So, we are now done with the electoral challenges in Pennsylvania, Michigan, as well as the recount in Wisconsin (nearly), and it appears that Donald Trump has slates of Republican electors totaling 306. However, in the time since the election on November 8, the U.S. has resembled more unstable former Soviet Republic than the United States that has existed for most of our lives.

While there was much wailing and courtroom maneuverings in the aftermath of the 2000 election, at least that had the virtue of being an election where it was A.) extraordinarily close, and B.) where there were legitimate questions of who voted for what. In the aftermath of the 2004 presidential election, there were some who claimed that rigged voting machines cost John Kerry the election in Ohio, and thus, the Presidency (although nobody disputes that George W. Bush won the popular vote). And in both cases, the inaugurations were marred by protests.

Today, since the election, there have been protests, cry-in’s on university campuses (not to mention unhelpful tweets from the President-elect himself), attacks on people for their political views, media claims of a vicious racist undercurrent, recounts demanded in 3 states by someone who received 1% of the national vote, harassment of the electors themselves to change their votes from Trump to (preferably Hillary, but another Republican if they must), yelling about co-called ‘fake news’ (including a member of the White House press corp intimating that the government should crack down on it) and now claims that Russia has ‘hacked’ the election (coupled with assertions that the Electoral College should make sure that Trump doesn’t become President).

While none of these gambits is likely to be successful in preventing Mr. Trump from taking the White House (nor should they), the fact is that the employment of these tactics reminds one of the banana republics that we like to deride for their backwards and corrupt political systems. None of these actions is remotely legitimate, nor are they likely being employed for altruistic or public-spirited reasons. In other words, the folks doing this would not be doing this if the election had gone the other way. In addition, the fact that they have gone here increases the likelihood that they will be used in future elections as a method of delegitimizing the new President (whoever he/she might be).

The fact is, what this election is revealing is that we have a large segment of the center-left that only accepts a system as legitimate if it gives them what they want. The Electoral College is illegitimate if it elects Bush or Trump, but legitimate if it were to elect John Kerry (in which he lost the popular vote). The Supreme Court is illegitimate if it sides with the center-right on the Citizen’s United case, but legitimate if it requires same-sex marriage or upholds Obamacare. In order to maintain a democratic-republic, you have to stand up for the system, even if it does things that you disagree with. By and large, the center-right has done this (I don’t recall any protests being organized against either Obama election). The center-left, on the other hand, doesn’t seem willing to follow this philosophy. Consequently, they will engage in destabilizing actions when they don’t get their way.

Expect a U.S. that will look more and more like unstable political systems around the world going forward, with predictable negative consequences for investment and economic growth.