Ready to say goodbye to 2020? Most of us have had enough of this year and can’t wait for it to be over. Poor old 2020 has been blamed for every bad event this year.

The bright promise of a baby new year is captivating, but we have to be realistic. Much as the disastrous 2020 didn’t hit us all at once on Jan. 1, the new year 2021 won’t bring immediate salvation on the first day either. We will need patience with the new 2021 as it grows.

We began 2020 with a presidential impeachment that Republican representatives turned into a mockery which doomed it from the start, leaving us to face another year of President Donald Trump and giving him license to continue to do whatever he pleased. It subsequently went even further downhill.

We were finally realizing around the beginning of March that a major pandemic was upon us. New York City and the west coast were the first to feel its full force. The lack of prior knowledge created an inability to prepare. It was like 9/11. We didn’t know what hit us.

Then, thanks to journalist Bob Woodward, we found out that Trump had knowledge of COVID-19’s seriousness and how it was transmitted as early as January. While the virus insidiously crept through the country he continued to deny and downplay it rather than taking responsibility to fight it. He continues to contradict medical and epidemiological experts, even those in his own administration. Many who were here on Jan. 1, 2020 will not see 2021 because of his inability to manage a crisis. Like King Louie and Marie Antoinette, the first couple continues to ignore reality and set bad examples, planning a reported 25 White House parties — all presumably not “mask”arade balls. But the inner circle and its affluent guests aren’t worried because they have immediate, top of the line medical attention at their disposal; unlike us, the lowly class who, as Scrooge said, will “decrease the surplus population”.

While dealing with the coronavirus all year, we also endured wildfires and storms of increased severity. Meanwhile, the Trump administration quietly dismantled many of the environmental protections that it took years and several presidents, including republicans, to build. Many of our democratic and legal governmental constructs have also been ignored and abused throughout the year.

Thankfully the voters spoke up in November and said they’d had enough, despite the never-ending attempts by Trump and his cohorts to circumvent the will of the people — the largest number of people ever, by the way. With a new Joe Biden administration, there is hope the COVID-19 virus will be more successfully managed, that the climate crisis will receive serious attention, and that we can start to claw our way back to a government that works for the people. One more critical election will occur in January; the race for two Senate seats from Georgia. If the Democrats are successful, we will begin to see some action in Congress. If Mitch McConnell remains in control of the Senate, obstruction will continue. Naturally, Trump and his cult want the Georgia runoff called off.

Trump will continue his fleecing of America any way he can. He will continue to hold rallies to stoke violence, hatred, and division; to bestow pardons to reward those loyal to him; to perpetuate money-making schemes on his MAGA base. He reportedly plans to announce his candidacy for 2024 on Biden’s inauguration day, and continues to whine to anyone who will listen about how the election was stolen from him. (Translation – keep those checks rolling in, chumps.) The recently pardoned (and unhinged) Michael Flynn, in repayment of the debt owed for his absolution, is now unabashedly advocating the suspension of the constitution and institution of martial law to keep Trump in office. Does the good general envision himself as Robert E. Lee and Trump as Jefferson Davis? Trump will become a private citizen on Jan. 20. He may face some legal consequences of his unlawful practices and the turmoil he has wrought.

But not to worry, 2021 will bring hope. Vaccines are being produced and will soon be distributed. The relief they bring will come gradually, but it will come. We can celebrate the holidays, not with big parties, but with reflection and hope for the future. Even as we look forward to occasional days of quiet, ordinary news, there will still be a good share of disturbing and unsettling reports as the corruption and hypocrisy of the Trump administration is uncovered. President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and cabinet will begin their jobs, and they will be prepared, having their work cut out for them. Trump will pack up and leave begrudgingly. We can be thankful that our democratic institutions, though in need of repair, have not crumbled.

We are survivors of 2020, and remain to fight on in 2021. We have suffered and lost a lot thanks to 2020, but we will soon have reliable leadership in the White House to help us. We already have a governor who has competently guided us through the pandemic so far, and who we can trust to continue doing so. As Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a recent briefing, “Life doesn’t go backward, life goes forward.” Have a happy and safe Holiday season!

Susan Bigler is a Sheridan resident. Send comments to editorial@observertoday.com