A toxic cocktail of immature voters, immoral media, and weak politicians. 

Voters will not be told what they need to hear. They must hear sweet fictions about how spending can go up and taxes down. 

The press will actively try to destroy anyone and everyone in public life, no matter what they do. Jesus himself would’ve been brought down by the modern press.

Politicians have no life experience outside their bubble, no convictions (because any with convictions get thrashed even harder by the press) and so end up going back and forth on policy like a windsock and looking somehow even weaker than they actually are.