'We must end this uncivil war'

Joe Biden was sworn in peacefully as the 46th President of the United States today, ending the most divisive and tumultuous presidency in recent American history. More history was made at his side, as Kamala Harris became the first woman, first Black person, and first person of South Asian descent elected to the vice presidency and the highest-ranking woman ever to serve in U.S. government. In his first speech as president, Biden sought to unite a deeply divided nation. "Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we all are created equal, and the harsh, ugly reality of racism, nativism, fear, and demonization that have long torn us apart," he said. "This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge, and unity is the path forward. We must meet this moment as the United States of America." —The News & Observer

• — "To heal, we must remember." Biden established a much different tone than his predecessor yesterday on the coronavirus pandemic. As the country crossed the 400,000 mark in deaths from COVID-19, Biden and Harris took part in a somber sunset ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial to honor the American lives lost to the virus. Biden spoke briefly, signaling that honoring the grief and the terrible toll of the last year would be at the heart of his administration. —CNN
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• — Travel ban extended. Biden plans to quickly extend COVID-19 travel restrictions, barring travel by most people who have recently been in much of Europe and Brazil. Donald Trump signed an order on Monday lifting the restrictions, which he imposed early last year in response to the pandemic. Trump's order was set to go into effect on Jan. 26. —Reuters
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• — Signing day. Biden will sign a series of 17 executive orders today that lay out his coronavirus, immigration, and climate policies—launching 10 days of administrative actions aimed at reversing the policies of his predecessor. Taken together with two legislative plans he has sent to Congress—for coronavirus relief and an immigration overhaul—the orders highlight Biden's immediate priorities, while sending a message that his administration plans to reengage on the global stage. —The Washington Post
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• — Sweeping immigration plan. Biden's immigration bill would provide an eight-year path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. without legal status. The legislation would mark a massive reversal from the Trump Administration's harsh immigration policies. —Associated Press
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• — The Cabinet is empty. Five of Biden's Cabinet nominees—for secretaries of State, Defense, Homeland Security, and Treasury, and the Director of National Intelligence—faced Senate panels yesterday as part of the first step of the confirmation process. The hearings' late start, due to the delay in the presidential transition, means Biden is the first president in decades to take office without key Cabinet members confirmed. —CNN
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• — Some things never change. Sen. Josh Hawley, who just two weeks ago was one of the Republican lawmakers who led the effort to overturn the election, announced yesterday that he plans to object to swift consideration of Biden's nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas. The move will delay the installment of Biden's national security team. —Politico

Himes: We almost lost our democracy. Now let's protect it

"I'm convinced that whether or not we keep our democracy—Benjamin Franklin's republic—is in fact up to you. Government of, by, and for the people is not some happy gift of history. It is a challenge to each of us. It imposes obligations and duties, many of which are neither comfortable nor intuitive. As broken glass is swept from the floors of the Capitol, we must decide now whether we will be worthy citizens or passive consumers, repeatedly doping ourselves with posts and memes that scratch our itches and fire up our tribes. Do we grapple with the messiness of complicated reality, or do we close our minds to all but those facts that validate our beliefs?" —Jim Himes on CNN

Jim Himes represents Connecticut's 4th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

MORE: Trump-fuelled chaos shows democracy is in trouble. Here's how to change course —The Conversation

So long, Florida man

He's been a real estate developer, beauty pageant promoter, reality show star, tabloid regular, social media gadfly, and President of the United States. So what's next for Donald Trump, who unceremoniously left Washington, D.C., early this morning to return to his Florida residence Mar-a-Lago? Apparently, he's considering forming a new political party, in an effort to exert continued influence over American politics. Trump reportedly wants to call the new party the "Patriot Party," because nothing says "patriot" like inciting folks to attack their own seat of government. Goodbye, Trump. —The Wall Street Journal

MORE: Trump pardons ex-strategist Steve Bannon, dozens of others —Associated Press

Onishi: The danger of a new civil religion

"After Mr. Biden's inauguration, if prominent Republican figures encourage their followers to accept the results, but not defeat; if they pick up Mr. Trump's leadership mantle by fostering resentment and the desire for revenge through their Twitter feeds; if they perpetually call into question the legitimacy of the U.S. government through an army of evangelical pastors less concerned with reality than with disseminating the myths and symbols of Make America Great Again as a vehicle for Christian nationalism, it's not hard to see how they will become heirs of the Lost Cause. That should frighten us all." —Bradley Onishi in The New York Times

Bradley Onishi is a professor of religious studies at Skidmore College and the creator, producer, and writer of the podcast "The Orange Wave: A History of the Religious Right Since 1960."

