Stephan:   The dysfunctionality of the Federal government, by which I mean that governance is designed to serve the interests of a tiny group of uber-rich and not the society as a whole, has become consistent and pervasive. As a result something very interesting is happening, social policies that actually help people are shifting to local government. Here is an example of what I mean, as well as the effects this shift is producing. This transition, in my opinion, is going to create another trend, one with profound long term implications: the rise of states's rights efforts not by conservative Red states, as has been traditional, but by wellbeing oriented Blue states. The disparity that is growing between the Blue state societies and the Red state societies is close to a confrontation point. Red state economies are sputtering, while Blue states are prospering. I am beginning to see commentary asking why the Blue states should underwrite the failures of the Red states. What could tip this is a change in Roe v Wade, particularly if the change were to allow states to determine whether women have the right to control their own bodies. A change like that might even result in population shifts, migrations out of Red states by young women, and men who support them, which would result in population loss and, thus, a smaller number of representatives. It is a race now between christofacism and  a wellbeing oriented democracy.