So much to highlight in your stunning editorial. But here's where my pessimism exceeds yours: How can you have a successful experiment when the participants refuse to acknowledge the basic principles of observation and reason?

Obviously shills like Cruz are jumping onto the flaming manure bandwagon because they hope to profit from doing so. Graft is nothing new in politics.

But the ordinary citizens who elected Marjorie Greene and think subverting the Constitution is morally right are not throwing their MAGA hats into the fray in order to make a quick profit. They are not thinking in terms of how Trumpian autocracy can help them or their family. Trumpism is not the ideal; they have no ideals. Trumpism is not even the means to an end. The MAGA loyalists cannot perceive of any separation between the follies of Trumpish lies and the truth. If Donald Trump had never been born, they would have found another one and elected him.

In my opinion, we're in deep trouble, even after Biden steps into office.

This isn't Germany in the 1930's; it's Germany in 1946. I only hope the occupation works. In America, after 1864, we saw how easily retrenchment took hold, and for how long.