From a stage in Minneapolis, President Trump unleashed a profane rant against his political rival after his son, during the opening act, spurred on the crowd to chant “lock him up.” Meanwhile, on a stage in Los Angles, those seeking to replace Trump denigrated people of faith and threatened to punish non-profits on the basis of their beliefs.

Many of us seeking a sane politics have gotten whiplash over the past several years, as Democrats have responded to Trump’s extremism with a radicalism of their own. In the new form of politics, the other side cannot merely be disagreed with in a civil way — they need to be berated, and treated as the enemy.

Outrageous behavior by one side is not seen as an opportunity to make the other side set a better tone, but a justification to embrace ugly tactics in pursuit of their own side’s causes.