Two Vastly Different Visions of America
A large part of the reason for the anger in America stemming from political battles is because the actual great divide is not merely over policy differences.
The true divide in American politics is deeper: over how one sees America, American society, and even the American people. The two parties hold conflicting values, very different priorities, and different goals for what America should be. And the battle is between the parties only because many voters are passionately aligned with their party, and therefore devoted to its platform.
Their outlooks and motivations are radically different.
Republican voters believe America is good — government is the problem. And they demand that politicians re-focus on what’s actually happening in their lives, families, and communities.
Democratic politicians believe American society is broken and they need the government to fix it and correct Americans. They collaborate with their allies in academia and legacy media to reinforce that message.
Republican politicians and activists see America as great, American society as good, and Americans generally doing the right thing. Most people voting for Republicans want them to use the government to stop the harms being inflicted by actual “elites” — government officials, bureaucrats, out of control judges and the left’s allies from Harvard to the New York Times, from CBS to the teachers’ unions.
Democratic politicians, activists and legacy media see America, American society and many Americans as flawed. America needs to apologize or American interests need to take a back seat to higher values. To many of them, American society is “misguided” and too many Americans have character and behavior flaws: being racist, bigoted, misogynistic or jingoistic. Seeing all these flaws, sins and biases among Americans, Democrats must control the government — from the school board to the White House, from the courts to the Department of Justice. They actively work with the legacy media, higher education and K-12 administrators and teachers, and Hollywood both to re-educate Americans and use the government to fix all that is broken in society.
They also see existential crises across society — and the world — and are focused on aspirational goals: “defending democracy,” “saving the planet,” “defunding the police,” and “fighting for” a never ending alphabet soup of sexual identities and behaviors.
The values and priorities divide can be shown in a few highlights.
Today’s GOP is often focused on three things. First, the GOP is the party representing those standing up and shouting: “stop!” From men in women’s sports to drag shows at schools, from wide-open borders to defund the police, from illegal immigrant criminals needing to be deported to ending the backwardness of DEI, their voters are tired of watching American society turned upside down and inside out and they want them to stop it. Second, GOP voters want politicians to fix problems and for them to care about the things they talk about at their kitchen tables — inflation, crime, their kids’ futures and questions like: why are taxes so high? Why are criminals’ rights more important than victims? Third, these voters responded to “Make America Great Again” because they do think both that America was great (albeit flawed) and that it should again be great.
In short, they want tangible results: stop the harm, restore common sense, and focus on Americans.
Democratic politicians and activists see so much that is so wrong — injustices and crises that they need power, and alliances in media and academia. They are motivated by crises and causes, focusing on “big issues” discussed in the New York Times, at Ivy League universities, or on PBS. They see a society that is broken and unwilling to change as they see necessary. They are purposeful in seeking to end, radically change or tear down traditions and institutions that they see at the heart of what broke America or are preventing it from being “fixed.”
Being less enamored with America and our traditions, they are not concerned about open borders and endless asylum seekers, nor are they the least bit apprehensive about brushing aside America’s independence for a worldwide governing body or compacts. It’s planet first, not America first.
The differences between our two parties are not over different opinions on policy. Far more dramatic, far more different, the two parties have very different priorities. The real battle is between two groups of Americans. They have a fundamentally different outlook on where America is and what it should be.
The minority of Americans who don’t see themselves as aligned with either vision is forced to choose election by election to either embrace one vision or tolerate it, because they are put off by — or have been failed by — the other party.
Because the parties are more ideologically aligned than ever before, cooperation, collaboration and compromise are almost impossible. This is especially true of elected Democrats who rarely, if ever, break ranks. Just ask Senator Fetterman.
For much of America’s history, voters held views on issues and priorities in their hearts and heads, and that led them to join a party. Today for many voters, being a loyal member of a party dictates what you believe on all issues, and your priorities. The tail is wagging the dog — vigorously. It’s like becoming a new member of a religious faith. You’re confronted with an issue and you check what your “bible” or “pastor” has to say so that you may chant it.
This divide is based on different values and is, therefore, not only conflicting but very different priorities of what’s important; and what needs to be protected, improved, or replaced. Failing to see this — or pretending it’s 1995 — is why many observers are misguidedly looking to break the gridlock or mute the shouting, be it in Washington or Harrisburg.
Perhaps if one vision clearly succeeds or clearly fails, voters may decisively empower one side and potentially force the other to refocus on what the majority is looking for.
Otherwise, this divide will not be bridged any time soon.
Guy Ciarrocchi is a Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation. He writes for Broad + Liberty and RealClear Pennsylvania. Follow Guy at @PaSuburbsGuy.
