IMO, the name-calling fosters artificial division and often gets used when the person has nothing to say other than name-calling. I hope you are right about the theater and do see indications that there's a lot going on behind the scenes - if nothing else, just the vehement way the left is pushing extremist ideology. When I see a headline, sometimes I don't know whether it's real or a Babylon Bee piece - Things have gotten so far out there. It's possible that all these election groups are part of the theater too - the majority of the experts are in bed with the other side.