How the Republican Party has moved right

Hat tip to Dan Neuman

Notice how in the 60s and 70s, there was some overlap in the middle.  Bipartisan policy was possible.  Compromise was possible.  Now, the Republicans have moved increasingly to the Right (and the last data point in the graphic is 2017--where are they now?), compromise is impossible.

Why has this happened?

• Increasing inequality--there is no middle ground any more.  There are the super rich and the rest, and the Republicans go on winning because of gerrymandering and suppressing the vote.  And the super rich buy the elections, as Musk did with the presidential election.
• The first-past-the post voting system combined with gerrymandering.  Since the seat won in a gerrymandered electorate is a foregone conclusion, the relevant race comes to be the primary.  And only 10% of the population vote in primaries--the "rusted-on", extremist, die-hard voters.  The Tea Party and MAGA lunatics.
• A long-term plan by far-right "stink tanks" to push their own agenda, which has led to the packing of the Supreme Court, and to such judicial decisions as Citizens United, which allowed unlimited election funding by corporations.
• The steady shift of the Overton Window to the Right.

And what is the solution?  A first step: replace first-past-the-post with ranked-choice voting (preferential voting).  A second step: tax the rich.  

Otherwise, American democracy is finished.