The Economist has rather perceptively pointed out that across many countries of the world, the split is no longer between left and right or conservative and liberal, but rather between globalist and nationalist.  The next American candidate for the nationalists may not have Donald Trump's many, and obvious, character flaws.

If this election were about the issues, it could actually be an interesting election.  However, since the attitude of the establishment (including the Wall Street Journal, National Review and George Will among others) is that Trump must not only be defeated but utterly destroyed, and his supporters taught never to question their betters again, a return to the mythical "age of civility" is probably not in the cards.

Far more likely, 2016 will go down in history as Round 1.