Since we're discussing nothing short of the US government acting as an enemy to the citizens it is supposed to serve, I would suppose the next few prudent questions are:
1) What is the entity deploying this divide and conquer strategy?
2) Is this entity monolithic? Cellular? Organized or random?
3) What does this entity stand to gain and is it good for all?
Your premise is incorrect. The "sort of" part of my statement is important. There are lots of forces at play that cause this. I see it as sort of an emergent phenomenon and not the design of some clever genius or powerful organization.
Your assertion is not strong enough and your self referential call out to authority is suspect or at the least misplaced.
It is absolutely divide and conquer and it absolutely is an organized effort.
My assertions were posed as questions only to guide the light.
Anyone with eyes to see will know this. The problem is most of those eyes lack the courage and faith to speak.