"Our Constitution defines the process for electing the president. Today, the Electoral College voted and on January 20th, President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. Anne and I extend our prayers and well wishes to the Biden and Harris families as they prepare for this momentous undertaking."
-- U.S. Rep. Van Taylor of Plano
There you have it. A freshman Republican congressman from the Metroplex has signed on to the notion that, by golly, Joseph R. Biden is going to take office as the next president of the United States.
Van Taylor happens to represent me in the U.S. House of Representatives, as the Third Congressional District includes a significant portion of Collin County. What astounds me at this moment in our nation's history is that the media and other observers even have to ask members of Congress such an elementary question.
Taylor responded to a question from the Texas Tribune, which had posed it to our state's entire congressional delegation: Do you accept Joe Biden as the president-elect?
Not all of the GOP-dominated delegation answered the question, which is their way of saying "no." Taylor said "yes." For that I am grateful and pleased.
As for the non-responders, which include Sen. Ted Cruz and the loony bin rep from East Texas, Louie Gohmert, I have nothing more to say other than this: Shame on you and shame on those who believe the crap being fomented by Donald J. Trump about the legitimacy of Joe Biden's election as president!
They have disgraced the beloved state and the nation they took an oath to serve.
John Kanelis, former editorial page editor for the Amarillo Globe-News and the Beaumont Enterprise, is also a former blogger for Panhandle PBS in Amarillo. He is now retired, but still writing. Kanelis can be contacted via Twitter @jkanelis, on Facebook, or his blog, www.highplainsblogger.com.Kanelis' blog for KETR, "Piece of Mind," presents his views, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of KETR, its staff, or its members.
Kanelis lives in Princeton with his wife, Kathy.
