Republicans and Democrats agree that less partisan hostility is “good for the country.”
QUICK FACTS:
- A September Public Agenda/USA Today/Ipsos poll found that 72% of Americans thought it would be “good for the country” if there was less political hostility and if people focused more on common ground, FiveThirtyEight reports.
- Americans are united in thinking that partisan hostility and divisiveness harm the country and want a less contentious nation, said the Public Agenda report, titled “America’s Hidden Common Ground: Putting Partisan Animosity in Perspective.”
- “Across the political spectrum and demographic groups, Americans believe that partisan hostility among ordinary people and among politicians are both very serious problems,” the report went on to say.
- “Most agree that partisanship has made it more difficult to conduct elections and deal with the economic and health impacts of the pandemic.”
- Public Agenda also noted that “Most Americans actually do not have strongly unfavorable feelings towards either Democratic or Republican voters” and that “Most Americans believe in the value of differences of opinion and dialogue, and many are trying to connect across partisan lines.”
SURVEY’S KEY FINDINGS:
- Nearly three-quarters of Americans (72%) think it would be “good for the country” if Americans reject political hostility and focus more on areas of mutual agreement. Those identifying themselves as Democrats (75%) or Republicans (80%) were even more inclined to agree with that sentiment, according to USA Today.
- Only 9% of Americans think that political animosity between Americans will decrease in the next decade. A 42% plurality thinks it will increase, led both by Republicans and Independents (each at 46%).
- Three out of 10 Americans have “very unfavorable” feelings toward either Republican or Democratic voters, Democrats having more ill will toward their political counterparts, including 18% who view GOP voters that way and 13% who feel the same about Democratic voters.
- Despite the increasing political bitterness, most Americans reject the notion of splitting the country into red and blue states, 51% saying it would be “very bad” and 19% saying it would be “somewhat bad.”
- About three-quarters of Americans say they value different political perspectives and nearly half (45%) say that, in the last 12 months, they have often or sometimes had a constructive conversation about politics with someone holding opposite views, USA Today goes on to report.
FOLLOW THE MONEY:
Public Agenda found that, “Across partisan lines, most Americans agree that reducing the influence of money in politics would help bring the country together.”
BACKGROUND:
- Despite those optimistic numbers, 42% of Americans predict political resentment would increase instead of decrease among ordinary Americans.
- Public Agenda said their report focused on “affective polarization, meaning negative feelings towards people whose political views differ from one’s own.”
- “Few Americans are optimistic that partisan hostility will decrease in the next ten years, though most wish it would, and many believe there are viable ways to bridge our divides.”
