Tired of politics? Stand by these values.

Originally published in The Philadelphia Inquirer

Leading up to a likely Trump vs. Biden face-off for the presidency, a Pew Research Center report released in the fall found that most Americans — 65% of us — are exhausted by politics.

Some politicians are playing on this weariness to subvert democratic norms, simply to get a “win” for their party. We must resist the urge to bless this behavior, even when it suits our politics.

The U.S. House of Representatives’ use of its impeachment powers in recent years has become so de rigueur, one would think an impeachment vote is part of Congress’ ceremonial duties. Former President Donald Trump’s detractors wielded impeachment against him twice, in 2019 and 2021. He was acquitted both times, including on charges of inciting an insurrection. But that didn’t stop Democratic-controlled Colorado and Maine from throwing the former president off of their states’ ballot for 2024, citing the Constitution’s insurrection clause. You cannot protect democratic norms by subverting them.

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