what happened to make our country so polarized?

Question

When Bush ran in 2000 he campaigned as being a uniter. Since then our country has become even more divided. Instead of respecting the oposing point of view, it is now a "Your either with me or against me" society, regardless of where you stand on an issue. What happened?

Answer 1

The Clinton presidency and the 2000 elections.

Durring the Clinton era, the office of the president was damaged by constant partisan attacks, respect for the office, itself, was lost.

For about the previous 20 years, presidents, including Reagan and Clinton, had been winning election by apealing to the center. The 2000 election was run the same way. Gore distanced himself slightly from Clinton, Bush disembled about being 'compasionate' and so froth. The result, though, was so close that a fairly minor surge by a 3rd party candidate (Nader, Green) apealing to the far left of the Democratic party, combined with a 'grass roots' effort by the religious faction of the Republican party, cost Gore the election.

Ever since then, both parties have paid much more attention thier respective 'Base.' That's radical religious wackos, and imperialistic rightwing hawks on the Republican side, and looney tune hippyiod environmentalists, pinko pacificsts, and race-warriors on the Democratic side. You can see how that might be a tad devisive.

Answer 2

Not George Bush which is what some many people chose to think. People always filter reality through the prism of a temporal and myopic understanding. The real world is a bit more complicated. Sir Francis Bacon said it best: “Men on their side must force themselves for a while to lay their notions by and begin to familiarize themselves with facts.”

The US problem began with the Cold War. Opposition to Communism was disastrous for the US image. The Soviets through their agents and enablers in the West managed to paint every act by the US as aggressive and hostile and every negative occurence around the world as the fault of the US.

Answer 3

definitely, in case you sat down with somebody from the furthest political spectrum, and you had a civil verbal substitute, you're able to detect you ought to agree on an incredible many stuff. The "squeaky wheel gets the grease" although and those loud voices on the two part are crammed with hate and stupidity. the actual divide occurs to be with desiring a good significant government or a small limited government. that's the actual difficulty that could locate no compromise. It the two is or it is not.

Answer 4

Rather than continue in the tradition of the founding fathers and truly debate an issue, the lefties and righties simply dig in and refuse to converse and seldom compromise. When America was first founded there were TONS of disagreements but people talked them out. Now there is no talking, only I'm right and you are a traitor.

Answer 5

a lot of it has to do with the fact that many people are trying to cause people to become divided and anti-American.

Answer 6

Politcal correctness.

Answer 7

Bush won fair and square in 2000, but the Democrats started crying like little babies. They have been crying ever since. The divisiveness in this country has been caused by Democrats. They pit one group against the other: rich vs poor, black vs white, citizen vs illegal, have vs have not, etc, etc.
They do this as a political tool to gain and hold power. It succeeded in 2006. They won't stop. Look for the divisiveness to worsen. And the liberal Democrats are to blame.

Answer 8

I think you answer your question. Who made the phrase "Your either with me or against me" famous?

Answer 9

George W. Bush happened.

Answer 10

The liberals came out blazing against the Christians in full force. I have become a champion of Bush because I am sick and tired of hearing how all his supporters are "White Christian Trailer Trash." I put up with this crap for 7 years and I am mad as hell.

That's why I am polarized, that and their baby-killing...