Iron Curtain in the USA

[I Shrugged]

I was reading a newsletter article which described how there is a virtual iron curtain between red and blue states in the US.  According to Pew polling, various attitudes about politics and choices of media, friends, and locales have become more hard line and more left or right than in past history.  Quite a large minority of lefts, rights, and independents say that a revolution might become necessary.  State secession was also envisioned.

The middle ground has become barren, at least within political parties and their core supporters.  There are quite a few disenfranchised voters in the middle, but they have no place to call home.

The writer did not offer a guess as to why this has developed.  In thinking about it, before talk radio, cable TV, and the internet, we all got our news and political opinion from the same places.  We still had our politically-oriented magazines and such, but they were not widely read by ordinary people.    There were conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans. 

For sure, it was not all heavenly.  But the current polarization is worse, IMO.  Both sides really do hate each other.  We seem to be heading for more serious conflict.  It's making me think about how I want to fit into this system.  Well, I don't fit in anyway.  But it's an important trend.  I need to figure out how to keep cool in the face of all the heat out there.

[Mountaineer]

I was reading a newsletter article which described how there is a virtual iron curtain between red and blue states in the US.  According to Pew polling, various attitudes about politics and choices of media, friends, and locales have become more hard line and more left or right than in past history.  Quite a large minority of lefts, rights, and independents say that a revolution might become necessary.  State secession was also envisioned.

The middle ground has become barren, at least within political parties and their core supporters.  There are quite a few disenfranchised voters in the middle, but they have no place to call home.

The writer did not offer a guess as to why this has developed.  In thinking about it, before talk radio, cable TV, and the internet, we all got our news and political opinion from the same places.  We still had our politically-oriented magazines and such, but they were not widely read by ordinary people.    There were conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans. 

For sure, it was not all heavenly.  But the current polarization is worse, IMO.  Both sides really do hate each other.  We seem to be heading for more serious conflict.  It's making me think about how I want to fit into this system.  Well, I don't fit in anyway.  But it's an important trend.  I need to figure out how to keep cool in the face of all the heat out there.

I agree with your observations and that of the newsletter you reference.  This is probably going to sound like a polarizing comment, but from my perspective, our president and congress seem more interested in promoting division than promoting unity, even more so than prior administrations.  I realize that leadership can do only so much, but leadership is important - especially to those who listen to the leaders' voices rather than form their own opinions based on facts.  As for keeping cool in the heat ... it is easier when you believe this life is not all there is. 

... Mountaineer