Frankly, impeachment is too little, too late.

President Donald Trump and the modern Republican Party have advocated for a Muslim ban, banned transgender people serving in the military and locked children and other asylum-seekers in cages on the Mexican-American border. So yes, impeachment is too little, too late. And both the Democratic and Republican parties were unable to check the powers of a bully who repeatedly violated the human rights of individuals who were seeking a better life and individuals who wanted to serve their country.

We must not focus on the effects of the impeachment finally occurring, but instead on the effects of the impeachment taking so long to occur when there had already been so many human rights violations. And the main, most clear effect is this: America’s collective morality has been abused.

Regardless of people’s feelings on the United States, we are seen as a global leader, not just with respect to economics and militarism, but also with respect to morality. And now the world has seen the Democratic Party refuse to impeach a man who violated the most basic human rights. And now the world has seen the Republican Party refuse to hold a fair trial. And now the world has seen our government’s refusal to hold a man accountable for his open bigotry and continuous violation of human rights.

So yes, while it is good and important that the U.S. government finally held President Trump accountable and restored some semblance of checks and balances, it is too little, too late.

And this lateness may have just cost us our country’s morality.