Who is the most responsible for the toxicity of modern political discourse?

Thanks for the question Thomas. Some good answers so far. Here are my 2 cents:

1. “Active measures” by Russia and other state actors that deliberately aim to polarize, confuse and disinform.

2. Newt Gingrich by sabotaging D.C. “cross-the-isle” cooperation and relationships.

3. Ronald Reagan by ending the Fairness Doctrine.

4. Dennis Hastert by creating the “majority of the majority” rule in the House.

5. Social media by facilitating hostile anonymity, radicalization, and in-group bubbles.

6. The Citizens United SCOTUS ruling.

7. Right-wing groupthink, propaganda and conspiracy media.

8. Left-wing extreme identity politics (now adopted by the Right as well).

9. Koch brothers via massive funding of propaganda and anti-government rhetoric.

10. Neoliberal crony capitalists by corrupting democracy (ALEC, revolving door government, regulatory capture, pro-corporate justices, etc.) and accelerating huge wealth inequality (i.e. Austrian, Chicago and Virginia School economics).

11. Lewis Powell via his 1972 memo.

12. Evangelicals by force-feeding a socially conservative agenda down the throats of all Americans through their alliance with corporate America.

13. The cultural and political revolutionaries of the 1960s that sparked the conservative backlash that has endured ever since.

14. SCOTUS appointments that have consistently placed warped, often ludicrous ideological decisions above both common sense and the civil rights enshrined in the Constitution: Scalia, Thomas, Rehnquist, etc.

15. James M. Buchanon (see The Missing Link)

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