I am SO old---

[jaxexpat]

8. You've just answered the OP question.

Our current beast of deception taken for granted in politics stretches its roots back to the get-out-of-jail-free license given Nixon in the Watergate era, as compensation for the fatuities that led to and maintained the Viet Nam war. It was a "free white teen" when Reagan, then Gingrich, fertilized the young Kraken with intelligence-insulting fables passing for wisdom as it sought to destroy Clinton's legitimacy. It grew so powerful it blatantly installed Bush* in a "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain, you can't believe anyone in D.C." both-siderist frenzy, hitting a hard replay with the Afghanistan/Iraq two-fer invasion. Feasting on the Tea Party and Birther movements it totally outgrew any attempt to hide its obvious disregard for sophistication or even rudimentary comprehension of the simplest science. Finally, a raging destroyer of worlds, it stood proud and tallish, a fitting accompaniment to the carnival spiel of TFG.

Currently the population is pretty well allergic to trust, finding most of its comfort in a reckless alliance with cynicism.