'It's just messed up': Most think political divisions as bad as Vietnam era, new poll shows

[DonViejo]

Source: The Washington Post




The Post-U. Md. survey reveals a starkly pessimistic view of the U.S. political system under President Trump.

By John Wagner and Scott Clement

Oct. 28, 2017

Seven in 10 Americans say the nation’s political divisions are at least as big as during the Vietnam War, according to a new poll, which also finds nearly 6 in 10 saying Donald Trump’s presidency is making the U.S. political system more dysfunctional.

The Washington Post-University of Maryland poll — conducted nine months into Trump’s tumultuous presidency — reveals a starkly pessimistic view of U.S. politics, widespread distrust of the nation’s political leaders and their ability to compromise, and an erosion of pride in the way democracy works in America.

-snip-

Trump’s arrival in the White House in January ushered in a period of big political fights — over issues including health care, taxes and immigration — and a sharp escalation in personal attacks on political opponents, over social media and elsewhere.

Seven in 10 Americans say the nation’s politics have reached a dangerous low point, and a majority of those believe the situation is a “new normal” rather than temporary, according to the poll.



Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/national/democracy-poll

[FarPoint]

1. I disagree....

It is much, much worse....

[Dave Starsky]

7. Absolutely worse. No question

I never imagined anything like this in my lifetime. Even those dystopian sci-fi films of the '70s depicted the future US as being a more-or-less civil place.

[Hugin]

9. +1

Yup.

[hvn_nbr_2]

11. Indeed it is much worse now

If things had been as bad then as they are now, WingnutFeverDreams.com would have claimed that the Tet Offensive never happened, that there's no such thing as Agent Orange, and that most of those dead Americans were actually fake news. Back then there were plenty of lies and distortions but there was at least some connection to this universe.

[JHB]

13. Yup. Back then there wan't an entire apparatus designed to foster it...

There were workshops, of course, but not the current sprawling industrial park blackening the sky with soot.

[FarPoint]

14. The GOP back then ....

They ultimately recognized and engaged in ethical boundaries....could rise to serving "We the People".....no longer do they care...they serve only what benefits their bank account... totally self serving today.... suffering of the people is a given acceptable practice.

[JHB]

15. It was also before Movement Conservatives started their takeover of the Republican Pary...

...so the Republicans still had a relatively liberal wing.

Those were the first targets and casualties of the messaging apparatus they built.

[SamKnause]

2. The division is worse.

This is on the scale of the Civil War Era.

[Roy Rolling]

3. "Evil people"

Someone once wrote that the War Between the States started when the dialog had become each side calling the other side "evil people". It wasn't that there were differences in management techniques and philosophies, the other side was evil and ungodly.

So when the discussion becomes "they are the most dishonest people on the face of the earth", that is fertile ground for civil war. And we are there now, led by a president who is an anarchist wishing to abolish all government and allow business to govern interactions between us citizens.

[RDANGELO]

4. there is a false equivalency here.

The Republican base is highly manipulated thru Fox News, right wing radio,and web sights. Look at what they have done with Uranium One thing. They use the tribal human instinct.

[Kolesar]

6. Eighty years ago, we had generals plotting to overthrow FDR

Fifty years ago, the tribal system was anti-communism, anti-Catholic, negros in their place.

The current gop is still railing against the old counter culture hippies. Just musing here. Love you post, btw.

[dalton99a]

5. "Americans are using political labels to define people"

Half of Americans say that if they know someone is a Democrat, that not only indicates what they think about government policies but also how they live their lives. More than half of Americans said the same thing about Republicans.

At the same time, many Americans feel less commonality with their neighbors. A 56 percent majority says there are fewer things that bind Americans together today than in the past, a view shared by majorities across party lines and most demographic groups.

[Maxheader]

8. I will feel better..

when people start answering questions about the state of American politics
with specifics..the environment, jobs going out of the country, why are
conservatives, considering the leaders they elect..allowed to vote?

[kimbutgar]

10. And don't forget how families are divided and the ending of long term friendships over twitler,

During the bush years we still talked to one another, twitler brought in hyper partisanship and division in unprecented levels.

I heard on the radio yesterday a woman saying she and her husband barely get along anymore because he supports twitler and she hates him. They’ve been married since 2011 and she’s thinking of ending the marriage!

[Brother Buzz]

12. I lived the whole Vietnam era and it was slow motion compared to the shit we are seeing today

It's much worse today because of the recklessness and lack of stability with a madman at the helm.

[CrispyQ]

16. One side openly says they want to kill liberals.

I mean, I don't like repubs, as a general rule, but I don't want to kill them. I just want them to live & let live, stop lying, & stop trying to force their religious values on me.