Increased Polarization Creates Bi-Partisan Calls for #NationalDivorce
Polarizing political events are leading Americans to increasingly call for a national divorce
Polarizing political events are leading Americans to increasingly call for a national divorce
The United States government has been shut down for nearly a month, yet another indication that the political system has become deeply dysfunctional.
President Donald Trump has blamed the Democrats and called their negotiating strategy a “kamikaze attack.” Democrats are keen to stand their ground, hoping that the fallout is worse for Republicans. While each side casts blame on the other, it is Americans who suffer.
But the shutdown is just another episode in a series of polarization-fueled events that are leading Americans to lose faith in their government. Every nation has it limits, and one wonders how much America can take before the pressure to divide into separate countries becomes too great.
Consider the aftermath of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, which raised the specter of polarization-fueled conflict in America. Mentions of “civil war” surged online, fears grew over rising political violence, and the Trump administration vowed to crack down on left-leaning groups.
These are merely the latest examples of the mounting pressure on the American political system. A recent New York Times/Siena poll found that 64% of Americans think the country is too politically divided to solve the nation’s problems. The same poll showed that only 42% of Americans held that position in 2020.
In other words, nearly two-thirds of Americans think the system is broken, and…