Here’s a question we’d like someone to answer for us: When will the political climate improve in this country?

Think it already has with the defeat of Donald Trump? Sorry, no. The impeachment trial of the former president is set to launch in the U.S. Senate Tuesday. Get ready for a torrent of bile to flow from that mess and go on flowing for who knows how long.

And now, much closer to home, a group based downstate is seeking to defund U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet.

Defund, as we understand it, means convince the people and entities that contribute to the election campaigns of the retired U.S. Marine Corps general that they should no longer do that.

And, of course, all of the above is set against the backdrop of the region, state and nation continuing to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, including distribution of vaccines, and the resulting impact on the economy.

Both the Trump impeachment and Bergman defund effort are lawful endeavors and both have precedent. No questions there. But the point we’d like to make is this: Will either improve anything?

We don’t have a crystal ball, but from where we sit, we doubt it. We are certain, however, that the rank partisanship that holds the nation in its smarmy grip and the crazies that are popping up all over the place as a result will become stronger, bolder. Nothing good will come from a debate about Jewish space lasers or secret cannibalistic pedophiles.

Here’s the bottom line for The Mining Journal’s Editorial board: There was plenty about Donald Trump we didn’t like, but the electorate showed him the door on Nov. 3. Let him repair to Mar-a-Lago to pose for photo ops and play golf and huddle with the likes of Rudy Giuliani and Roger Stone.

As far as Gen. Bergman is concerned, we didn’t like him getting involved in the Texas lawsuit to set aside vote totals in Michigan and other states. That’s not why we sent him to Washington. Neither was voting against accepting the Electorial College ballots on Jan. 6.

But we’d suggest the defund organizers focus their efforts on 2022. Bergman will be up for election again. Find a strong candidate and start fundraising.

Folks, it’s time to put 2020, in all of its miserable glory, in the rearview mirror and start working on the present and future.

The past can’t be undone, but it can be used as a learning tool. Let’s hope we, in fact, do learn from our mistakes — ALL OF US.