"The most frightening, least acceptable thing to say about our American world right now is that we’ve entered uncharted territory and, under the circumstances, comparisons might actually impair our ability to come to grips with our new reality. Donald Trump is only the most obvious instance of this, the example no one can miss. In these first years of the 21st century, we may be witnessing a new world being born inside the hollowed-out shell of the American system. As yet, though we live with this reality every day, we evidently just can’t bear to recognize it for what it might be. Maybe this is it. Maybe even if the GOP somehow lost control of the House & Senate we would still be in a situation something like what we’re now labeling 'paralysis'. Maybe in our new American reality, Congress is actually some kind of glorified, well-lobbied and well-financed version of a peanut gallery."