What is political polarization? Has American politics become more polarized? If so, what are the consequences of this?
What will be an ideal response?
The ideal answer should include:
1. Polarization refers to the ideological gap between the views of the two dominant parties in the United States.
2. Surveys indicate that the ideological distance between the two parties has tripled since the 1970s. Democrats are increasingly liberal on economic and social issues, while Republicans are increasingly conservative.
3. The consequences of increased polarization include the growing difficulties policymakers have in compromising and accomplishing their tasks; an increase in Democrats and Republicans living apart, socializing apart, and consuming different news, essentially living in two distinctly different worlds; and an increased tribalism that results in negative partisanship, whereby Democrats and Republicans hate each other more than they love their own party.
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