Something is clearly broken with America, and everyone who isnt an insufferable policy wonk all know that it’s the neoliberal system we have organized around that is the problem.

The divide comes because conservative elements cannot accept that free market capitalism has failed at improving life for anyone but the ultra-wealthy, so they blame undesirables and minority boogiemen because they have been conditioned to beleive that socialism will lead to bread lines and technological stagnation. Fascism is capitalism’s last ditch effort to save itself.

Because of first-past-the-post primaries.

Probably because in that party, anyone with a modicum of rational thought and who is not driven by emotional drivers (like racism and dreams of a xtian caliphate) is a very tiny minority. Sure, there might be a few left who are just there for the tax cuts and the corporate handouts; they are probably the elitist thought leaders and/or the donor class funding the movement/party.

Because there isn’t a sensible part of the party. They have all succumbed to the greed of trumpism.