If you had time travelled to tell me 20 years ago, right after seeing Kerry get swiftboated and W win a second term- where the US would be politically in 20 years’ time- my expression would not be one of shock. You’d get a frown, a nod, and a “yepppp… sounds about right.” In fact I even remember telling a friend at the time something like: “20 years from now, this country is going to be basically Russia.”