Multiple Studies Show the Vast Majority of Americans, in Both Red & Blue States, Want the Same Things on a majority of issues, and are Not as Divided as Partisan Media portray us

Partisan Media give a distorted impression of Deep Divisions between the American People, along Party Lines

If one watches and listens only to the Opinion Shows of the most Partisan Media in the United States today, you would think that Americans are deeply divided 50/50 into Republican and Democratic warring tribes on all issues. And, you would hear only things designed to inflame and enrage you emotionally at those on the other side, and to make you believe that all members of the other Party are your “enemies” who are either “woke” and “radical elitists” who practice “cancel culture” (on the Left) or “racist bigots,” “misogynists” or uneducated “idiots” (on the Right). Sound familiar?

It is well recognized that for the Media, “conflict sells.” [1] These conflict-inducing tropes, labels, and stereotypes may serve the Partisan Media’s self-interests for ratings, audience share, and ad sales (think $$ to them). But, they are not true. Often they are based on distortions, misleading lack of context, over-generalization from a limited or unique incident, or outright lies and disinformation.

We Have More in Common than we may think; Studies Show that Political Views of Ordinary People in Red and Blue States or Districts are actually the same on the Vast Majority of policy issues

Multiple polls show that the VAST Majority of Americans are more alike than different. Whether in Red or Blue states, and whether self-identified as Republicans, Democrats, or Independents, vast majorities of Americans hold the same views and values, and want the same things on most issues!

A study titled, “A Not So Divided America; Is the public as polarized as Congress, or are red and blue districts pretty much the same?” was conducted for a centrist group, Voice of the People, by the Center on Policy Attitudes and the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland.[2] In the study ordinary people living in a number of Red Congressional Districts or States and those living in a number of Blue Congressional Districts or States were polled on a wide range of policy issues.

Those surveyed were asked to indicate whether they favored, opposed, or were very or somewhat favorable or opposed to each of a total of 388 different policy choices the government could make or had made in a vast array of areas.

The following graph presents the findings of the survey:

As shown, on 266 out of 388 policy questions (that is, in 68.5% of all policy areas), there was no statistical difference between the views of those residing in red states or districts from those residing in blue states or districts. In an additional 90 policy policy areas (23% of all policy areas), there was no difference in the position of the respondents (favor or oppose), only a difference in magnitude of support or opposition.

So, in 91.5% of all policy areas, the people in blue and red congressional districts or states agreed on whether they favored or opposed the policy.

The authors found that if you compare “the views of people who live in red Congressional districts or states to those of people who live in blue Congressional districts or states,” on “only 3.6 percent of the questions — 14 out of 388 — did a majority or plurality of those living in red congressional districts/states take a position opposed to that of a majority or plurality of those living in blue districts/states.” Of those 14 questions, 11 concerned “‘hot-button’ topics that are famously controversial — gay and lesbian issues, abortion and Second Amendment issues relating to gun ownership.”

But, on 91.5% of the vast array of policy issues surveyed, a huge super-majority of the American People in both Red and Blue States and Districts hold the same views and want the same things!

To read the full study, click here: “A Not So Divided America.”
 

Another recent study, titled “Hidden Tribes,” conducted for another centrist group, “More In Common,”[3] found that the polarization that does exist is largely between and driven by the left wing of the Democratic Party and the right wing of the Republican Party, which together make up only about one third of the electorate.

The authors observed:

The study found that while the extreme wings of the two Parties, comprising only about one third of the electorate, are polarized in their ideologies, the remaining two-thirds of the electorate are:

The Hidden Tribes of America

From “Hidden Tribes: A Study of America’s Polarized Landscape,” by Stephen Hawkins, Daniel Yudkin, Míriam Juan-Torres, Tim Dixon, for More In Common, a nonpartisan non-profit organization.

The authors concluded:

To read the full study, click here: “Hidden Tribes“.
 

In his book, “Unstable Majorities: Polarization, Party Sorting, and Political Stalemate,”[4] Stanford University Political Scientist Morris P. Fiorina presents multiple studies showing that the “political classes” in the United States including politicians, both U.S. Senators and Representatives and State legislators, as well as political donors, party leaders, and issue activists have indeed become significantly more polarized starting in the early 1970’s. These are the people who occupy the political extremes on the far Right and the far Left, which together make up only about 30% of the electorate.

Fiorina concludes:

Find the book on Amazon »

The Survey Report on Reimagining Rights and Responsibilities in the United States, conducted by the Carr Center for Human Rights, led by John Shattuck[5], found agreement among substantial bipartisan Majorities of Americans on issues and rights.

Significantly, the study report concludes, among “Key Takeaways:”