The anti-Trump extremists have apparently determined that criticizing the president is no longer good enough—anyone who cares about our democracy must now actively thwart the whole Republican Party. Supporting GOP legislation, voting for GOP lawmakers, or supporting Republican judicial nominees is viewed as “enabling” the president. This mind-set led them to oppose Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court.

For me, the Kavanaugh story had nothing to do with Trump. It had to do with vengeful Democrats, hell-bent on doing all they could to stop Kavanaugh from getting confirmed in the hope that if they gained control of the Senate, they could keep the seat of retired Justice Anthony Kennedy vacant until after the 2020 election.

And yet some conservatives supported the Democrats’ antics, even as Democratic lawmakers embarrassed themselves by cross-examining Kavanaugh over quotes in his high-school yearbook. And some—including Tom Nichols, in The Atlantic—criticized Senator Susan Collins, who showed true leadership in her speech explaining why she was voting for Kavanaugh’s confirmation.