Jessica,

You're a fantastic writer and I love reading you. However, you seem to have, like so many, a -tic problem. It's the Democratic Party, Democratic politicians, etc. Not your fault. It's 30+ years of N. Leroy Gingrich, Frank Luntz and Faux News using the term 'Democrat Party' as almost a slur.

Other than that, yes, the elites are protecting themselves. When the fate of whether or not we survive as a functioning republic is seemingly in hands of Joe Manchin and Krystin Sinema, that's teetering on disaster.