I believe the distrust of the "politics as usual" crowd has finally come to a head. It's first real manifestation was seen in the Tea Party movement. It's second is the recent popularity of outsider candidates (both Obama in 2008, and Trump / Carson / Sanders in this cycle). The electorate has finally reached the conclusion that if they keep doing the same thing, things will not change, so they're looking for something new. I'm not saying that this represents the best approach to realizing what we're seeking, just that it makes a bit of sense why it's happening.
