I agree with all that as well.
What we really need is what we don’t have....a conservative celebrity.
A conservative Trump.
Or a celebrity-like Cruz.
I do think that is spot on. I’m also afraid it underscores the magnitude of the problem.....alas
Lincoln's election is harder to judge because it occurred during war. No telling without the war how much the Republican revolution of 1860 would have accomplished. But I think any historian would agree that at minimum slavery's expansion into the territories would have been finally stopped---that in itself would have been a significant change.
The third revolution of this type occurred with TR. Remember, they deliberately put TR in the vice-presidency so that they'd never have to deal with him? He was far left on economic matters, far right on nationalism, and above all loved America. Now, Trump is no TR, but he does have some of the same characteristics. He is more pro business, more low-tax, probably about the same---given the era---on "social issues." But in terms of wanting a great US, he's 180 degrees opposite Obama and Hillary.