I really can't get my head around it

[Amishman]

15. I believe we are the victims of long running social manipulation

I strongly suspect China, Russia, and others have been working for many years to promote and empower the radical fringes of our society.

It has become a feedback loop now that more radical politicians are in office. Moderate solutions and compromise cannot get passed into law, increasing frustration with the status quo. That angst leads more voters to turn to the fringes in desperate hope for change, which elects more nuts to office. Almost all of them are on the right, but there are a couple under our tent that I consider to be out of touch and problematic as well.