It may help to keep in mind that most of us have about zero connection with the start of the SSPX; and that start started primarily in France with the close of Vatican 2. Some, but not all of the issues that stirred the pot in France had to do with history and specifically the overthrow of the monarchy, the secularization that caused that, the Enlightenment, and an intensity that is hardly anywhere matched in the US. We seem to get the opinion that the problems with the SSPX started with the ordination of the four bishops - actually; it came to a peak at that point.
The ordination of the four bishops was a peaking point of a stew over the rejection of some, if not all of the documents of Vatican 2 by what was then a minority in France, and small minority in Europe, and a very small minority world wide.
Further confusion ensues when we do not separate out the Church, meaning the Magisterium and those who follow Rome’s direction, from those who choose to not follow Rome’s direction (dissenting theologians, bishops, priests and laity). Add to that the fact that we have a lot of laity who have been guided (or better, misguided) by those same dissenting theologians, bishops, priests and laity, and we have a serious communication issue. Who is it exactly that we are accusing; what are we accsuing them of; what is their level of alleged guilt; and what language do we use to plaster them with?
Coupled with all of this is the somewhat romantic notion that a) Rome micromanages the Church, or used to, and b) excommunications are or were handed out somewhat like aspirin. It wasn’t so before Vatican 2, and it isn’t so now. Much of the discipline is not public or publicized, and from that we too often presume that nothing is done.
And at times nothing is done, either because there may not be an effective means of discipline, or because there are factors deemed serious enough that direct discipline is not seen as a positive. In other words, there is the issue of judgement; and we may feel that we are better jduges of the use of discipline than the bishops; we, however, do not bear the consequences of those decisions. In other words, it is easy to Monday morning quarteback; it is a bit different to be the quarterback in the middle of the game.
RE: the side issue of not disciplining politicians; it seems to me the only one who has been vigorous about this is Archbishop Burke; I do not consider Archbishop Chaput to be either a liberal or a fool, but he certainly has not done as Burke has. Are we then to condemn Chaput?