Getting back to the original point of this thread... What we are dealing with, really, from impeachment, elections, through insurrection, to today, is fallout. Fallout from failing to "take care of business".
The Mueller Report laid out in fairly stark terms the corruption and intent of the 2016 Trump campaign in coordinating with Russia. We can quibble about terminology and extent, but there is no question about 2 things: they had a commonality of interests (defeating Hillary Clinton), and taking advantage of each other's operations. In some cases that involved direct collusion - giving internal polling data to Russian intelligence, making public appeals for Russian assistance - but mostly it involved accepting the effects of the other's operations. There was certainly intent within the Trump campaign to coordinate. It really boiled down to effectiveness. Illegalities, however, did abound.
The more important aspect of the Mueller Report, however, was in the obstruction. There specific evidence of corrupt intent and actions - the primary elements of obstruction - were laid out in detail. There is no doubt, in really anyone's mind, that sufficient evidence was extant for a prosecutable case. What happened thereafter was a spectacular "dropping of the ball". That fumble is what continues to reverberate today. The failure of the impeachment effort led to a circling of the Republican wagons, and an emboldened Trump to greater efforts to corrupt the system through pardons, intimidation, and further obstruction activities. The "us and them" mentality of the parties, then, solidified positions and obscured a multitude of sins.
The crest of the pattern was the January 6 insurrection, but the process that culminated then is still very much in operation today. It has metastasized throughout the body politic, justifying unprecedented political obstructionism, blatant dishonesty, excusal of reprehensible conduct, and a continued mistrust by party membership in the very foundation of our republic - free and fair elections. All conflicts are now existential threats.
If only we had behaved normally during and after the 2016 election, we could have put ourselves on solid footing. Maybe it was already too late by then (I suspect so), but we are certainly in a world of hurt now. Even the likely comeuppance for Trump, his kin, and their ilk will be insufficient to obliterate the stain. Nothing will be acceptable to 40% of either base, and the fragility of our union will be ever exacerbated. I don't know what path we're on, toward ruin or redemption, but it is assuredly rocky.
