Lessons from the Trump phenomenon

What is happening in America is extremely dangerous but also very informative. President Donald Trump has lost the election. No matter how you look at it, he has lost, yet he refuses to accept defeat and has barricaded himself inside the White House. Unless reality becomes odder than a Netflix series, he will leave the landmark building on January 20. The logical thing is that he will leave, maybe without welcoming President-elect Joe Biden or attending the inauguration. But what is logical and probable has become very thing - on a global scale.

Two things stand out. The first is the failure through fear, or cowardice even, of the more moderate and serious Republicans to rise to the occasion. Only a handful have taken a firm position and a few others have muttered a word or two. The reason? Fear that Trump will attack them in a tweet and make them political pariahs. The old...