As we near the 2020 election, it seems the only thing Americans will agree on is the extreme polarization our country faces, especially within the past few elections. Although parties often form because of religious or ethnic beliefs and even policy making, the main reason for such a recent split in party lines comes from a more personal place in voters. According to The New York Times, polls show that many “Americans would rather allow their child to marry someone from another religion than party.” The problem we now face comes from uninformed citizens who no longer care about policy making but rather vote instinctively because they hate the other party or love their own.
The founding fathers of our country stated, e plurbis unum— “out of many, one.” This national motto advocated for a strong democracy in which individuals worked together despite their differences. But recent polls from Pew show that the exact opposite of what they strived for takes place. 76% of voters agree that the country is polarized and 60% believe that both parties have become really extreme. 87% polled agree that the political polarization our country faces threatens our daily lives. Although it may be difficult, we must return to times where policy still matters. According to CNN, 42% of people in today’s society don’t care about what candidates advocate for and agree that the other party is “downright evil.” Instead of explaining why they voted for their own party, they focus on why they voted against the other party.
A main reason for the country’s polarization today began in the 2016 election of President Trump. He remains popular in his party by portraying the other side in a negative light. The other half of the country, according to CNN, wants him impeached.
Voters today, often make their decisions based on their hate for the other party. The reason fake news spreads so quickly often comes from the fact that people want so desperately to believe in something that either attacks or supports President Trump. Although the country’s polarization grows daily, The New York Times explains we can reverse it if we stop voting for a person and instead vote for what they represent.
