Voting is not intended as a method of making decisions, or even of providing legitimacy to the rulers, but is a safe means for the transfer of power without murder, chaos or civil war. The losing party can envisage taking power again through winning votes, and the winning party does not feel required to eliminate their rivals. With the 2020 elections, this implicit contract has broken down, and whether or not Republicans realize it or not, the Democrats certainly get the need to destroy opposition, and are actively engaged in doing so.