The electoral crutch afforded by our institutions threatens American democracy by reinforcing Republican extremism. Since Republicans can win and exercise power without building national electoral majorities, they lack the normal incentives to adapt to the fundamental changes taking place in American society. If you can regularly win the most important offices in the land without broadening your appeal, then why do it? Republican politicians have thus fallen into a self-reinforcing spiral: their conservative base is pushing them into extremism, and the electoral protection offered by
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