The LuLac Edition, 4, 901, January 25th, 2023

 

WRITE ON WEDNESDAY

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This week we give an editorial from the Times Leader regarding the peaceful transfer of power in Harrisburg. Sadly because of election deniers, what used to be the norm is now the exception.

And like magic, Pennsylvania seemed almost the epitome of rational politics.

No, no great bipartisan legislation was passed and signed into law. Republicans and Democrats from across the spectrum did not gather to sing “Kum ba ya.” We didn’t hear any joint speeches about seriously working across the aisle for the good of the state rather than for the good of the party.

Nothing momentous happened Tuesday other than the orderly transfer of power from an outgoing governor to an incoming one. Yes, the baton got passed from one Democrat to another, but it should not matter who was leaving and who was moving in. A fundamental — and absolutely essential — part of Democracy occurred, with no lingering challenges, no yammering of “stolen” or “rigged” elections (at least none among the gubernatorial candidates and their inner circles).

To give him his due, this happened largely because Republican Doug Mastriano didn’t follow the lead of the former president, who never conceded losing the 2020 election and has relentlessly pushed arguments without an iota of proof that he actually won and should be reinstated (there is no mechanism for that in our system, which may be why at one point he called for “suspension” of the U.S. Constitution, even though he claimed he didn’t do that).

Mastriano was deemed a far-right candidate, a true Trump believer who won Trump’s support during the Republican Primary. He supported the debunked claims that the 2020 election was stolen, called for de-certification of the results, attended the Jan. 6 Washington, D.C. rally that devolved into an assault on the nation’s Capitol. At one point he really did say that as governor he would have the right to de-certify results from any election machine. He spearheaded an effort to have a forensic review of the 2020 election audits.

In short, he seemed a likely person to claim he won the governor’s office and/or launch endless claims and challenges to the election results. Yet he conceded his loss to Josh Shapiro, and he did so with grace in a matter of days after the November election. Terse grace, it’s true, but grace all the same.

“Difficult to accept as the results are, there is no right course but to concede,” Mastriano said in one-page statement issued the Sunday after the election. “Josh Shapiro will be our next Governor, and I ask everyone to give him the opportunity to lead and pray that he leads well.”

And Shapiro took that mantle at Tuesday’s inauguration. It is not a perfect transition; As the Associated Press pointed out, he takes office while it remains unclear which party will control the state House of Representatives.

It’s too early to judge, but Shapiro has started out looking a bit like a man genuinely willing to reach across the aisle. he nominated several Republicans to cabinet positions. And as the state’s former attorney general, he comes to the role with some serious Harrisburg experience.

But regardless of who took power, it’s helpful to remember (and sad to feel the need to point out) that this is how democracy is supposed to work. Elections are held, any challenges work through the system, the results are settled and the winner takes office.

We didn’t agree with much of Mastriano’s election rhetoric, but we thank him for letting the system function. We wish Shapiro well, and hope his early outreach to the other side bears fruit.

Mostly, though, we appreciate a break from hyper-partisan battles and a return to what — believe it or not — once passed as “normal.”