I think the key point to make, which was absent in your otherwise thorough and excellent article, is that Republican behavior is actively and enthusiastically supported by around 43 million US voters. At the end of the day this above all else is the real problem, and shows clearly why our present system of governance is wholly unfit for purpose. More than 2,500 years ago Plato pointed out (and explained why) democracies always end in tyranny. We’re going there now; let’s hope that after the decades or perhaps centuries of horror to come that some thoughtful people look for far more adequate approaches to governance.