To the editor:

Nearly 160 million voted for president in 2020. A higher percentage of registered voters cast a ballot than in any election in U. S. history. This should have led to jubilation about the state of democracy, but the post-election period can only be characterized as ad absurdum.

The scornful attacks, litigious obstacles, and unsupportable, far-fetched claims of voter corruption pose an existential threat to democracy.

Time needed to deal with the uncontrolled spread of the coronavirus and related economic distress is being wasted by the current president’s egomaniacal pursuit of a lost cause. Almost six million more voted for Biden than Trump. Many Republicans and independents joined with Democrats because of concerns that ad hominem arguments and malicious canards have replaced dialogue about vital issues and that our three-pronged system of checks and balances hangs by a thread.

We need to reject outlandish conspiracy theories, cease the labeling, name-calling and vitriolic, rhetoric of falsehoods supporting a climate of negativism.

Fortunately, President-Elect Biden has stayed “above the fray” and has maintained the appearance and demeanor of a leader as he prepares for the task of governing. Biden and Harris will not be able to repair everything that is broken, or even make everyone happy, but hopefully, more of us will begin to listen and engage reflectively in conversation that may delineate a path leading to some sanity, and polarization, tribalism and fractionization give way to the rule of law and democracy.

Jerry Allen

North Fort Myers