The Aftermath of the Capitol Riot

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January 6th 2021 was supposed to be the day when the votes of the Electoral College to elect the next president were to be certified in the US Congress. Instead of a representation of the official transition of power, what we witnessed was a country struggling to withhold democracy.

In the Capitol Building in Washington DC, members of the US Congress were supposed to meet in the chambers of the House of Representatives to witness the counting of all electoral college votes. 51 boxes would be unsealed, and the votes would be counted in front of the 535 members of Congress, and Vice President Mike Pence. The reason is so the entirety of Congress can witness the results and the Vice President would announce the final winner: Joe Biden as President of the United States of America.

This meeting was symbolic of the democratic values we uphold as a nation. Its sole purpose was to be a ceremonial event confirming the next President of the United States. Article II, Section 1, Clause 2 of The U.S. Constitution describes the proceeding of this symbolic event.

The Electoral College is an obsolete and overly complex system that requires a major overhaul. Considering the events of January 6th, it is clear citizens have considerable doubt towards the Electoral College. Understandably, the Electoral College is one of the weakest points within the US Democracy. It is crucial to implement changes such that politicians cannot abuse their powers and take advantage of its weakness. It is reason enough to simplify the electoral college system in the hopes that it cannot be subjected to any exploitation.

Regarding President Trump's message of "love" to the protestors, I leave it to the citizens, does it represent democracy? Or rather, a provocation threatening our democracy?

The strength of the US democratic system lies in its commitment to laws and due process, the professionalism of our courts and judges, and of course the transparency of our politicians and election. In the past four years, the US political system has faced many threats and has overcome every obstacle. This is just another obstacle, testing the strength of our democracy, that we as a nation will overcome.

With all, this article does not advocate for the events of January 6th. If you are not satisfied with the results of the election, it does not justify any negligence or contravention of the law during or after. Additionally, one cannot change or break the rules of the election during or after as it directly breaks Art. I, Sec. 9, which states that our constitution does not allow any ex-post-facto laws; meaning it prohibits actions taken retroactively because it criminalizes the conduct that was originally legal when it took place. Instead of taking actions retrospectively we should implement changes to the Electoral College before we reach the next election to avoid the repetition of these events.

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Published January 13, 2021

Written by Kalyan Madoori ~ Edited by Deeba Mehr ~ Graphics by Tanya Gu