Between January 2023 to June 2023, public support for the use of violent force against Congress grew from 8% to 16%.
QUICK FACTS:
- A study from the University of Chicago found that Democratic support for the use of force to coerce Congress into various decisions sharply increased.
- The study drew upon data from the June 22-26, 2023 CPOST/NORC Nationally Representative Survey on Understanding Support for Political Violence in America.
- In a section entitled “Violent Support to Coerce Members of Congress,” the study found that Democratic support for the subject doubled, growing by about 2.5 times, from 9% to 17%.
- “This growing anger parallels the Republican rise to power and proceedings in the House of Representatives,” the study noted.
- The increase was reflected in the Democratic call to restore abortion rights, as the idea of using violence to achieve the goal grew from 8% to 16% from January 2023 to June 2023.
- The findings correlate to a “growing anger over the Republican-controlled supreme court,” according to the university’s study.
OTHER DETAILS FROM THE STUDY:
- The study found that about 40% of Americans across the political spectrum have some sense of distrust in the nation’s institutions, for example, believing that “elections will not solve America’s fundamental problems and political leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties are the most immoral people in America.”
- Calls for “violent” radical support for Donald Trump increased from 4.5% to 7%.
- Whereas 90% of Trump’s supports agree with at least one of his claims, such as the 2020 election being stolen, that future elections will be rigged, or that investigations are politically motivated.
- The study concluded with a suggestion from the university: “Our leaders across the political spectrum should mobilize the vast majority of both Republicans and Democrats who oppose political violence and support peaceful means of resolving disputes.”
- It continued, “The results of the mid-term elections on November 8, 2022 provide evidence that this approach can work. Our leaders should follow up this momentum to endorse more bipartisan solutions to safeguard American democracy going forward.”
- According to Robert Pape, the author of the study and a University of Chicago political scientist, “Things are definitely heading in the wrong direction in terms of the radicalization of the country and we need to be aware of that because there were some hopes that the Trump indictment would actually reduce support for Trump.”
BACKGROUND:
- In April, it was learned that the pro-choice group “Jane’s Revenge” graffitied a pro-life pregnancy center.
- Some of the graffitied phrases on the HerChoice building included “fund abortion,” “liars,” “fake clinic,” and “abort God.”
- “This vile attack is part of a nationwide movement to intimidate, threaten, and terrorize pregnancy centers,” Rochelle Sikora, the executive director of HerChoice, said to Fox News Digital.
- The move comes as several pro-life organizations faced property theft, arson, and other damages.
- “These tactics are not only anti-American, they are based on misconceptions, misinformation, and outright lies,” Sikora continued.
