Can someone help summarize this paragraph for me?

Question

The paragraph states....

Quite a while before the significance of morality and values as a dividing line within the American polity became a standard line of analysis by political scientits and commentators, John White had already spotted it. The "Values Divide" began decades ago, based on issues that had not yet entered the political arena directly. White discusses clashing views on the family, on marriage, on church attendance, on lifestyles. The way that public officials from both political parties have reacted to the struggle over values is significant for political discourse in america. Instead of looking for middle ground, white observes, most politicians have fled to the extremes where the democrats and republicans find themselves most at odds with one another. Copyright © 2007, All Rights Reserved.


This is the whole paragraph. Who can summarize it, please help. Thank you to who does!

Answer 1

Basically since religion and "family values" have become such a divisive and significant aspect of how the public views a Presidential candidate, each candidate is trying to "outdo" the other in gaining the upper hand as far as the perception of who most embraces these values. In order to do this, they have to get more and more extreme. If you aren't the frontrunner you have to become more extreme in comparison to them because if you sound like them, why not just vote for them?

In the GOP party especially, it is important to "talk tough" as well, since Republicans tend to embrace the Iraq war as a Nazi Germany type "win or be conquered" conflict. So in addition to family values, they engage in bravado and try to pound their chest the loudest to win favor with their supporters.

Answer 2

"Over the last few decades, politicians and the parties have become increasing polarized as a response to social trends."

Though, I don't think this is as unusual as the article implies. Read some of the political rhetoric from 19th and 20th centuries, you will see the exact same polarization, partisanship, and political gamesmanship.

Answer 3

He said Chinese take-outs are better than Mexican-burritos cause the burritos gave him too much gas. Even though the chinese food was as bad as the burritos, he would not settle for Salad.

Answer 4

I won't do your homework, but I'll help you.

Make a bulleted list of each major point. Then state these points as concisely as you can.

Answer 5

sounds like a bunch of baloney to me