To Understand Polarization, Understand Conservativism’s Failures

A concise, sharp explanation of a driver of Republican polarization. Republicans campaign on smaller government / fewer regulations / less welfare, yet despite a historic apex of power (House, Senate, Presidency, 66% of governorships) government keeps growing. Scott's thesis: this is a large-scale instance of Cost Disease — secular trends make everything more expensive, so government must spend and regulate more to deliver the same services; it's nobody's fault, but voters don't know that. So they conclude their candidates 'betrayed' them / are RINOs corrupted by Washington, elect ever-more-extreme 'Real Republicans' (Tea Party), watch the same thing happen, and spiral into a signaling arms race of hyperpartisan no-compromise candidates. Generalizes: whenever hopes diverge from the possible (i.e., always), people reject existing institutions for stronger extremism.

Quality 70 · Strong. Strong (70). A clear, oft-cited explanation of conservative polarization with a genuine mechanism (impossible expectations rooted in cost disease -> a signaling spiral of extremism), tied to his Cost Disease work. Held to mid-Strong by its brevity and single-point focus.

Claude’s paradigm shift 55 · Moderate. Moderate, high (55). The 'polarization from impossible expectations / cost disease' framing is a fresh, clarifying angle on Republican extremism.

Real-world impact 2 · Minor. Minor (2). A memorable contribution to the polarization discourse; no material effect.