From the WSJ, Notable & Quotable: Mitch McConnell on the Presidential Electors and No Double Standard:

If this election were overturned by mere allegations from the losing side, our democracy would enter a death spiral. We’d never see the whole nation accept an election again. Every four years would bring a scramble for power at any cost. . .

Self-government requires a shared commitment to truth and shared respect for the ground rules of our system. We cannot keep drifting apart into two separate tribes, with separate facts, and separate realities, with nothing in common except hostility toward each another and mistrust for the few national institutions that we still share.

But we must not imitate and escalate what we repudiate. Our duty is to govern for the public good. The United States Senate has a higher calling than an endless spiral of partisan vengeance.

Congress will either overrule the voters, the states, and the courts for the first time ever, or honor the people’s decision. We will either guarantee Democrats’ delegitimizing efforts after 2016 become a permanent new routine for both sides, or declare that our nation deserves better.

The framers built the Senate to stop short-term passions from boiling over and melting the foundations of our Republic. I believe protecting our constitutional order requires respecting limits on our own power.

HKO

This is the epitome of the Senate mission to mitigate passion.

Our institutions held despite the egregious attack from Trump, but this outcome is not inevitable and while populist leaders like Trump may threaten our institutions committed preservationist like Mitch can support them.  The byproduct of this shit show may be a new found recognition and appreciation of our institutions.

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