By Michael Meurer

The extraordinary tableau of 25,000 US troops in Washington, DC for the 2021 inauguration, and their vetting by the FBI, played out against the backdrop of a just completed $14 billion virtual election spectacle, the most expensive in US history, that was conducted almost completely via television, Zoom and social media. The historic price tag was evidently not enough to ensure civil stability.

As CNN reported that officials were telling people to stay away from the Capitol, Mayor Muriel Bowser said, “Our goals right now are to encourage Americans to participate virtually.” Hence a virtual election followed by a virtual inauguration.

This is very much in keeping with the tenor of a year full of Covid lockdowns and January headlines such as “2021 Begins with Expanded Coronavirus Restrictions” in every major city.

My latest Substack newsletter explores and contextualizes the political, social, economic and public health issues at play in this historic scenario and explains why they point towards a future of increasingly radical citizen-driven political change.

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