You know, I’m all for the idea of “common ground” and “cooperation” in government; such things as these and compromise are at the heart of our Federal system. But, when we’re just a few days out from a sitting President spending a noontime rally riling up supporters to storm the People’s House and disrupt the Constitutionally directed certification of the Electoral College vote in an effort to overturn his loss in a free and fair election and seize power, resulting in a shameful event in which (as I write this) five people were killed, it’s hard to “move beyond” the conflict and hold hands.

The nation has let a lot of things go in the interest of moving past the bluster, callousness, and norm-busting behavior of the current President in order to keeping the machine of government rolling (I know, I’m one of the lifers shoveling fuel into the boiler), and in many cases, it was uncomfortable to do, but it was usually the right decision for the country.

However, when the President publicly encourages what even mainstream media are comfortable calling an attempted coup, that’s not something we can responsibly “let go” in the interest of civility, and still be able to call ourselves, even at a stretch, a functional Republic.

There have to be consequences. Bigger consequences than 45 getting tossed off of Twitter.

What those consequences might be started to take some sort of shape this weekend. Since Wednesday afternoon, calls from places as lofty as the Senate chamber and as lowly as my social media feeds for Vice President Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove the President as unfit to carry out the duties of his office have been made. Impeachment articles have been drafted. Calls for 45’s resignation have come from both sides of the aisle. Numerous administration officials, even particularly shady ones, have resigned in protest of the President’s actions.

There’s been silence from the White House.

The current plan, as outlined by Speaker Pelosi on Sunday, seems reasonable enough. The House will, on Monday, pass a measure asking the Vice President, who’s been “considering options”, to make a decision; invoke the 25th within 24 hours. If he does not, the House will bring Articles of Impeachment to the floor, and likely pass them quickly with bipartisan support.

It doesn’t matter than there are only nine days left in the current President’s term; there are certain actions you can’t let go without acknowledgement or consequences. That way lies madness, encourages escalation next time, and shifts us further toward Banana-Republic chaos. In a lot of ways, it’s not as important what the final result is, be it impeachment, removal, resignation, censure, or whatever, as it is that we acknolwedge the action and firmly say This Is Not Okay.

If this “Isn’t Who We Are”, then we’ve no other choice; we have to behave as if we are the aspirational idea we look to. Because, in all honesty, what we saw Wednesday is America, at least for many people. We can be better, but we have to do the work.

Finally, to acknowledge a related point: Many people I know, particularly those who are right-leaning politically, have, in earnest, dug into a “both sides” position. Were these normal times, that might be a valid argument, neither side is perfect; both have shameful behavior in their history. However, when one side is encouraging armed insurrection and attempting to overturn the rule of law while the other is working within the framework established by Constitution, both sides are not equivalent.

Don’t let this one go. Don’t equivocate. Take a stand.

Do The Work