Posted Jan 2, 2023
My most recent blog post mentioned some basic facts about the United States, but I felt they deserved further explanation.
When I said most Americans feel this way and that, I was citing polling data (see link). We know very well where Americans stand politically. And you will not be informed about this data by watching CNN or Fox or MSNBC or the network news. They will not tell you this. American news coverage is a national embarrassment. No educated population would tolerate a CNN or Fox. I tell my students that they should turn off the television and read their news instead.
There is no perfect news source. They all have their flaws—sometimes very deep ones. I recommend starting with the Guardian, the New York Times, and Vox, which is an explainer website doing very good work. I am quite critical of the New York Times, but still recommend people read it. “I hear the Times is a liberal paper.” This brings me to another point.
MOST AMERICANS ARE LIBERAL. Liberalism is a centrist political philosophy. I mentioned this (yesterday) in my post on political language. The center of the political spectrum is where most people sit on most issues. The Democrats and Republicans are both to the right of the population—the GOP more so. Congress does not represent your preferences. Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are described as leftists. This is not accurate. Neither politician is left of center. There are no leftist members of Congress. Bernie does not have a socialist bone in his body. He can call himself whatever he wants; I can call myself a world-renowned pastry chef, but this does not make it so.
Americans see eye to eye to a degree of about two-thirds on just about everything. That is where the center is. If a politician approximated the center, he or she would immediately be branded a leftist-socialist. Are you a leftist-socialist? I doubt it. Is America a leftist-socialist country? Nope. It’s a centrist-liberal country. Both major parties are right of center. Yes, the Democrats are moving to the left—toward the center. The GOP has been moving to the right (for years), far, far away from what the population wants.
So, to the tune of about 67 percent, Americans agree with one another on just about every major political issue. The nation is not divided. However, a divide does exist in the country: between the population and Congress.
We are not divided. We’re just not getting what we want. Because we vote badly. We are supporting politicians who do not support the majority (the working class). We are supporting people who do not support us. Imagine if your marriage were arranged this way. I’ll leave you with your thoughts.
