To understand threats to U.S. democracy, we have to understand a deeper reality: American partisans despise each other. The mutual loathing provides fertile soil for conspiracy theories, and helps catalyze violence. Democracy’s future depends not on victory or defeat in any individual race, but rather in our ability to restore a basic respect for the humanity and decency of our political opponents. These stories highlight the issue and offer thought-provoking ideas for healing our land.
