Pew Research Center has a good article and graphic showing the evolution of the U.S. political divide since 1994. You'll also notice that the bookends of that distribution imply the edges of the spectrum. My theory is that this is not accounting for how the extremes have become more extreme. I think the distribution's boundaries have now gone past traditional lines of non-violence. (https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/10/23/in-polarized-era-fewer-americans-hold-a-mix-of-conservative-and-liberal-views/)
If this is true, what can we do to reign this back in? The alternative is more violence....right?
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.I think this is an incorrect perspective.What or who defines a liberal or conservative view? And democrat/republican isn't really interchangeable with those terms. Meaning that there are positions held by republicans that are far from conservative as is the case with liberal and democrats
And as @SpikeTalon says, the rise of libertarianism would also call these finding into question. An additional issues is that the two sides often seem to be speaking completely different languages. The progressive wing of the democrats have pushed very far left and what was once seen as a fairly middle of the road position now seems extremely conservative.
As for solutions? Well ,civil war comes to mind. I don't think honest dialog and compromise are anywhere on the horizon. And if Trump wins I believe we will see violent massive protests from the hard left unlike any seen in this nation since the 60's and 70's.
Boardwine
Level 8
Sep 13, 2019
1
I especially agree with the last part of your comment, if Trump is re-elected we can anticipate retaliation from the progressive left, in particular violent protesting from groups like ANTIFA.
Thanks for this reply Boardwine. Do you have a pointer to "the rise of libertarianism"? I'd like to read up on that.
Can't say I agree with fewer Americans have mixed political beliefs, libertarianism is on the rise, and most libertarians are fiscally/economically conservative (also when it comes to constitutional rights) and socially liberal (issues like gay rights, abortion, keeping religion out of politics etc.). Interesting read, thank you for sharing.
SpikeTalon
Level 10
Sep 13, 2019
3
I've seen and heard many "red pill" stories, and most seem to tell of being young liberals who ease through libertarian on their way toward pretty radical right. I've also noticed many "White identity" types find that path through diversity training. The left is driving the middle right to the far right, and dragging the middle left further left. What that's doing is flattening the distribution and converting what used to be tails on each end of the curve into cliffs. You can only go so far to either extreme before your ready to just start burning people.
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