Democrat/Republican divide is worst it's ever been, and neither party can shoulder the blame, as it doesn't matter which party is in charge, finds a new study published in journal Social Networks.

The sudden fear that permeated through our citizenry led to the conservative right clamping down on civil rights out of a desire, as they saw it, to protect our way of life.

That was both sides, right from the start.

The next day, the Act passed the House by a vote of 357-66,[6] with Democrats comprising the overwhelming portion of dissent. The three Republicans voting "no" were Robert Ney of Ohio, Butch Otter of Idaho, and Ron Paul of Texas. On October 25, the Act passed the Senate by a 98-1 vote, the only dissident being Russ Feingold of Wisconsin.[7]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriot_Act

Then the Iraq War happened with bipartisan support as well. That's one of the under discussed problems Hillary was facing. She was on the wrong side of the philosophical canyon you describe and it left leaning independents were pretty angry about it.

/r/science Thread Parent Link - msutoday.msu.edu