As political polarization heats up and the parties become ever more extreme, those in the middle feel left out of the political conversation. That’s bad for government and for society. But there is a solution within reach.
Opinion
Surveys show that Americans are growing increasingly dissatisfied with their political parties with a majority viewing both the Republican and Democratic parties unfavorably. President Biden’s approval rating is likewise underwater, as is former President Trump’s. It is becoming the norm for those at the highest levels of government to have approval ratings below 50%.
The speed and ease with which we spread information is at least partly to blame for the growing extremism in our two major parties. With news channels and social media enabling political leaders to reach a national audience almost instantly, nearly all politics become nationalized. Voters now view school board races through the same lens as presidential races. Local issues are ignored in favor of the national political issue of the day.
As a result, political parties have become more homogeneous. Gone are the days of conservative Southern Democrats and liberal New England Republicans. Rather than building complex coalitions that allowed each party to talk to a wide variety of voters, the new American political party is based on allegiance to one of two political sides: left or right. You are one or the other, or you are not welcome in either group.
For those in the center-right or center-left, this creates an uncomfortable situation. The party that they identify with feels less like home, but the other party is even more unrecognizable and unappealing. Median voters are left voting for “the lesser of two evils” rather than for a party that they feel speaks for them.
We see this play out first-hand here in Wyoming. Conflict between those who would push voters out and those who would bring voters into our Republican Party routinely makes headlines. The primary divide in our Legislature is not between the two political parties, but between the extreme and mainstream members of the Republican Party. Anecdotally, many of those I talk to about the state of politics in Wyoming end up lamenting the way our state is headed and how they do not feel at home in their own party anymore, whether that be Democratic or Republican.
For those dissatisfied with the direction of politics in this country, it is clear you are not alone.
This nationalization and polarization causes disengagement, which feeds a self-perpetuating cycle. As the parties move more to the extremes, fewer of the voters in the middle feel at home in that party. Those voters disengage, either through dropping their party registration or failing to meaningfully participate in the process within the political parties. As a result, their voices are not heard in the process and the party is left with only the voices encouraging further moves away from the middle. We see this in national political statistics, as independents now far outnumber the members of either political party. Republicans and Democrats each boasted 28% of registered voters in 2022, while 41% were registered independents.
Of course, people disengage. Who, after all, wants to spend time and effort on a club that feels like a bad fit? But we have to fight our instinct here, because the solution to dissatisfaction with political parties is more engagement, not less. Leaving the parties to the zealots will only result in the parties continuing to run to the extremes, likely to their own detriment, and ours. The parties depend on the median voter to obtain and maintain power. Why should that voter not have a voice in the political party system?
Political parties should welcome this engagement, despite groans from ideological extremists. The goal of a political party should be to garner the support of enough voters to win and further your policy proposals. A party that is ideologically rigid but consistently gets 40% of the vote is as powerless as a party that gets 0%. Voices that speak to the mass of voters in the middle are key to ensuring that political parties can actually do what they are intended to do: govern.
For those dissatisfied with the direction of politics in this country, it is clear you are not alone. However, there is a solution and that is for you to participate in the process, especially within our political parties. Politics cannot be left solely to those on the extremes. Political views fall on a spectrum, and whether you are on the edges or in the middle, it is important for you to make your voice heard and for those in power to listen.
It is possible that the economic system is not working and that is the basis of the extremist dilemma, a majority are actually quite united in their anxiety but they are expressing themselves in varying extreme ways, including withdrawal. It could also be that the educational system has failed us. It could be that indifference toward doing anything about homelessness for so long has made us all abandon our sense of community. It could be complete automobile dependence by all living generations in the USA has yielded a new mentality that lacks basic human cooperation. It could be that management in business and authoritarian family leaders (parents) are so incredibly,, broadly, bad that bully tactics are seen as true leadership, legitimate effective leadership.. on the other hand,I It could be that the economic system works so well that we have achieved a physical mobility in which like-minded people are in fact congregating. In what are becoming silo communities.. It could be that there has been a Confederate flag routinely flying from a flagstaff at the geographic center of The Equality State for about 20 years now, it’s old and battered and many of us have seen it but nobody has done anything to suggest to the owner of any group of citizens that it’s not appropriate. So maybe taking that one flag down would be the symbolic and spiritual change that would spark a more cohesive, democratic society inside the State and beyond. It could be that “it’s always 1858 in America”. It could be something simple, something endemic like that. “There ain’t no cause for despair.” as the song goes.
What would it take for the plurality you assign to Wyoming independents to be recognized on the same basis as those nominally identified as Republican or Democrat. I imagine it would entail finding someone with very sturdy democratic bones. Roots have a deep bias, which is a tribal legacy since the frontier homesteading history. Now a former resident, I realize I am yelling a wind turbines, which could be a rich power source that should be unshackled by too many people between seller and consumer. But I would admire that possibilty as a real step forward.
The recent meeting of state Republicans should be a wake up call for all citizens of the state. Democrats have allowed those Republicans to paint them as extremists, when in fact most are far from that. It is the inclusive party.
On the other hand, state chair Eathorne made it clear that RINO’s will not be tolerated. He will not support any who aren’t in lock step with the party platform.
Republicans have created unholy alliances with those who view “others” as less than them. Others are women and all minorities other than white men they believe should remain in power. Eathorne is another white man who disrespects women.
Republicans advocate individual liberty for themselves, but not for “others.” They want to dictate what all children should learn and be. Look at the platform and the bills they promoted during the last legislative session.
Their alliance with the far right is not that most are pro-life, but that it fits into their agenda of controlling women.
I agree with you.
no such thing as registered independent.
the unenrolled are as many as republican’s & democrat’s.
the unenrolled are registered so they can stay disengaged & usually are preoccupied with their own self interest.
Explain your position and statement, please.
Dear Mr. Lenhart,
Your opinion article is refreshing and encouraging. It is a message that needs to be repeated all over our nation. George Washington was weary of political parties for the very reasons we find so many disenchanted and disengaged with the political process today.
Good strength to you and other writers who continue to write and encourage others to get involved in our nation’s governing process– even if it’s just attending their local town or city council meetings to be aware of how their elected officials are taking care of local matters that many times affect citizens the most.
God Bless.