This is not to say that this story begins with Trump. One could tell a similar tale about the George W. Bush and Obama eras. Indeed, that’s the point. The partisan need for wins at any cost, as fast as possible — fueled by a fear that they only have so much time before voters punish them for overreaching by electing another set of partisans who will then overreach — has created bipartisan dysfunction. Complaints about debt and spending lose credibility when politicians spout them only when it’s the other party doing the borrowing and spending.