.
.
.
That’s the finding of a poll, as reported in the Washington Post on May 5. “Across the political spectrum, from right to left and among the unaligned, Americans have become more doctrinaire and ideological in their political views, according to a major new study by the Pew Research Center.”
Put simply, moderate views are shrinking and extreme views are growing on both ends of the spectrum. Perhaps those who regularly read the OJ blog have figured this out already, but for those of us who had not stopped to think about the extreme views seen here and elsewhere, this article drove home the point that we do seem divided on most everything. Whether it is politics or politicians, unions or no unions, immigration or no immigration, Obama yes or Obama no, public sector pensions, the state budget, taxes, or whatever the issue opinions run hot and heavy except down the middle.
The media noted an exception when it seemed the nation came together with a USA attitude surge when 9-11 happened, and again with the recent death of the world’s leading terrorist. But, those exceptions seem few and far between. Even when natural disaster strikes, such as the current Mississippi River flooding, we seem polarized into two camps – those who want to see the flood victims helped, and those who say that these people are not too bright for living in areas known to flood on occasion and they just have to pay the price for their decisions.
Within the two major parties there is also polarization, notes the article. This helps explain why the parties often cannot come together in a unified voice on major public policy issues, and in turn why our Congress is – shall we say – often less than decisive when it come to actually doing something.
Can a nation divided continue in its role as a world leader, the most powerful military force, and a “can do” nation? Looks like we are going to find out.
Who are you calling extreme, Kemosabe? In the last few years, us MODERATES, witnessing the increasing radicalness of the right and the GOP, have only learned to be LOUDER and more STUBBORN.
But our positions are as moderate as ever. Three famous examples – Keith Olbermann, Paul Krugman, President Obama – would never have been called far left, they’re right out of the liberal tradition stretching from the Jefferson thru the New Deal. Olbermann and Krugman have learned to defend their old-fashioned moderate positions in a way that strikes some as strident, the rest of us as necessary.
Meanwhile the ever-more-extreme right wing strives to define these moderate liberals as far left, just to push along their decades-long project of moving the “center” farther right, until we have nothing left of our social compact or civil liberties. Don’t assist them in that project.
It looks like Dr. Amalgam prescribed to you a wrong medication.
Well it does’nt take a masters degree in social behavior to figure this one out……….
Look at the crazy positions the two sides take: this pulls moderates to the extremes. This is why political parties exist to capture mindshare. Read any of the OC BLOGS and you will quickly ntice there is NO ROOM for disagreement, descention or even a quirky comment.
I’m sure you are not referring to the OJ, home of quirk.
Vern. Well stated. I agree.
Especially when one of the bloggers is a pathetic apologist (and a pathetic waste of skin) for Boss Agran and the band of thieves in MasterPlannedistan’s City Council. Heaven forbid you should say anything bad about his city but he has carte blanche to weigh in on matters of Santa Ana and Tustin.
I am a frustrated Moderate