I think it is more that a large part of one party is being told things have never been worse by a very loud megaphone. That they believe it is not that surpris

I think it is more that a large part of one party is being told things have never been worse by a very loud megaphone. That they believe it is not that surprising, all told. If there were objective measures that folks were basing any of this on, it would be one thing. But the news isn't that 71% of Americans believe things are bad. The story is a bit more that "the two parties in America are increasingly polarized on their view of how the country is doing."