Reddit reviews Rule and Ruin: The Downfall Of Moderation And The Destruction Of The Republican Party, From Eisenhower To The Tea Party (Studies In Postwar American Political Development)

I think when the National Review (through a guest columnist from The Hoover Institute) even asserts that there is a "rule or ruin" faction to the Republican Party then we might be on to something. Also, I'd reference Geoffrey Kabaservice's works on the decline of Republican moderates (and his book "Rule and Ruin") as evidence that we do have a core in at least one party that is abandoning compromise and is willing to see no action on issues as opposed to negotiated action.

To your point though, I think in the 60s and 70s, we had similar issues in the Democratic party.

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/373566/rule-or-ruin-faction-gop-thomas-sowell

http://www.amazon.com/Rule-Ruin-Moderation-Destruction-Development/dp/0199975515

You disagree? It's not really the sort of thing to be agreed upon or disagreed about, that was just the political dynamic for the US prior to the radicalization of the GOP after the 70s/80s.


Edit

Here is a good read on the subject.


https://www.amazon.com/Rule-Ruin-Moderation-Destruction-Development/dp/0199975515

Disclaimer: I'm friends with the author of this book, and haven't read it yet. But it's gotten great reviews and has sold very well.

Rule and Ruin: The Downfall of Moderation and the Destruction of the Republican Party, From Eisenhower to the Tea Party by Geoff Kabaservice.