"First of all, I wouldn't call excommunication "cupcakes & gold stars.""
Opus Dei, The Legion of Christ, First Things, etc. were definitely not excommunicated.  That is what is at issue.  Not the SSPX.  The thrust of Spadaro's article was a condemnation of the unholy alliance between US Catholics and Evangelicals.  That is an issue with the EWTN right, not the SSPX.

"that all that went previously to Francis was insufficient. It's a lot more complicated than that."
In this area, neither JPII or Benedict were critical of this.  In fact they provided aid and comfort to the US culture warriors.

"Another data point to keep in mind: many of the highest ranking Church officials who have adopted Francis' agenda are John Paul/Benedict appointees."
A majority of JPII/ Benedict appoints were like Chaput, who hates Francis' agenda.  And a bishop like Cupich would never have been appointed to Chicago by Benedict especially.