>Maybe the media benefits from it?

Nah.

We just love our dog whistles.

Abortion!!

Immigrants!!

The billionaires are stealing from you!!

Libtards!!

Right wing shooters!!

Oh yeah, almost forgot..

Something, something blacks!!!

That's how you win elections these days.

You can try to win an election on something substantive, say, infrastructure repair and updates for instance. But the wedge issue fueled campaigns are gonna wipe the floor with you.

We the people have voted on this over and over. The data is irrefutable. We love our wedge issues.