“I hate it being this way. From my point of view he has been a consequential President. … But today, all I can say is, ‘Count me out!’ Enough is enough!’ ” — Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C. 01-06-21.

There is a way out of this for Republicans. With honor and justice, while healing the nation and preserving Constitutional conservatism to fight another day. But first, the essential Heather Mac Donald:

Pragmatic Trump supporters made the calculation that he was the lesser of two evils. His vindictiveness and narcissism had to be balanced against the alternative of an increasingly militant Left. …  Now, any cause championed by Trump, whether border enforcement or color-blind public policy, will be discredited in the view of whatever remains of a moderate, non-woke establishment. …

The only upside one can hope for from these last two months is that Trump will have lost his hold over the future of conservatism. Perhaps someone will emerge who can articulate the ideals of tradition and excellence with the grace that they deserve.

The vaccine against insurrection

Put up a motion to censure Donald J. Trump. Condemn the man for incitement to riot. Call him out for suborning treason to overthrow the government and install a dictatorship. Conclude the resolution by demanding his immediate resignation. (He won’t, but call for it.) Do it Monday 01-11-21. Thinking of you, Sens. Ron Johnson, Ted Cruz , and Josh Hawley. Attention U.S. Reps. Fitzgerald, Tiffany and McCarthy. All six of you speak to America. Sure, tell America that our election laws need serious reform. But tell them the election is over. Tell America we are a nation of laws.

While you’re at it, call out the conspiracists, the Lin Woods, Proud Boys, and the QAnon-amists as no better than militant BLM and Antifa on the other side. Tell the NewsMax/Parler/Lou Dobbs crowd they’ve been duped, taken for fools, lied to. (Jeffrey Epstein really did not hang himself because he’s still alive and blackmailing the Chief Justice?!) Tell America that anyone breaching security for the Inauguration will be greeted with truncheons, rubber bullets, tear gas, and buckshot — in that order.

⇒ Ask Vice President Mike Pence to preside over the Senate during the proceedings.

Censure — swift and unequivocal — may or may not forestall impeachment, which is justified. But impeachment is also terribly divisive and protracted and, quite frankly, we are in no mood to hear Rudy Giuliani in his sad dotage defend the indefensible.  Get this over before January 20. Spare the country as Gerald Ford did in 1974 when he courageously pardoned Richard Nixon. That was an act that doomed his election two years later but is hailed as an act of statesmanship today.

Blaska’s Bottom Line: Move to censure, condemn the insurrectionist unreservedly, then call the roll so that we can end this sad chapter in our history.

Will YOU sign on?