A quarter of Americans open to taking up arms against government, poll says This is alarming on its face, but the biggest piece (and root of the problem IMHO) was the last couple paragraphs. I almost have to wonder if this is deliberate by the leadership of both parties to keep themselves in a position of control. An "if they hate each other, they don't have time to hate us." scenario.
The last paragraph of the article says it all. My wife and I don’t talk politics to anyone we don’t personally know. We’ve lost a few acquaintances over politics, fortunately no friends. Even here, I don’t get into it with a lot of people except for mostly generic comments.
Same here. I categorically refuse to talk politics with my family because all it does is spin everyone up.
I'm not sure its the plan, I think there was a time where both parties were content to sort of manage the status quo and rule through righ-leaning courts (which produced results the elite and ruling class could live with), while keeping the temperature down on fringe elements. One party abandoned that or was incapable of honoring its part of the bargain, and the other party is now facing a similar crisis as its aging leaders are blamed for their inaction and failures by alienated and disatisfied voters, which will possibly result in President Howard Stern.
This is exactly what the last paragraph states!!!! Blame is on the opposite party that you believe in. Truth is, neither is better than the other, just the talking points and belief my guy is better than your is why we are in the position we are in. The sooner more of us recognize that the sooner we make progress
The issue is that it isn't purely political polarization. Look at the paragraphs from before the last 2. 45% of strong Republicans are thinking they will need to take up arms against the government soon (compared to 20% of Democrats). Only 33% of Republicans voiced trust in elections. Essentially, this paints a picture of one side mainstreaming extremist and potentially violent views while they remain a far more minority view on the other side. Perhaps "both sides" are doing the same thing, but there are some institutional blocks on left-leaning people where they are less likely to go down those rabbit holes. Or perhaps there is a difference between the people that make right-wingers more likely to go down those rabbit holes. Or perhaps the sides are utilizing techniques to push these ideas at different levels. But regardless, this is not a symmetrical problem.
The problem is that both-siderism is very attractive as a way to deflect from uncomfortable results. But it doesn't make it accurate. The article spent a lot of time talking about differences between the two sides.
I must be hyper partisan because “bullies” is not how I see democrats, nor traditional republicans for that matter. Both sides have worldviews that are often in conflict. But debating issues cordially and reaching compromise is how politics work. It can be dirty at times. For me, the turning point came when an unprincipled narcissist and clearly unqualified man became president. My total disdain for Trump and his followers came in the days leading up to and on January 6 and in the conduct of many in the GOP since then. They have proven that they value power and party over country. I will have nothing to do with “those people” and will oppose them with all the meager resources at my disposal because I see them as a clear and present danger to our country.
Oh, there is definite differences, not arguing that, but when I call you an idiot for thinking some way and don't at least respect that you think that way, you don't hear another word I say. That happens both ways, way too often, respect my thoughts and understand, don't be juvenile and call me an idiot. This is not directed at you, just using "you" metaphorically.
Some wild stuff in the full results https://uchicagopolitics.opalstacked.com/uploads/homepage/IOP-Poll-Topline.pdf Despite the courts pushing us more conservative, it is Republicans and conservatives who feel like strangers in their own country. Despite being the ones rigging the government in their favor, it is Republicans and conservatives who feel like the government is corrupt and rigged against them. Over half of Republicans and conservatives get their news from Facebook, despite those groups being most likely to believe Facebook is trying to mislead its viewers. The question about working hard and succeeding was interesting. Independents usually are more like Republicans/conservatives in their responses, but on this question (anyone, regardless of their background, can work hard, succeed and have a middle class life) they were at 29%, around the democrats/liberals.
I'm thinking it's simply a difference in methodology and approach of each party. The commonalities here are that both aggressively incite their bases and both use outrage and demonization to achieve their end goal. Both sides cultivate an approach of violence though the methodology on the right tends to be more overt about it.
I do agree that there is a feedback loop here. If certain extremist views end up more mainstreamed, then more people will likely hear that they are an idiot from other people. If somebody hears from their Facebook friends that the Democrats are running a child trafficking ring through the basement of a pizza restaurant or that vaccines have trackers in them because somebody told them so on their device that tech companies actually use to track you, then people who realize how stupid those beliefs are may be more likely to alienate those same folks by doing things like calling them an idiot, which pushes them into more extremist communities.
And successful apparently, given that a much higher proportion of the right are willing to admit to considering violence.
I agree and I follow the same practice. Something that amazes me. Perhaps because I appear to be demographically a Republican, I'm always amazed at people in social situations that just throw out red meat right-wing stuff around me when they don't even know me. It would never remotely occur to me, mainly because of just simple courtesy, to say something provocative to someone when I have no idea how it will sound to them. But it happens all the time. Most of the time, because it's in a business context, I just have to try to stay silent or redirect the conversation. But I still think that's what a rude practice and it would never occur to me to say something provocative politically unless I believe that everyone that could hear it agreed with me in large part.
What progress are we going to make? We need a new political system not a managed status quo, and I dont see that happening baring some sort of massive crisis.
Admit to gun violence, yes. But there are as many examples of aggressive protests and protesters on the left. Again, more a difference in the methodology than anything else. Neither is the right way to solve the problem
One Party is not like the other... One wants smaller government, freedom FROM oppressive taxation and regulations. One wants to live in a county that respects the rule of law and the rights of it's citizens. One Party wants to live and let live so long as others do NOT infringe on their freedoms and Liberties.. I see both sides think that the other side is wrong, but it's sad that some think the answer to all this is FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE... That right there (Fundamental Change) is an infringement on many people's rights. Fundamental change is undefined on purpose because if it were defined then people can pick and choose which side they like the most. We used to all get along with each other before politics swept into our daily lives... remember the time when we never even cared about politics? That was because our elected servants cared about our life, Liberty and the pursuit of our Happiness, and they legislated the will of the people from the people. That last sentence right there changed... and every else changed along with it. Let's not pretend that both sides are equal in their actions away from the will of the people, and that both sides are equally at fault, unless you are confusing the RINOs for real freedom loving Republicans. Politics are nothing more than fighting words that are now being blamed for our national discourse. I wish it were different, but it's not and it's not just magically going to go away. Fundamentalism is like a disease that infects not just our politicians but those that weaponize politics in a way to effect radical change. We need to right the listing ship that we call a country, and unfortunately for those that want peace and stability, that is not going to happen without serious upheaval... But I do understand why people do not talk about politics with family and in mixed company.
Again, the issue is mainstreaming. The existence of 20% on the left doesn't address the existence of 45% on the right. The 20% on the left can certainly go out and be violent, but the concern for me is that it isn't 20% on the right. It is approaching a majority. This is how you end up with a President on one side condemning political violence from his side and on the other side calling for it.
