NationStates Jolt Archive

The question is straightforward. When did America become so politically polarized? I can't remember support for one side and hatred of the other being so passionate any time recently.

Did America become polarized during the Clinton years with the rise of conservative talk radio and the Lewinsky scandal? Or were the flames stoked by the controversial policies of President Bush?

My other question is why? Why America become so politically polarized? Aren't nations typically united behind one banner in times of threat and war?

I'm not American, maybe you Americans can answer my questions.

Probably when Bush declared war on Iraq.

When? Take your pick: 9/11 or the last national election.

Why? People are stupid. That's the short answer... and the long one, too. Although one might guess that with all the prosperity, growth and general good-natured naivete that pervaded the mid to late 90's everyone needed a chance to just be loud and stupid again.

When did America become so politically polarized?

My other question is why? Why America become so politically polarized? Aren't nations typically united behind one banner in times of threat and war?
1. Possibly after the 2000 elections, and definatly after 9/11. Although we started coming out of 9/11 united, issues with Iraq and issues within our own nation divided us.

2. And America became polarized because the issues and our stances are too different. Although I doubt this will have a lasting effect on our nation, it does play a major role in current events.

America is polarized because there is someone who is ignoring one side. At least, thats how I see it. President Bush and the Republican congress that is controlling the government at the present time, has passed some nasty nasty things (USA PATRIOT Act comes to mind. Useing preatty words to keep people from really asking if we should violate the constitution and basic civil rights.) Not saying Democrats are innocent. They arn't, they voted for that stuff to. With the terrorism, things got a little crazy, still are. But now theres a man who went to war, who wasn't elected by a popular majority, and seems to embody a rich industrialist...

Perhaps a big chunk of America doesn't identify with him. Perhaps his disregard for religous freedom and seperation of church and state have gotten some important people mad. Whatever the reason, we're in a preatty big mess now. People won't unite because /views/ have become so polarized. If I want nationalized Health care, and the GOP guy on my right favor's a free market solution, (social darwinism. I suppose its okay to play with peoples lives like a market, huh?), the views are opposite, and cannot coexist... at least in mainstream thinking.

But hey, I'm just a wacko liberal. I may be wrong. :)

The polarization started under Clinton and has continued ever since. Clinton was a polarizing figure. Bush is even more so.

Bush's approval rating after 9/11 was in the seventies. I don't think we were very polarized then. The polarization didn't even come when he went into Afghanistan. Some polarization came after the 2000 election (not much though), but the bulk of it came when Bush attacked Iraq.

i blame the conservative radio/tv talk show hosts. they say such ugly things that it coarsens the debate on all issues

Bah. The polarization of the USA goes as far back as Jefferson. The media of the time said far nastier things about him than it does even about Bush.

It's existed for a long time. It's just easier to notice now.

Learn history from other sources than school.

When did America become so politically polarized? I can't remember support for one side and hatred of the other being so passionate any time recently.

Well, you haven't lived very long. Cf. the Civil War, Reconstruction, the '50s, Kennedy, Nixon...

Aren't nations typically united behind one banner in times of threat and war?

HAH! Not those led by "the people."

I'd say that though Clinton was a liberal, he's more of a centered liberal than President Bush is a centered conservative. His views are extremely conservative, and I at least, find them extremely uncompassionate, even though he ran on a platform of "compassionate conservatism". A president as liberal as Bush is conservative would probably create equal polarity. Once this government swings too far in either direction, there is an extreme and powerful backlash. Oh, and as a liberal, I frankly welcome it! :)

Bush's approval rating after 9/11 was in the seventies. I don't think we were very polarized then.

Not polarized with Bush vs The World, but polarized all the same. We were polarized the minute someone could say "If you're not angry and ready for war after 9/11, you're a terrorist," which was about 1 minute after the first plane hit. Hell I could smell it already even then, I knew how it'd go down, because people need scapegoats, people need drama and people need to be comforted by both government and the media, emotionally.

Answer: It hasn't.

Last I saw (a poly-sci class two years ago), there is a larger percent of regestered independant (not independant american, just indeependant) then ever before...and growing.

It is just that the here-now always seems more vivid then the past...then memories.

And yes, as a nation, the US has pretty much been polarized from the start. Those who remember a little of US history might recall the federalist and anti-federalist parties, the Whigs, etc.

The reason there has pretty much always been two is because the US has a federal rather then parlimentary form of government. The coalitions of parties you see in many European governments simply doesn't work in a federal system.

Well, you haven't lived very long. Cf. the Civil War, Reconstruction, the '50s, Kennedy, Nixon...

Note that I said that America was more polarised than at any time recently. I don't consider these times to be recent.

And yes, as a nation, the US has pretty much been polarized from the start. Those who remember a little of US history might recall the federalist and anti-federalist parties, the Whigs, etc.
I a aware that in the early years, polarisation was extreme. Politicians fought duels. Democrat vice-president Aaron Burr killed Federalist Al Hamilton in 1806.

Note, however, I said that America was more polarised than at any timerecently.

Prior to the 1980s, U.S. politics was effectively dominated (since the Crash in '29) by the Democratic Party. This led to a "you've got to go along to get along" strategy by the Republicans; in essence, any extreme partisanship by the Elephants would have resulted in their utter exclusion.

In the last three decades, however, the Republicans have managed to put together a much more powerful coalition, and have communicated their message quite effectively. The result is a populace that is almost equally divided between the two "major" parties, and this causes extreme partisanship, because a small swing can cause a relatively large change in national policy.

However, if you think that this is a deeply partisan time, you should study the battles between the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans during the early years of the United States. Now, that was wild stuff!

America is not as polarized as the OP seems to think. True, it is evenly divided, but it is not deeply divided. The examples cited above are some times when America was deeply divided, to the point of Americans killing each other over their differences. That's not happening today, much as some would like to be able to blame Bush for that, too. It's just the silly season right now.

Answer: It hasn't.

Last I saw (a poly-sci class two years ago), there is a larger percent of regestered independant (not independant american, just indeependant) then ever before...and growing.

It is just that the here-now always seems more vivid then the past...then memories.

And yes, as a nation, the US has pretty much been polarized from the start. Those who remember a little of US history might recall the federalist and anti-federalist parties, the Whigs, etc.

The reason there has pretty much always been two is because the US has a federal rather then parlimentary form of government. The coalitions of parties you see in many European governments simply doesn't work in a federal system.

(pointing) What he said.