The executive branch failed. The legislative branch failed. The judicial branch held – even withstanding the Putinesque poisoning attempted by McConnell and his enabler Trump. [Note my reversal of conventional perception.] But just barely. Judges have threatened sanctions on attorneys for bringing frivolous lawsuits but so far have not followed through. Judges have dismissed suits with prejudice but have not prevented wholesale idiocy. The defamed have threatened defamation lawsuits but so far nothing brought to court. Meanwhile, executive and legislative members insult the judiciary in public with impunity.

Our foreign enemies have often claimed that they can use our freedom against us to bring us down. No need. Our domestic enemies can do that job much more effectively.