Trump deserves to be prosecuted for inciting a riot, and his cultists all need to face the wrath of the legal system.
But after the 2016 election, all semblance of political normality was tossed aside. And almost as troubling as the deranged, narcissistic behavior of the president himself was the craven way in which more reasonable Republicans acceded to him and treated his behavior as if it were acceptable. For his part, President-Elect Biden seems to believe that his decades in the Senate, his long relationships with Republicans and his willingness to work across the aisle will help heal all wounds. That was his campaign pitch: If we would just put an affable uniter in the Oval Office, our long national nightmare would be over.
It sad that we’ve gotten to this place. For most of its history, the United States has respected the rule of law. Its citizens, for all their political differences, have generally supported our democratic institutions. For 245 years, Americans have mostly accepted the outcomes of elections, and power has been transferred peacefully from president to president. We’ve usually agreed to fight our policy battles through reasoned debate rather than street warfare.
nick_goldberg opinion These Patriots are fighting against mob rule & stolen elections. 200 years from now they will be hailed as heroes as long as fake news doesn’t revise history.