Vox begins the discussion of polarization, the consequences for decision making, and likely outcomes. I recommend following the links to the background essays as well.
I land on the side of the discussion that fears the rise of a strong-man phase of government. The miserable performance of Congress, due to the intransigence of the Tea Party-dominated Republicans installed by gerrymandering, is leading to a hunger for a strong leader, particularly on the Right (as ironic as that might be, it fits with their Strong Father bent and favoritism of the military). The rise of Trump is clear evidence for this. Given that we face increasing levels of crisis, if for no other reasons than climate change, the rise of ISIS, and likely proliferation of nukes, drones and other technical means of unconventional warfare, the general public is increasing likely to demand someone who can deliver results with a "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" style. This does not bode well for democracy nor Democrats, the less organized party.
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