Among the central pillars of American politics is that presidents accept electoral loss with dignity and generosity. At the same time, those defeated have not been hounded and jailed for their actions while in power.
This differs markedly from democracies like Brazil and South Korea, where defeated presidents have been regularly jailed when their opponents seize power.
By egging his supporters to storm Capitol Hill, Donald Trump unleashed forces that could terminate his presidency before January 20, see him charged with crimes after leaving office and further tarnish the legacy he has sought so hard to create.
Trump finally committed to a “smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power” in a video message released more than 24 hours after the mayhem at the Capitol left at least five people dead.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2021
But a question on the minds of many is why did he continue for so long to battle against the…