Editorial by Dhiren Shah
Hello Readers,
Joseph Biden is our elected president, declared by the current results of the Electoral College and all the major media. This was a close election. As per the rules, the election is not fully certified until December 14, 2020 by all the state election boards. The only other way it could be official before then is if Donald Trump concedes. I do not think he will. We’ll have to wait and watch the developments for a month, and after things become official, then Biden will officially be the President-Elect.
President Donald Trump has challenged the results and is suing in some of the states to investigate fraud. In the legal court system, Trump must produce evidence of fraud; otherwise, the cases will be dismissed. In the meantime, we have no other alternative but to wait and watch.
Biden has already started the typical transition procedures, which includes appointing his transition team. Under normal conditions, the incoming president and vice president would get money for the expenses incurred for forming a transition team. However, Biden is not getting any money, as Trump has not conceded. So, Biden is collecting donations for the expenses, and he has already started to form transition teams for each department to make sure the transition is smooth for him to take over the helm of the country.
We, as Americans, must accept the judgment of the majority. Let’s think about the future and leave the past behind. Biden announced on Nov. 10 his transition team leaders. This includes: Kiran Ahuja, Office of Personnel Management, Andrea Flores, Department of Homeland Security, Rahul Gupta, Office of National Drug Control Policy, Michelle Howard, Department of Defense, Justin Jackson, CIA. Monique King-Viehland, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Chris Lu, Department of Labor, Pamela Melroy, NASA, Geoffrey Roth, Department of Health and Human Services, Shawn Skelly, Department of Defense, Ellen Stofan, NASA, Karen Tamley, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Department of State, Kevin Washburn, Department of Interior, Geovette Washington, Department of Commerce.
Nowadays, everyone talks about COVID, but is not using the word coronavirus much. COVID is spreading like a second wave of coronavirus. In the United States, it is over 10 million cases with a little over 241,000 deaths per the latest Johns Hopkins University count as of press time. Out of that, 10% are only in Texas, which is over 1 million cases. Texas has one death to 45 recoveries, and the second highest number of cases are in California, with a little under 1 million cases. Their death to recovery ratio is one to 28. Florida has over 850,000 cases, with a death to recovery ratio of one to 35. New York has the fourth highest case count, at around 574,000 cases with a death to recovery ratio of one to 12.90. New Jersey is #10 with over 260,000 cases and a death to recovery ratio of one to 11.56.
How come the recovery rates in New York and New Jersey are slower than the other states? Also, in August and September, New York used to have about 400 to 500 cases a day, and New Jersey used to have about 250 to 350 cases a day. Suddenly it jumped to 3,955 and 4,251 respectively as of Nov. 11. We all must take care of ourselves and make sure we use face coverings, wash our hands frequently and keeping social distancing as necessary. Also, make sure you go out only if it is necessary. Please follow the directives of our city and state officials.
Due to the presidential election, we will publish our year in review newspaper next week on November 19, 2020.
Have a wonderful week.
I’ll talk to you next week.
