Go back to, say, Nixon. What happened during his presidency that began to fundamentally change the Republican party (it's structure, it's support and it's goals as a party)? Basically you've got almost 50 years of propaganda (and actions) devoted to the destruction of the Democratic Party. The Republicans have been fighting a war to the knife against the Democratic Party for most of that time and the Democrats never really noticed.
In another thread I noted how the US hasn't hit 60% turnout for a presidential election since 1968. The Republicans have succeeded in turning almost half the voting public off from the political process itself. I guess 50 years of screaming about the evils of govt. and how the other party is out to destroy the very fabric of American life and even the country itself actually works.
And then, an authoritarian demagogue comes along and sees his chance and grabs it. It's kinda what had to be expected. I'm just a bit surprised that it's happening now. I kinda believed that it might take a couple of more decades but then I'm a bit of an optimist at times.
Of course it's more complicated than a couple of brief paragraphs but you get the picture.
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