One of the biggest problems in this country right now is that too few of us are willing to try to understand the people on the other side of the political divide.

This is definitely EQUALLY true of both parties and both sides are EQUALLY culpable.

People who are fearful and angry that the percentage of white Americans is declining deserve to be RESPECTFULLY listened to and understood and engaged.

People who want to build a wall on one of our borders and round up 12 million residents and forcibly expel them from the country want those things SOLELY out of a healthy respect for the rule of law.

People who think Hillary should have gone to prison but that Trump has been exonerated of all serious wrongdoing take that position honestly, sincerely, and an ABSOLUTE good faith.

Considering how fragile and nasty and broken our political culture is, the Left REALLY needs to exercise more forbearance and sympathy toward the Right, especially as the Right more fully and enthusiastically embraces Trump and Trumpism.

Trump is NOT an enfeebled autocrat and his followers are NOT banal, entitled bootlickers who would gleefully support sterilizing immigrants if they thought it would piss off liberals.