POLITICS: The Erosion of Institutional Consensus Since the 1990s, Congressional approval ratings have declined from 57% average to below 20%, tracking directly with increased partisan polarization measured by DW-NOMINATE scores. This shift coincides with cable news fragmentation (pre-1995: three broadcast networks; post-2000: 500+ channels) and gerrymandering acceleration after 2010 redistricting. The structural consequence: legislators now operate in safe districts where primary challenges from ideological extremes matter more than general election viability, mathematically incentivizing partisan positioning over compromise. Understanding this mechanical shift—not merely individual politician behavior—explains why institutional checks that functioned in 1975 produce gridlock today.