A call for de-escalation might ring hollow, given the stakes. It might seem like backing down in the face of evil. But we need to understand that politicians operate inside institutions and environments that constrain their choices, shape their values, and reward and punish certain behaviors. When we see destructive behavior, we have to ask: Would anybody else act differently, given the choices and pressures? Or: Could somebody with a different political temperament even get elected? If the answer is no, we have an institutional problem. I believe the answer to both questions is no. We have an
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