Americans Aren’t as Divided As We May Think

Americans have not seemed so divided since the Civil War. Using a “feeling thermometer,” the National Election Studies tracks the level of warmth toward one’s own and the other major political party. While the in-group reading remained at about 75 degrees from the 1970s to 2020, the out-group feeling dropped from 48 to 20 degrees over the same period.  Pew Research polling revealed that from 2016-2020, both Republicans and Democrats intensified their feelings that the other party is more “closed-minded, dishonest, immoral and unintelligent” than other Americans. 

Is this reality?  Are we that divided?  Cable news, talk shows, politicians who seek votes by fueling anger and social media posts that attack and demean paint a distorted picture. 

Americans are angry and worried, but they agree on a lot of what they are angry and worried about no matter what their politics.  Told we are divided, we miss where we are united. Most of us share the view that the country we used to know is in trouble. We agree the world is a dangerous place in which we need protection. We bemoan the lack of sensible, trustworthy and caring leadership in government and other major institutions. We see the dangers of modern technology, especially the Internet and AI, as poorly controlled. We fear for our financial present and future and that hardship, even poverty and homelessness, may be just a serious illness or lost job away.  We worry our children will be financially worse off than we are and that the national debt is mortgaging everyone’s future. 

Significant majorities of Americans even agree on specific policy issues.  Just a few examples:

·       “Social media sites should be held accountable for the spread of disinformation” – 74 percent (Quinnipiac University Poll, January 2021)

·       The “wealthiest Americans pay less than their fair share in federal income taxes” – 56 percent (Quinnipiac University Poll, November 2021)

·       “Support” exists for infrastructure spending – 63 percent (Monmouth University Poll, January 2022)

·        Congress should “limit how much drug companies can raise prescription drug prices each year to no more than the rate of inflation” – 61 percent (Kaiser Family Foundation Poll, March 2022) 

·        “Support for comprehensive background checks on all gun purchases” – 83 percent (Monmouth University Poll, June 2022)

·       “Support” for illegal immigrants brought as children to “remain and eventually apply for citizenship” – 83 percent (Quinnipiac University Poll, January 2021)

·       Racism is “a big or “somewhat of a problem” – 84 percent (CNN Poll, August 2020)

·       A Social Security major overhaul is “necessary” to protect its future – 51 percent (Bloomberg National Poll, February 2013)

Most Americans, regardless of their politics, also share core values.  We believe in being truthful, kind, caring and showing empathy for those in need.  We engage in collective efforts without asking the politics of those we help.  We raise children with sound moral values. At the local community level, we willingly engage in volunteer, business, social, religious and local government efforts that build and improve our communities.  

Most of us also agree on principles basic to a healthy democracy. The 2021 American Values Survey found over 90 percent of those polled agreed that “every citizen should be able to vote in elections,” that we should be “accepting people of diverse racial and religious backgrounds” and that it’s important to respect “American political institutions and laws.” We even agree (84 percent) that the teaching of American history should include “both our best achievements and our worst mistakes as a country.” We want politicians to work across the aisle: 74 percent of all Americans prefer political compromise to solve the nation’s problems.

Many Americans also share the problem that their views of the other political party are distorted by partisanship and social media.  Research reveals that “[R]epublicans estimate that 43.5 percent of Democrats belong to a labor union when in reality it is 10.5 percent. Democrats estimate that 44.1 percent of Republicans earn over $250,000 per year when it is 2.2 percent.”  Related research shows that people overestimate the number of conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats by 78 percent.  In short, we tend to miss the fact that most party adherents are not extremists.  

In fact, Americans are frustrated with what the extremes of both political parties are doing. Majorities of both Republicans and Democrats agree that parties are “too extreme in their positions,” “too often make excuses for members with hateful views,” and don’t “govern in an honest and ethical way.

We can succumb to messages that we are divided and to those who seek to deepen any divisions, but we don’t have to.  We can see other Americans as people with similar values, needs and hopes.  We can express compassion, a willingness to listen to their stories and the fortitude to reject those who want to demonize them.  That’s sometimes hard work, but no one promised democracy would be easy.

Photo Credit: d57tm.org