Now, it's only going to get worse

This pre-election opinion piece by former CIA operative and presidential candidate Evan McMullin, whom I was proud to support against Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in 2016, predicts the firing of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General  as an opening move toward ending the Mueller probe much as Richard Nixon fired Elliot Richardson and then William Ruckelshaus in order to get rid of Archibald Cox and obstruct the Watergate investigation.

McMullin also predicts an escalation in Mr. Trump's authoritarian rhetoric, conspiracy theory peddling, and demagogic efforts to undermine institutions he doesn't understand in the name of his own political interests. As McMullin points out, it's what authoritarian leaders do.

I have to agree, alas. Look for more conspiracy mongering, xenophobia, wild and bizarre claims, and charges, and childish rants during what I am confident will be his last two years in office. After all, his supporters seem to eat it up, and it's what the guy does best.

Donald Trump is not the most frightening thing about the Trump years. It's not even his irresponsibility and childishness, or his badly thought-through policies. By far the most frightening thing is the willingness of nearly half the nation not only to accept these things but to pretend that they are anything but pathological.

The most frightening thing about the Trump administration is that so few Americans are frightened by it. That does not bode well for the future of our traditional values, or our freedom.