But two things have struck me as a sort of social Rubicon-crossing.

First was the birther meme. No, that kind of slander is no big deal, its as old as the hills. But when it was embraced by the entire Conservative Establishment, either by direct implication or wink-wink, nudge-nudge, clear-your-throat-and-look-the-other-way, it became pretty clear that this was assassination politics. The fact no guns or bombs were involved was simply because the Secret Service made it too risky.

Those who failed to immediately denounce the birther nonsense weren't just fanatics and wackos, they included long-established elected politicians and Party officials who didn't for a moment believe a word of it, but were counting on it having a strong effect on their partisan followers. There were even contributors to this forum who followed that policy.

Second, and perhaps more chilling, is the deliberate obstruction and sabotage of government policy, not because you disagree with it and fear it might fail or backfire, but because you fear it might succeed and make your opponent look good. The Right has repeatedly
tried to frustrate Presidential actions it actually supported, or had even championed, in the past, simply to make Obama look bad and weak. The Right has actually sought outcomes that they knew would cause immense damage to this country simply so they could use that damage as a tool against their ideological opponents.

And why, because they thought their taxes were too high? Because they thought regulation of business was too intrusive?
Because they actually believed a conspiracy of Communist climatologists was determined to steal their freedom? Because they didn't like the idea of an articulate, educated, poised, intelligent Liberal President who also happened to be black? Lets not blame it all on Trump.

“Treason doth never prosper, what’s the reason? For if it prosper, none dare call it treason.”

Sir John Harrington (1561-1612):