http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-politics-of-distrust-1445015969The Politics of Distrust
What explains the weird unpredictability of the 2016 presidential race? An anemic economy that has Americans questioning incumbents, doubting experts and worrying about their own prospects
By Jay Cost
Oct. 16, 2015 1:19 p.m. ET
We live in extraordinary and distressing political times. The elected branches of the U.S. government seem paralyzed, incapable of governing except to avert crises. The president accuses his opponents in Congress of virulent opposition to even the most common-sense measures, while they accuse him of trampling the Constitution. Voters outside the Beltway are totally dispirited, and insofar as they are engaged in the political process, they are increasingly drawn to flamboyant populists of the left and the right, who make wild promises that cannot possibly be fulfilled.
Until quite recently, our politics seemed to function much more smoothly. Most adults can remember a time when government actually seemed to work. Now we all struggle to explain what has gone wrong.
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