Lack of gratitude, on both the left and the right, has fed some of the enthusiasm for Republicans who have figured out how to exploit a national mood of grievances.

Seems like many of the folks, who feel they are getting an unfair deal, have been shifting away from the Democrats and toward the Republicans. What's called the "working class" and low income folks have been constituencies thought to be in the Democrat base. Seems like folks complaining about their situations are increasingly moving toward the Republicans leaving the Democrat's base to be more made up from well educated professionals.

Lack of gratitude, mixed with anger about one's lot in life, is now feeding more energy into the Republican Party.

I would guess that well educated, professionals do have it pretty good, here in USA. Some blue collar laborers will say that life at a university is like being in an "Ivory Tower." Life that can be quite fulfilling, though I'm sure, if one looks more closely, it does have it's stresses as well; tenure battles, office politics and whatever. I remember the term "publish or parish."

Still, it looks like the act of complaining is starting to feed more energy toward the Republican Party as time goes on.

Complaining about those who have "privilege" is starting to hit some of the complainers, themselves, in the back. Folks who talk about the privilege of billionaires are now finding themselves in the same target; for instance most of my friends, who are homeowners, are millionaires; on paper at least. Most of my friends tend to be liberal as I'm living in Bellingham.

The rise in asset values, beyond the rise in wages, has buoyed the billionaires, but it has also increased the wealth gap between homeowners and renters. It has made buying a home, for first time homebuyers, or renting a home, extremely difficult.

Gaps are getting wider between those who can afford a lifestyle of travel and others who are working in low wage jobs. Even some small and struggling business owners can feel left out of privilege while other folks can take an occasional trip to Europe on their frequent flyer miles.

Many folks lives are quite fulfilling, but gratitude can be in short supply.

Those who are even more poor, such as the homeless, also feel left behind. If they go to the polls, they might think, "nothing has worked so far, so we might as well give Republicans a try."

The wave of negative thinking, along with anger and finger pointing, is starting to lean Republican, or at least the Republicans have shrewdly learned how to take advantage of that sentiment.

I myself tend to be fairly well educated, though I don't feel the need to keep up with higher income folks as long as my basics are met. I'm somewhat of a minimalist, materialistically at least, but I feel like I've had a good life.

I think some of the complaining and finger pointing has helped the Republican brand. I also think Republicans are working it into their campaign strategy. It's kind of a strategy like "divide and conquer" which takes advantage of people's tendency toward anger. Often those who have lots of anger will turn on one another fueling infighting that people, who have more power and privilege, can take advantage of. Divide and conquer.

Liberal causes often sink from internal strife, but conservatives and Republicans also have their internal strife as well.

How we live our lives can make a big difference.