The Pew Research Center has shown that over the last two decades, political parties are drifting further apart and that centrists/independents are fading.
The logical question that follows: Why?
People aren’t thinking, but merely being tribalistic.
I agree and disagree with both parties; it depends on the specific topic. I can’t say that I am a Republican or a Democrat — neither side gets things completely right. There are pros and cons on both sides. Everything from guns to abortion — so many topics for us to agree and disagree on, to discuss, to debate. The likelihood of each individual agreeing on every topic listed with their chosen party is inconsistent with that of an independent thinker.
The parties are growing more polarized with a failure to compromise and seek understanding of the other’s views. Relying more on labels and agreeing completely with their tribe, i.e. not thinking.
The parties becoming vastly more polarized does not tell us that one party is figuring out all the right answers and the other party is getting all the answers wrong. Things often aren’t simply right and wrong, black and white.
If people were thinking for themselves, we would have more independents and more centrists.
Matthew D. Hansen, Taylorsville