Are Democrats or Republicans more responsible for polarization in America?

Andrew (Reps)

Former President and convicted felon Donald Trump, along with his Republican colleagues, have seemingly embraced white nationalism, far-right ideologies (such as the Great Replacement theory), and violent rhetoric (like “when the looting starts, the shooting starts”). Rather than an aberration, this latest iteration of Republican hate-mongering is simply accelerating the trend of conservatives in America moving distinctly to the political right. The Republican party has moved so far to the right that compromise, even with centrist Democrats, is virtually impossible. As far back as 2010, many Republican lawmakers declared they would never compromise with the opposition. We have also seen more recent versions of this, such as when Republicans killed the bipartisan border security bill so that Donald Trump could use the issue in his election campaign. 

While many issues divide the nation, the Republican position of allowing virtually unlimited access to weapons of war and refusing even to consider sensible gun control has caused deep divisions in our nation. Guns kill tens of thousands of people in America each year, causing real pain, yet Republicans insist on maintaining the status quo.

Republicans are directly responsible for the conversations that many millions of Americans dread each year at Thanksgiving: QAnon and other conspiracy theories. Donald Trump’s tenuous grasp of basic facts, as well as the inability to admit defeat in the 2020 election, have created deep divisions and polarizations so severe it has become difficult for families to enjoy a holiday meal together. Unfortunately, ever since the days of the Tea Party, Republicans have allowed their anger and irrationality to separate them from others in society.

Luis (Dems)

Republicans and Democrats have become more separated by their conservative and liberal beliefs over the years. Yet, the Democratic party is mainly responsible for increasing this polarization. Their racially divisive and dangerous rhetoric towards their political counterparts does nothing to 'lower the temperature.' Conservative Republicans have been regularly demonized as Democratic leaders use denigrating and offensive rhetoric against anyone who disagrees with the liberal agenda. 

Biden himself did this in 2022, declaring Trump, MAGA supporters, and the Republican agenda at large assaults 'equality and democracy.' In 2015, Hilary Clinton called Trump supporters 'deplorables.' In 2012, Biden said to Black voters that voting for Romney would “put y’all back in chains.” Over his two terms, Obama is directly responsible for polarization, even promoting the lie in 2014 that racism is ‘deeply rooted’ in America.

Most concerningly is how Democrat officials prosecute their political opponents, exasperating polarization and distrust in the government. Obama did it when he directed the IRS to go after conservative groups and more recently during Biden-Harris's term when Trump was unprecedently targeted by politically-driven indictments and lawsuits coming from a Democrat DOJ, prosecutors, and judges.

Democrats have ridiculed conservatives for decades, imposing a biased narrative onto public opinion, echoed by Hollywood and the mainstream media, both run by liberals. This is why media pundits often repeat Democrat talking points, which are polarizing by themselves. 

The Democratic Party has radicalized to extreme positions, showing its ugliest semblance after Trump's 2016 presidential victory. Liberals invented the lie that he stole the election through “Russian collusion.” Democrats have also embraced identity politics, accompanied by woke ideology, which has only further deteriorated race relations in the US and resulted in dangerous policies like police defunding. Republicans aren’t perfect, but no one has contributed more to today’s polarization than Democrats.