Polarization in Us Politics - 1665 Words

Analyze the evidence that American politics is becoming more polarized. If so, is this a reaction to the polarization of political elites? Approx 1500 words 13/12/10 The election of 2008... marked the end of an epoch. No longer could Republicans count on the basic conservatism of the American people, the reflexive hostility to candidates who favour big government (Darman, 2010, 34) In the 1970s and 1980s there was a consensus that the importance of political parties was in decline, that the shared conservative ideology of the American electorate was reflected in the similar ideology and policy of the Democratic and Republican party. Now, however, the parties are seemingly taking on renewed importance as the population of†¦show more content†¦The red/ blue map shown in Figure one shows how modern Polarisation has manifested itself over the last four elections. The dark red and blue show that those states have voted Republican or democratic respectively all four times. Lighter shades show that party has won all but once, while purple shows states which have gone to the Republicans and Democrats twice each. On first glance this seems to back up the polarization theory, as Fiorina and Adams put it; when the 2004 election almost reproduced the 2000 map, belief in the polarization narrative peaked as social conservatives gloated about the purported importance of â€Å"values voters† for the re-election of President Bush, and liberal commentators bitterly accepted that interpretation.(2008, 564, 565) However when one examines the map in figure 2 which breaks down the 2008 election by county, rather than state. This map seems to throw an interesting side note onto the red state/ blue state theory. While there is seldom a completely red or blue dominated state, in terms of area covered on the map, there is far more covered by republican red. The fact that the democrats won the election with so much less area covered shows that the blue areas are high in population denstity- cities and large towns. Rather than Republican south versus Democratic coasts, Figure 2 indicatesShow MoreRelatedIs Political Polarization Good or Bad for American Politics and Government?963 Words   |  4 PagesThomas Mann of Brookings Institutions writes that, â€Å"in addition to the decline in competition, American politics today is characterized by a growing ideological polarization between the two major parties†. In addition to his opinion, political data has shown that political polarization is increasing and is more readily seen in the way the American government functions in the political sphere. In an article by the University of Rochester’s Campus Times they wrote â€Å"In 1950, the American Political ScienceRead MoreDemocrats and Republicans in the US Congress are as ideologically consistent and distinct as they1500 Words   |  6 PagesRepublicans in the US Congress are as ideologically consistent and distinct as they have been at any point. Both houses in the US congress have become more ideologically polarized in the past few years. Parties have grown increasingly divided in the past years on all major policy dimensions in American politics, Democrats have become more liberal and Republicans have become more conservative and independents are also leaning towards sides now a days. In fact, I believe that political polarization in congressRead MoreThe Aftermath Of The Disaster Of An Election1437 Words   |  6 Pagesinsults sandwiched between obscenitie s. The circumstances of the election illustrated the country’s polarization, even though I believe most of it is an illusion. 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Fiorina1007 Words   |  5 Pagestalks of the lack of polarization in today’s politics. â€Å"The â€Å"culture war† refers to a displacement of the classic economic conflicts that animated twentieth- century politics in the advanced democracies by newly emergent moral and religious ones† (Fiorina, Abrams, Pope, 2005, p. 2). Fiorina argues that this phenomenon does not exist; her argument under is persuasive for many reasons. I see the following as the main reasons: the first, is that the media portrays more polarization that there is in realityRead MoreAnalysis Of Divided We Now Stand Essay1169 Words   |  5 PagesThose credible writers all agree that polarization and tribalism affect politicians and citizens. Thus, creating a dysfunctional Washington. Many Americans are aware of the polarization that exists within them and within the government. However, people do not realize the extent of the polarization and the effect that it has on government functions. 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