Without much research needed it’s easy to see the two political parties live in completely different realities. Mishandling and misunderstanding the people they are supposed to be representing. The Presidential Election 2024 is looking a little off.
The people are what make this country great, not the greedy politicians. The political nightmare that has plagued us continues to deviate further from the bipartisan vision our forefathers had intended.
The idea of American identity has transformed into an argument of competing narratives, each pulling at the nation's historical and cultural seams. On one side stands with deeply rooted in America's European heritage, while the other cherish multiculturalism. This ideological duel has mirrored and perhaps even driven a profound sorting of the American population into two distinct political categories . Over the past four decades, the most striking trend has been the intensifying social, ideological, and geographical polarization between Democrats and Republicans.
What the hell does that mean?
Well…
Over the past forty years, the United States has experienced a notable increase in social, ideological, and geographical polarization between the Democratic and Republican parties. This polarization can be observed through these key trends:
Ideological Polarization:
- Congressional Voting Records: Studies of congressional voting patterns, such as those conducted by the Pew Research Center and political scientists like Keith Poole and Howard Rosenthal, show that the ideological distance between the average Democrat and the average Republican in Congress has widened significantly since the 1980s. This is often visualized using DW-NOMINATE scores, which illustrate that moderate overlap between the parties has virtually disappeared.
- Public Opinion: Public opinion surveys indicate that Americans' political beliefs have become more extreme and less centrist. For instance, Pew Research Center's data show that the median Democrat and median Republican have moved further apart on a wide range of issues, from government regulation to social issues like same-sex marriage and immigration.
Social Polarization:
- Partisan Sorting: Americans are increasingly aligning their political identities with other significant social identities, including race, religion, and cultural values. Research by political scientists like Lilliana Mason highlights that partisan identity is now closely linked with racial and religious identity. The Republican Party tends to attract more White, Christian, and conservative individuals, while the Democratic Party attracts a more diverse coalition, including non-White, non-Christian, and liberal individuals.
- Lifestyle Choices: Differences in lifestyle choices and social environments between Democrats and Republicans have also grown. Studies show that partisanship can influence everything from where people choose to live to the types of media they consume and even whom they marry.
Geographical Polarization:
- Urban vs. Rural Divide: The electoral map has become increasingly divided along urban and rural lines. Urban areas, particularly large cities, tend to vote heavily Democratic, while rural areas are strongholds for Republicans. This urban-rural divide is a significant factor in the overall geographic polarization of the country.
- State and Regional Differences: States and regions have become more politically homogeneous. For example, the South has become more solidly Republican, while the Northeast and West Coast have become more solidly Democratic. This regional sorting has led to fewer competitive states and districts, further entrenching partisan divides.
Media Environment:
- Partisan Media: The rise of partisan media outlets, such as Fox News on the right and MSNBC on the left, has contributed to polarization by providing news coverage that reinforces viewers' preexisting beliefs. Social media algorithms also tend to create echo chambers, where users are exposed primarily to information that aligns with their political views.
Election Outcomes:
- Polarized Elections: Recent presidential elections have underscored the depth of polarization. The 2016 and 2020 elections, for example, were marked by starkly contrasting visions of America, with significant differences in support based on race, education, gender, and geography. These elections featured narrow margins in key swing states, highlighting the deep partisan divides.
Political fund-raisers and donors have a lot of power over lawmakers. Party leaders need to be good at raising money to help their party's election campaigns. No money, no campaign.
“Money controls politics, it’s a greedy way of deciding what’s best for people.”
After the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, special interest groups in the U.S. could spend much more money on elections without having to disclose their donors. The Citizens United decision has ignited a firestorm of debate, sparking impassioned discussions across the nation. It has polarized opinions among politicians, each defending their stance.
Senator Mitch McConnell hailed the ruling as a triumph, declaring it "an important step in the direction of restoring the First Amendment rights," celebrating it as a victory for free speech.
On the other side, former President Barack Obama lambasted the decision, warning that it "gives the special interests and their lobbyists even more power in Washington." According to Obama, this ruling tilts the scales of influence further in favor of the wealthy and powerful, deepening the divide between ordinary citizens and the people of power.
This landmark decision continues to spark debate, fueling a heated battle over the very nature of democracy and the role of money in politics.
This spending often happens through Super Political Action Committees (Super PACs).
Washington Post opinion writer Robert Kaiser, shares former president Obama’s view, corporations, unions, and other groups will push political parties to adopt more extreme positions. This has made the political landscape more polarized, meaning that the differences between the two major parties have become more pronounced.
The intensification of social, ideological, and geographical polarization has reshaped the American political landscape, leading to an environment where compromise and bipartisan cooperation are becoming more challenging.
This polarization is not just a political phenomenon but reflects deeper social divides that continue to shape the nation's future.
A deepening divide among the American population serves as a catalyst for political leaders to fragment our society into more manageable groups, thereby enabling them to subtly steer public opinion. This strategy of segmentation allows leaders to methodically shift individual belief systems, aligning them more closely with their political agendas.
By capitalizing on existing social and cultural differences, these leaders can effectively manipulate perceptions and priorities, gradually molding a segment that is more susceptible to targeted messaging and influence. This sophisticated form of control underscores the intricate interplay between identity politics and the broader quest for power in a deeply polarized landscape.