MORE: Increasingly militant 'Parler refugees' and anxious QAnon adherents prep for doomsday —NBC News

Hogan & Lieberman: Stepping back from the brink

"Those who were responsible for the violence in Washington need to be held to account. But we can't stop at demanding justice. We need to demand that our elected leaders address the gridlock that's poisoning our politics in the first place. Though partisan warfare may be more politically expedient in the short-term, recent events have proven that the status quo has put our democracy on the brink. And if Jan. 6 proved anything, it's that all of us will ultimately pay the price for that failure." —Larry Hogan and Joe Lieberman in Newsweek

Larry Hogan is the governor of Maryland. Joe Lieberman formerly represented Connecticut in the U.S. Senate and was the Democratic candidate for vice president in 2000.

MORE: Anders Fogh Rasmussen: A democracy summit is more urgent than ever —Foreign Policy

Condray & Mayer: Ranked-choice voting can end toxic partisanship

"Alaska's reforms mean that [Sen. Lisa] Murkowski has helped her re-election chances in 2022 [by criticizing Trump], unlike other Republicans who are still afraid they will be punished for disloyalty to Trump. Alaska has shown a way to reward rather than punish leaders who reject extremism. That kind of change is desperately needed before more lives—or even our republic—are lost in a death spiral of escalating political warfare." —Mike Condray and Jeremy Mayer in USA Today

Mike Condray is an advanced doctoral candidate at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. Jeremy Mayer is an associate professor at George Mason.

MORE: With candidates winning primaries without majorities, 2 GOP lawmakers eye ranked-choice voting —Deseret News

Gerson: Republicans need a reset

"For the sake of their party, their ideology, and their country, it is essential for elected Republicans to publicly and dramatically distance themselves from authoritarian populism. This means repudiating the lie of a stolen election. This means supporting the Senate conviction of a justly impeached president and ensuring he can never run for office again. This means giving our new president room to govern in the midst of a deadly health crisis. For Republicans, a fresh start is made possible only by a renewed commitment to democratic ideals." —Michael Gerson in The Washington Post

Michael Gerson is an opinion columnist at The Washington Post who formerly served as a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and the chief speechwriter for former President George W. Bush.

MORE: Why rage over the 2020 election could last well past Trump —The New York Times

Donald Trump: Don't let the screen door hit you on your way out.

Evan and Mindy: Thanks for seeing us through this difficult time. Best of luck to you in whatever you decide to do next. I will always wish you had been elected back in 2016. —David M., Colorado

So many groups, so many voices, are adept critics of Trump and the spineless, unethical right. However, what is needed is leaders of courage, vision, and civility who are statesmen, not politicians—and I believe they should re-take the Republican Party by persuasion and integrity, rather than start over. A third party (and probably five of them) will simply scatter the vote and ensure a liberal agenda continues in power. 

I would like to see Topline/Stand Up Republic join with groups like the writers of The Dispatch to formulate and influence the existing party. I realize that is an uphill battle, and could only see incremental change over time. But this is the time, ripe for new vision and accountability. Many historic Republicans share the perspective that their party left them in the lurch; we know Trump has never been committed to historic Republican values and platforms, and that civility, humility, clarity, truth, integrity, and stature could capture a conservatism sinking in despair. Where are those leaders? We have seen a few lately. How can they be rallied, and the voters who are actually Republicans be raised to join together and gain a voice? 

Please don't support further splintering and factions; join with like-minded concerned voices and form a unified body we can support. Take the Republican Party back. —Sharon C., California

The views expressed in "What's Your Take?" are submitted by readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff or the Stand Up Republic Foundation.