With the domestic terrorist attack that occurred at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and the inauguration of President-elect Biden happening just days ago on Jan. 20, many Boise State individuals are thinking about the changes taking place in our country.
According to Dr. Jaclyn Kettler, an assistant professor of political science at Boise State, this year’s presidential election severely contrasts those of past years.
“In recent elections, the parties and the rhetoric used has become more polarized,” Kettler said. “People are very concerned about the direction of our country. With everything that is taking place in our institution and democracy, especially in 2020, this presidential election has significant meaning.”
Kettler is concerned and hopes for a smooth transition into this presidency.
“Many people hope to see the government run effectively,” Kettler said. “I hope we can rebuild some of the agencies in the executive branch with a smooth start, especially considering the lack of cooperation we’ve seen.”
Watching the events that occurred on Jan. 6, Kettler was concerned about the violation of the democratic values this country is supposed to highly value.
Kettler is worried about how this country is supposed to move forward from the insurrection. Because of the attack, there is concern and the potential for other violence surrounding politics.
“From the perspective of a political scientist, it’s going to take time to see what got us to this point in time. We need to protect the health of our democratic institutions,” Kettler said.
Though difficult to know for certain, Kettler thinks it’s possible that similar events to the one that occurred on Jan. 6 may become more frequent, but it’s impossible to know for sure.
“There are so many factors to these types of events,” Kettler said. “This did not come out of nowhere; it’s been building for a while.”
Graphic by Alieha Dryden | The Arbiter
