Try to keep things in perspective. American politics has always been rough-and-tumble since the inception of the republic and the formation of feuding factions that became political parties -the period from the Great Depression through the beginning of the Reagan era was an exception to the rule. From the personal attacks between Adams and Jefferson, to the beating of Massachusetts Sen. Charles Sumner by South Carolina Rep. Preston Brooks, there has always been an element of violence and character assassination in our republic. We are merely returning to the norm.
Agreed. One unique factor in the period from the 1930's to 80's was the oligarchic control of the primary news media. First it was the four radio networks then the three tv networks. The rise of cable news and the internet returned the news media to the wealth of niche outlets that were common in the press before radio.
