We're all institutionalists now
We must rebuild trust in the American process, and our nation's institutions are at the heart of the matter.
By Monte Bute
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The interval between U.S. presidential elections and inaugurations is usually a mundane, nearly invisible series of procedural steps. The last stage is a joint session of the U.S. House and Senate to routinely count the Electoral College votes and declare the results.
That was true for nearly 150 years, until Jan. 6, when President Donald Trump brought his apocalyptic mob to the nation's Capitol.
Already angry that Vice President Mike Pence had refused to use the joint session to swing the election to him, Trump decided to use extralegal means. Just as the congressional session was convening, Trump was busy inciting his loyalist troops to riot: "And we are going to have to fight much harder," Trump exhorted the crowd. "Let's walk down Pennsylvania Avenue … I'll be there with you. We're never going to take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong."