Unfortunately, the Supreme Court decided 5-4 that the courts should have no power here, so its up to state legislatures. (https://www.npr.org/2019/06/27/731847977/supreme-court-rules...)

Totally agree here. It has to be intentional at this point.

Yes. Hyperpartisanship is the way to maintain minority control of an ostensibly majority-controlled system. Both parties feign gridlock over popular policy but cooperate on what their owners want. Populist support for policies doesn't matter when people are kept divided along party lines. "Radical" nonconformists who aim to do what voters want can always be defeated from within their party if not by the other side.