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Jack Duane's avatar

Musk's idea for a third party might be the ticket to get all the centrists that you allude to, to vote in a Prez, as long as Musk doesn't trot out himself as candidate. Someone like Jesse "The Body" Ventura would be great.

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Paul Brickhouse's avatar

A lot of good points; I’ve debated with friends the current echo chamber of social media and how “twitter makes us bitter. “

But I think the divide, started earlier and driven more by issues than tone and rhetoric, most notably abortion rights. At the time of Wade (1973), the main parties were more like 60/40 and 40/60 (maybe 70/30 and 30/70). By 1992, abortion had morphed as a litmus test for candidates for both parties. The silencing of Gov Casey at the 1992 convention wasn’t about the right words to use but what issue could come up for debate.

Tone and rhetoric are basically campaign tactics. Change a few minds but mainly raise money and drive turnout.

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Ray Brown's avatar

Can't we just get along?

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Russ Yarrow's avatar

Good question!

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Laurie Danko's avatar

You are so right! The days of reaching across the aisle to get things done ... we just have to get there again. Super interesting polarization chart. BTW, that No King in the sand photo was mobilized by a college classmate of mine. He and a buddy have "produced" several of these political creations.

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Russ Yarrow's avatar

Very effective!

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Jamie Herbison's avatar

Your graphic on polarization looks like two very diseased amoebas

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George O'Brien's avatar

I would describe the bell curve of public opinion as now forming barbells with more at the extremes. If it keeps up, the middle breaks. And then . . .

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Russ Yarrow's avatar

Perfect analogy!

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