Our mess of an election has finally, officially, irrefutably been resolved. We owe this to the brilliance of our Founders, but we deserve credit too for our continued fidelity to their vision. (Those who would abolish the Electoral College: Keep in mind the role it just played.)

Three days before the electors met, the Supreme Court, often now referred to as “the conservative court,” refused to hear a case that implied the election’s illegitimacy. There had long been accusatory talk that justices would, if they got the opportunity, vote with the man or party that had appointed them. But no. They’d read the Constitution too.

On Dec. 14 it was clear: Structures stood, institutions served their purpose, we kept our wits about us. The rule of law prevailed, including the tradition that you need more than a theory or notion to make a case, you actually need facts.

The young have learned many unfortunate lessons from the grown-ups the past few years, but that was a wholesome one, and it too will have reverberations.