THE CONFRONTATION – AT 3:37 P.M. ET:  There will be no New Year's relief from the political combat in Washington.  But at least we can say that the Republican Party, which some used to call the party of green eyeshades, is developing a backbone.  Maybe we should call it a Trumpbone.  From Daily Mail: 

At least 140 Republicans in the House of Representatives are planning to vote against counting the electoral votes to certify President-elect Joe Biden's victory, according to two congressman.

The certification will take place on January 6, and despite the numbers claimed to be planning to vote against, President Donald Trump's Republican allies have very little chance of overturning the 2020 election result.

Instead, they will likely just delay the inevitable affirmation of Biden as the winner of the Electoral College and the next President of the United States by a few hours.

Two Republicans in the House of Representative reportedly told CNN about the plot to vote against the certification of Biden.    

Meanwhile, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell told fellow Senate Republicans that his vote to certify Joe Biden's election victory will be the 'most consequential' of his political career, a report claimed on Thursday.

The Majority Leader made the declaration in a conference call on Thursday morning, according to Axios, which spoke to one person who was on the call and two who were briefed on its contents. 

COMMENT:  Biden's election will be certified, and he will be sworn in.  But there is nothing wrong with a protest vote, an affirmation of the widespread belief, supported by a growing amount of evidence, that there were serious irregularities in the presidential election.  There may be some increased supporting evidence based on Tuesday's runoffs in Georgia.

Thus far the Trump campaign hasn't convinced the courts to intervene in any meaningful way to challenge the election results.  But ballot reform should be high on the GOP agenda, and should become a regular theme.  As a nation, we must confront electoral corruption, especially in our large cities.  The Democrats will do nothing, as they gain from the crimes.   But Republicans can champion the issue, and should continue to build a mountain of facts.  I personally can't say that the election was definitely stolen, but there is ample evidence to conclude that something wasn't on the level.

January 1,  2021