Evidence Shows Americans Becoming Increasingly Polarized

This is an awesome piece from Jonathan Haidt and Marc Hetherington, at the New York Times, "Look How Far We’ve Come Apart."

Check the link for the entire entry. I'm not so big on the "coming together" thesis that concludes the article, because that will inevitably lead to bigger government, but here's the last bit for a quick quote in any case:

The few months after Election Day offer us the largest window we’re likely to have in the next four years to make any of these changes. Averting the fiscal cliff — the automatic spending cuts and tax increases scheduled to take effect in 2013 if a deal isn’t reached before then — will clearly be the top priority during those months. But if our leaders manage to avert catastrophe, and even more pressingly, if they don’t, will they then turn their attention to bridging our political canyon? Or were they just blowing smoke in our eyes when they said that America is about “what can be done by us, together.” If ever there was a need for us all to “come together for the sake of our country,” our “united America,” it is now. Whatever our ideological differences, can we at least agree to push our leaders, after the election, to get their house in order?