Friday, June 8, 2012

The Growing Partisan Divide in American Politics

I mentioned Alan Abramowitz's The Polarized Public a few weeks back.

I'm reminded of Abramowitz as we keep seeing more commentators blaming Republicans for increased levels of polarization --- which is often labeled "hostage taking" in practical politics --- while in fact both parties in government have seen increased levels of high partisanship and cohesion. I'm sure I'll be talking a lot about this as the election season heats up. I've been watching MSNBC quite a bit of late and it's amazing the kind of intellectual cocoon the talking heads over there envelop themselves within. It's striking.

In any case, Pew Research had a new study out last week that affirms the growing patterns of polarization: "Partisan Polarization Surges in Bush, Obama Years - Trends in American Values: 1987-2012."

And PBS NewsHour has an interview with Andrew Kohut, the President of the Pew Center, "With Political Polarization at All-Time High, Americans Say 'Listen to Me'."

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