right but if I’m thinking correctly (maybe not) then if it “merely” wasn’t harmful, wouldn’t there be room for variation within the species of toxicity?

I feel like if evolution is correct (I’m confident it is) then it must be evolutionarily advantageous to have the capacity to kill a herd of elephants with one’s toxin, assuming all animals in the group have that capacity.

IF we can get a very strong Congress that recaptures and then vigorously defends it’s Constitutional powers, AND that goes through the trouble of codifying what used to be political norms before Trump, AND amends the Constitution as needed to put a strong leash on the Executive branch, I think it’s possible we could become that anchor again.

But it took a world war and at least 25 years of concerted effort after to build that role for ourselves. Even though the Republicans have damaged or destroyed it in 3 months, it won’t be rebuilt in 3 months.