The date has changed from 2020 to 2021
1 January 2021 By Abiodun Giwa
The chorus of Happy New Year is over. And the date has changed. But life has continued as usual. The only significant change is the date - from 2020 to 2021. The Spring is still what it is with the cold weather in place. The light that marks the beginning of the day has not disappeared. And I slept last night like many of us around the world. We woke up early today to begin another day's journey. I have made a cup of tea to begin the day. And I am on my computer to consider the day and the week's agenda.
Coronavirus is still part of the world. It began its devastation of the world in 2020. And it is still here in 2021. Governments are still working to lessen the impact of the virus on the human community. Many of us still cannot go out to earn a living, and the power of the virus to divide has not lessened with a new strain of the virus said to have been discovered in the United kingdom also found in the United States amid a clamor for anyone coming from the U.K. with the virus not to be allowed in. No congregation was allowed at the New York's Times Square to usher in 2021.
What else is in the agenda aside from the news of the Covid-19 devastation? The runoff election in Georgia in the United States. The runoff election coming up on January 5 has made all eyes of people in the U.S. to be on Georgia and all eyes of people around the world to be on the U.S. People around the world knows that the country will be having a new president by January 20, and that it is unclear which of the two major political parties in the country will control the senate, and that whichever party wins the two senate seats in Georgia will control the senate.
It means that if the Democratic Party wins the two seats in the runoff election, the party will control the senate and the current minority leader, Charles Schumer, will become the senate leader. But if his party fails to win the two seats, he will continue to be a minority leader. And there is no assurance that any of the parties can win the two seats. Even if the Democratic Party wins the two seats, it will become equal with the Republican Party and will always need the vote of the vice president to break the tie.
For example, when the votes are taken to choose the senate leader, the vice-president can always come in to break the tie to give her party the lead. But many political observers think the situation is still dicey for the Democratic Party. They are saying, if for example, a situation arises some of the party members are opposed to a bill the party wants passed. Just like Joe Manchin of Virginia has said in advance that he is utterly opposed to any idea about killing the filibuster - an idea about killing the checks and balances in the senate which the public has been talking about.
The checks and balances in the country's democratic system is part of the good work of the country's founding fathers and which other countries around the world seek to emulate. It is believed that if the checks and balances in the political system is removed, the U.S. democracy will become like other pseudo-democracies around the world without the beauty of the system and anything can be passed by the ruling party without questions or objections. The people will become the servants and the elected leaders the big bosses.
In any case, many people are hoping and praying that 2021 will be a better year in term of whether covid-19 disappears or remains here. And there is a big relief that the vaccines against the virus are in place.
Coronavirus is still part of the world. It began its devastation of the world in 2020. And it is still here in 2021. Governments are still working to lessen the impact of the virus on the human community. Many of us still cannot go out to earn a living, and the power of the virus to divide has not lessened with a new strain of the virus said to have been discovered in the United kingdom also found in the United States amid a clamor for anyone coming from the U.K. with the virus not to be allowed in. No congregation was allowed at the New York's Times Square to usher in 2021.
What else is in the agenda aside from the news of the Covid-19 devastation? The runoff election in Georgia in the United States. The runoff election coming up on January 5 has made all eyes of people in the U.S. to be on Georgia and all eyes of people around the world to be on the U.S. People around the world knows that the country will be having a new president by January 20, and that it is unclear which of the two major political parties in the country will control the senate, and that whichever party wins the two senate seats in Georgia will control the senate.
It means that if the Democratic Party wins the two seats in the runoff election, the party will control the senate and the current minority leader, Charles Schumer, will become the senate leader. But if his party fails to win the two seats, he will continue to be a minority leader. And there is no assurance that any of the parties can win the two seats. Even if the Democratic Party wins the two seats, it will become equal with the Republican Party and will always need the vote of the vice president to break the tie.
For example, when the votes are taken to choose the senate leader, the vice-president can always come in to break the tie to give her party the lead. But many political observers think the situation is still dicey for the Democratic Party. They are saying, if for example, a situation arises some of the party members are opposed to a bill the party wants passed. Just like Joe Manchin of Virginia has said in advance that he is utterly opposed to any idea about killing the filibuster - an idea about killing the checks and balances in the senate which the public has been talking about.
The checks and balances in the country's democratic system is part of the good work of the country's founding fathers and which other countries around the world seek to emulate. It is believed that if the checks and balances in the political system is removed, the U.S. democracy will become like other pseudo-democracies around the world without the beauty of the system and anything can be passed by the ruling party without questions or objections. The people will become the servants and the elected leaders the big bosses.
In any case, many people are hoping and praying that 2021 will be a better year in term of whether covid-19 disappears or remains here. And there is a big relief that the vaccines against the virus are in place.
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