And we know more about how Mr Trump delayed as aides and allies pressed him to call for peace. His first impeachment, though crucial, dealt with a critical issue that nonetheless seemed remote or abstract to many voters. The assault on the Capitol showed that an election victory was not enough to fix America’s political problem: how to restore a democracy severely wounded by Mr Trump. Yet impeachment is not always restorative, but declarative: sounding an alarm, and announcing that what is happening is neither normal nor acceptable. Though impeachment may not help the country return to happier times, it at least forces the acknowledgment that this is a moment of profound crisis.

Source: The Guardian February 10, 2021 18:31 UTC