Not at all. Up until 1980 Senators and Representatives stayed in Washington on weekends where they would mix socially and hash out what could be done about whatever issue was at the forefront. Not that it was by any means perfect but socializing gave everyone an idea of what was worth fighting for and what needed to be set aside for another time.

January 20, 1981 sent the shot before the bow for what was coming when Reagan said "Government is not the solution to the problem, government is the problem", setting up America for the coming push for laissez faire Capitalism. It was cemented in 1994 with Newt Gingrich and the Contract with America, which had some good points that were worth working on. Then the blow that brought us to where we are today when Gingrich told all Republican legislators to go home on the weekends and talk to their supporters, and to cut off communication with Democratic Legislators. This helped force the isolation of sides which is killing our country today. Another unforeseen factor was the rapid adoption of social which encourages even more personal isolation.

@Pand0ro I was born in 1986, so it makes sense that I never knew any other way. Well, if only we could reclaim some of that. I want to be proud of America. I really do.

@RavenMStark Nothing is ever or ever will be perfect. America is not now or ever has been perfect. You love people who are not perfect, and you love America with its imperfections. America is a remarkable country that pioneered a new way of living and thriving. But to ignore its faults is to belittle the people who with their innovative effort built it and foresaw the need to "make a more perfect union". We are very divided now. I did vote for Biden but have no animosity to Trump supporters. The Democratic party needs to examine what they are doing and figure out what they have been doing wrong that lost them so many voters who saw greater promise in Trump.