-makes it that much harder-

[veracity]

"Yet demonizing them makes it that much harder to address the very real problems they are having with assimilating."

Newsweek - http://www.newsweek.com/id/81598/output/print

Hi,

The meaning is clear. My problem is why to use "it" and "that" together?

Is the following two sentences are also OK?

"Yet demonizing them makes it much harder to address the very real problems they are having with assimilating." (No "that" in it. It seems to be good for me at least.)

"Yet demonizing them makes that much harder to address the very real problems they are having with assimilating." (No "it" in it. For me it sounds a bit odds.))

Your opinion, please!

 

[Loob]

"That much" + comparative, as here, means "to a certain degree" - see the WRF dictionary entry.

You could substitute "even" or "all the": "even harder", "all the harder".