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[Martin Eden]

8. "divide their neighbors along manufactured lines"

I've been saying for years that the bitter polarization of the American people is not due to any inherent conflict of interest; a wedge has intentionally been driven between us by those who maintain and increase their wealth and power by keeping us at each other's throats.

The malefactors of great wealth and their servants in the Republican Party have been very successful at getting nearly half the country to vote against their own best interests, triggering their fear and anger with culture wars on race, religion, and pseudo patriotism.

And it's only getting more dangerous in this age of Trumpism. The bigots and the haters feel liberated to express their inner deplorable, and they love Dear Leader for it. The "conservative" movement in America is going past oligarchy into fascism.

The future of our democracy is under its greatest threat since the Civil War, and the outcome is far from certain.