Politics has always been the toughest sport out there. Rhetoric has always run hot. The difference now, I think, is that politicians and a much greater number of the public really believe their own rhetoric, really think the opponents are evil and stupid, really think that they are smarter and represent America. What we are lamenting is the time when enough pols had enough awareness to knock it off at critical times and get something accomplished. Also, over the decades, a lot of outside-the-Constitution gentlemen's agreements were put in place to make governing easier and keep passions at bay. Over the last thirty years, a lot of those are no longer applicable. For instance, the abuse of holds and filibusters, redistricting not tied to a Census year, the reliance on political staff at the expense of actual expertise, etc.
Oh, how they wish this wasn't so. These little elitists worshippers (most just enjoy thinking of themselves as better than the truly poor) know that if everyone votes, their selfish little version of American society is over.
Good data points. Seems to confirm what many see is what led to Trump being elected, that being that he was the one who found a way to tap into the growing numbers of conservatives very unhappy with the status quo. I would say that the % of liberals very unhappy with the Republican Party would take a sharp upturn with recent data. The % of conservatives would probably take a dip as well.
