So just some thoughts I had while watching Tim's video today: it seems to me that this is a major failing of the (two-)party system. You cease voting based on shared ideals and stated principles or policies, and end up voting for A primarily because you don't like B - whether the image of B is accurate or the distorted and demonised characterisation.
And I think that's why you see loads more voter fatigue/apathy and political disconnect; people knowing that the candidates they believe will do the best job will *never* get in because another candidate has more funding, or has pandered to the wider audience, or has broken down their ideas into more appetizing soundbytes or buzzwords - and so what's the point.
And then you have the problem of de-radicalization. How do you get the hyperpartisans and ideological zealots to step down and come to public forums to discuss their ideas and be able to compromise, instead of harassing or attacking their opponents.
