I don't even try to read deep into news stories right now. I see the administration being beaten up over Benghazi, Republican defiance to negotiating with Iran, crazy laws being passed in state after state and realize that except for Obama in the White House the government-haters own the government.
With the very real exception of gay rights, everything is slipping rightward. Common sense on abortion is being replaced by overt efforts to force the issue, legislative districts are gerrymandered and re-gerrymandered to keep Republicans in control of states that haven't favored a Republican in a presidential election since Reagan or Bush I. Organized labor was a supposed winner with the Citizens' United case, so the big money and the Republicans have attacked, smeared and mostly defeated it as a political force.
Would any of this be the case if not for two terrible election cycles? Of course not. Benghazi would be a footnote, an unfortunate loss of American lives. We wouldn't see unprecedented open rebellion to a diplomatic agreement to help the Middle East. Republican after Republican wouldn't have the bully pulpit of a leadership or chairmanship when spouting some out-of-the-mainstream idea. "Right to Work" wouldn't be things in formerly union-friendly Wisconsin and Michigan. The trio of Walker, Scott and Snyder would not be controlling purple/blue states and have Republican lapdog legislatures dismantling improvements made in the last 50 years.
Voter suppression and limiting of voter rights has become the norm in states controlled by Republicans. In state after state, they are "putting their finger on the scale" to guarantee overrepresentation, if not majorities. The appearance of partisan bickering saps the enthusiasm of natural Democratic constituencies, resulting in what the right wing wants, lower turnout.
Democrats and their leaners outnumber Republicans. They just don't vote as often and this absolutely has to change. I don't know what it will take for the media to become some semblance of factual when it comes to comparing liberals to conservatives. Somehow, some way, sanity needs to be restored or this country is in for an upheaval that hasn't been seen since the 60s.
Democrats need to wake up. There is a real chance that a conservative Republican will be the next elected president, and Republicans would have the trifecta plus a conservative Supreme Court. The American people need to wake up and see the road to disaster that is one more bad election away.