If Biden wants to unify the country, here's the olive branch he must extend to conservatives
By Gary Abernathy
From my latest in The Washington Post:
Assuming sanity prevails and we are spared the melodrama of an impeachment trial for a president no longer in office (even if the House’s impeachment of Trump this week was admittedly more justifiable than the first one), Biden will probably focus much of his inauguration remarks on two preeminent subjects — the fight against covid-19 and the assault on the Capitol. But the new president will divide more than unify if he pretends the Capitol incursion happened in a vacuum. He must likewise condemn violence across America instigated by left-leaning agitators and acknowledge that there’s plenty of blame to go around for a nation more on edge than at any time since the 1960s…
In the current environment, conservatives are rightfully alarmed at the prospect of crucial digital platforms being pulled out from under them in response to the support they express for a particular politician or idea. The tech giants are private entities claiming to be following their guidelines, not government agencies violating the First Amendment, but a president can use his bully pulpit to influence their actions…
On Jan. 20… Biden should make this promise: “I pledge today to all Americans, whether liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican, supporter or political foe, you will have a champion in the White House for your right to freely express your thoughts and your opinions on the digital platforms on which we all depend. I will work with Congress and our tech leaders toward the goal of ensuring that those rights are not only protected, but encouraged.”