Back in the early 2000s, I was pretty upset about Republican policies.
I could see how bad they were. Trashing the economy, launching stupid wars, enabling the looting of America by the super rich, etc.
I demonstrated in the streets. I wrote letters to my representatives, helped with letter writing campaigns.
It cost me a lot. I was a small business in Republican small town America. I knew perfectly well that lots of people would refuse to do business with me as a result.
It didn't matter. The Christian Republicans got their way, wars and recession and the decline of America. Then, when Obama got elected, they had someone to blame it all on. Next thing you know, the billionaires club known as the TeaParty took over the government. One of the last Republicans I truly respected got "primaried", by a Republican opponent who made public whippings part of his platform. Because whippings in public are cheaper than jailing people.
Then, Putin and the TeaParty got Trump into the White House. And I fully expect them to do it again this year.
I've kinda given up on American values and institutions. Representative government was a good experiment, but it isn't working out in the global, internet, world.
Tom