Back to the original topic ... I don't care much for the article. First, it is not a new concept. Mark Shields discussed this right after the 2016 election on the PBS NewsHour. I think the article itself is a bit condescending. I wish Friedman would suggest some solutions rather than just psychoanalyze people. It also assumes people pay attention to politics as much as he does. They don't. Most don't have time. This pandemic changed things marginally. It's something that has affected everybody negatively, has caused more people to notice what's going on, and changed a few voters' minds. People like to see things get done. Things that affect their lives. But they want it NOW. And they think solutions are simple. Nothing gets done when the government is divided like it is now. Even if it isn't divided, it takes time for changes to work through the system, and by that time the opposite party is in control because people got too impatient. So the blame or credit for whatever happened, good or bad, is easily cast on both political parties. I blame Newt Gingrich for starting this when he was Speaker of the House. His strategy was keep saying the same things over and over and people will eventually believe them, even if they aren't true. He was the originator of "talking points." And btw, people of color are disrespected and humiliated too. And they have the same economic interests. I've always said those two groups (people of color and working class whites) ought to form a coalition. But sadly, I can't see that ever happening in my lifetime. It's the wedge issue thing.