What now? How does the country move forward? What will the new normal look like?

From The Guardian:
For millions of Americans – a majority, by almost 5m popular votes – it’s a time for celebration and relief. Democracy has had a reprieve, a stay of execution. We have another chance to preserve it, and restore what’s good about America.

It will not be easy. The social fabric is deeply torn. Joe Biden will inherit a pandemic far worse than it would have been had Trump not played it down and refused to take responsibility for containing it, and an economic crisis exacting an unnecessary toll.

The worst legacy of Trump’s term of office is a bitterly divided America.
The nation was already divided when Trump became president – by race and ethnicity, region, education, national origin, religion and class. But he exploited these divisions. He didn’t just pour salt into our wounds. He planted grenades in them.

Although Americans have strongly disagreed over what we want the government to do, we at least agreed to be bound by its decisions. This meta-agreement required enough social trust for us to regard the views and interests of those we disagree with as equally worthy of consideration as our own.

Judging by the number of ballots cast in the election, Trump’s base of support is roughly 70 million. They were angry even before the election (as were Biden supporters). Now, presumably, they are angrier.

But the responsibility for healing America falls to all of us. For starters, we’d do well to recognize and honor the selflessness we have observed during this trying time – starting with tens of thousands of election workers who have worked long hours under difficult and sometimes dangerous circumstances.

Add to them the hospital workers across the nation saving lives from the scourge of Covid-19; the thousands of firefighters in the west and the emergency responders on the Gulf coast battling the consequences of climate change; the civil servants getting unemployment checks out to millions of jobless Americans; social workers dealing with family crises in the wake of evictions and other hardships; armies of volunteers doling out food from soup kitchens.

These are the true heroes of America. They embody the decency of this land. They are doing the healing, rebuilding trust, reminding us who we are and who we are not.

From AP News:
In his acceptance speech, Biden said, “It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric, to lower the temperature, to see each other again, to listen to each other again, to make progress, we must stop treating our opponents as our enemy,” he said. “We are not enemies. We are Americans.”

Harris told Americans. “You chose hope and unity, decency, science and, yes, truth ... you ushered in a new day for America.”

Given his first actions, it seems Biden's first focus will be getting the COVID19 crisis under control. He has already named people to his COVID task force.

QUESTIONS:
What should be next on Biden's agenda? How to recover the economy?
Economic stimulus?

How can Trump supporters be brought into the process and feel a part of the new government?

What can be done about extreme and militia groups, such as those that plotted to kidnap the governor of Michigan? Will they accept the new president?