This extreme political othering is very discouraging, all the more so because it’s effective.

The Republican tendency to demonize democratic socialism, tapping into my generation’s instinctive fear of totalitarian communism, often trumps conversation and thoughtfulness — regardless of how inaccurate and even ridiculous the parallels are.

Combine that with racism and sexism, and AOC makes one hell of a great political target.

The most discouraging part of this all is that Republican political operatives are going to demonize only because it’s effective, no matter the truth of any of it.

I understand that’s politics, of course. But when did we get to the point in American politics when we accepted untruthfulness and lack of moral center as the status quo?

I know things have always been bad, but I suspect they haven’t always been this bad.