflict on our institutions during this period? Trump will probably be the fourth president (after the two Adamses and Andrew Johnson) to skip his successor’s inauguration. – but how successful might he be in this final effort to ensure his continued dominance of our national agenda? (1347)