Fear and Loathing Across Party Lines

It seems that "partyism" generates as much or more HATE in America as racism. I suppose to most of us here this paper simply reinforces our own direct observations.

http://pcl.stanford.edu/research/2014/iyengar-ajps-group-polarization.pdf

(my emphasis)

When defined in terms of social identity andaffect toward co-partisans and opposing partisans, the polarization of the American electorate has dramatically increased. We document the scope and consequences of aeffective polarization of partisans using implicit, explicit and behavioral indicators. Our evidence demonstrates that hostile feelings for the opposing party are ingrained or automatic in voters' minds, and that aaffective polarization based on party is just as strong as polarization based on race. We further show that party cues exert powerful effects on non-political judgments and behaviors.

Partisans discriminate against opposing partisans, and do so to a degree that exceeds discrimination based on race. We note that the willingness of partisans to display open animus for opposing partisans can be attributed to the absence of norms governing the expression of negative sentiment and that increased partisanaffect provides an incentive for elites to engage in confrontation rather than cooperation.

 

It's promoted because it works.
Once one party adopts those tactics, the other party has no choice, but to fight back in kind, or become a permanent minority.

 

A sad state of affairs. It has almost paralyzed congress for the past 6 years.

Its kinda like the gangbanger who walks around with a gun because its easy to instill fear and actually earning respect is way harder.

 

Both parties are guilty of it. The biggest problem in American society and politics today is that we are no longer thinking critically about the issues. Everything is always black and white, and compromise is a dirty word. This will not favor America, there is no shame in compromising with the opposition to better your country.

 

Funny this thread came up. I was just reading someone telling me how fair and balanced Fox News is and had the thought the right wing noise machine divides the country more than any one other thing.

 

The kind of statement you just made divides the country more than anything else. No other poster commenting blamed one side more than the other. Just you...

 

well to be fair, the republican leadership did determine their strategy to combat Obama was obstruction on his inauguration day and since then have consistently attempted to implement it.
Members of the tea party even went so far as to denounce ANY co-operation with democrats.

Yes, I know, the democrats shut out the republicans and it seems identifying the cause and effect of political gridlock and increasing hatred is yet another aspect of partisanship.

 

There will always be political differences, but the point I was making was that the people who responded to your thread, did not blame one party over the other, but rather both parties which was refreshing, but then this poster came along and had to make it partisan. It was nice for a few minutes.

 

Fox fan, huh?

 

Tell that to guess who.

 

It's only going to get worse. Just imagine how polarized things are going to get once conservative whites no longer have any political power in the country on the national level, due to everyone else voting themselves "gibs" at their expense.

 

Fear and loathing across party lines because the issues have moved beyond any hope of compromise.

One side favors bigger and bigger government and the other favors smaller government. I don't see a square inch of common ground.

More and more, electoral success comes from revving up your base and ignoring the center. The electorate is rewarding polarization.

One wonders what today's electorate would make of Henry Clay - the master of compromise. He managed to cobble together compromises that staved off the Civil War for at least twenty years, if not more.

 

Ironic how simple partisan memes are not truly reflected in actual partisan political performance.

Interestingly this pew poll illustrates little polarization from 94 to 04, and a very dramatic shift in political polarization since 2004.

http://www.people-press.org/2014/06/12/political-polarization-in-the-american-public/

 

The center is collapsing.

Thanks to Catalist and the GOP response to it (fight fire with fire) the center's collapse will accelerate.

 

I hardly think that the phenomena is predicated on a data mining system.

 

You mean as opposed to conservative whites voting themselves benefits at everyone else's expense, which is exactly what's happening now and has been happening consistently and overwhelmingly in the Americas for the past five hundred years or so.

Just the literal truth, is all.

- - - Updated - - -

Both sides that actually have a voice in government (republicans and democrats) favor bigger government. Nobody that actually favors smaller government on anything more than a rhetorical level ends up with any say in how the government is run.

 

Right, because I forgot that allowing people to keep the money they make for themselves is stealing from minorities. That's their money.

 

Taxcutter says:
The data mining system isn't the problem. Because of the data mining system the Democrats decided to throw the center under the bus and concentrate on their base. The Republicans will have to follow suit.

The bases will be pandered to and the center (expensive to convince/motivate) will be ignored.

The parties are only doing what the electorate rewards.

 

Taxcutter says:
The Tea Party strongly favors a smaller federal government.

 

How can I not be against republicans when they deliberately place themselves in opposition to the literal truth? How? Riddle me that, forum people.

Brewskier, do you even get what literal truth is? It's reality, absent subjectivity, rhetoric, hyperbole or any other 'illuminating fiction.'

The literal truth is that conservative whites showed up in my community about half a thousand years ago, and have been voting themselves benefits at the expense of all other demographics that entire time. I'm not speaking rhetorically, or being hyperbolic. That's exactly what happened. Exactly what's happening now. Conservative whites have consistently voted themselves benefits at the expense of natives, women, black people, immigrants ... everyone.

You can't even talk about it. The literal truth doesn't even appear on your radar. You've never heard about it. You've never thought about it.

That's why I'm opposed to the republicans. Not for democrats. Opposed to republicans. Because republicans have so little knowledge of, or interest in, the truth.

 

Actually, I had never really thought about it, but it is, literally, true.

 

They oppose abortion rights, gay marriage and unions. Takes a pretty big government to occupy everybody's uterus, marriage and collective bargaining.

 

Taxcutter says:
All three are state government issues. The Tea Party emphasizes less FEDERAL government.

 

I for one have no problem with gridlock in congress. The less laws they pass the better for everyone.

 

Ah, I see. So less U.S. Constitution, more Constitution of the State of Alabama, and so on?