An Urban's Rural View

If farmers took as long to grow a crop as Congress took to pass the latest farm bill -- three years -- we'd all starve. Fortunately, agricultural gridlock isn't the country's problem. Unfortunately, political gridlock is worsening as the country becomes more and more polarized.

A Pew Research Center survey of 10,000 Americans shines important new light on this polarization. Pew classifies people on an ideological spectrum based on their responses to 10 questions. In 1994 only 10% of those surveyed were at either end of that spectrum -- either "consistently conservative," meaning they answered at least nine of the 10 questions as you'd expect a conservative to answer them, or "consistently liberal," giving the liberal answer to at least nine of 10. Today 21% are at one end or the other.

Granted, that's still just a fifth of the population. But it's an important fifth. According to Pew, "The most politically polarized are more actively involved in politics, amplifying the voices that are the least willing to see the parties meet each other halfway."

The center is shrinking -- only 39% answered half the questions one way and half the other, down from 49% two decades ago. And, says Pew, "Many of those in the center remain on the edges of the political playing field." They're less likely to vote, contribute to a candidate or work on a campaign.

In the past the adherents of both political parties included a significant number of moderates. Today neither party can claim to be a "big tent." Among those identifying as Republicans in this year's survey, 92% were to the right of the median Democrat, up from 64% in 1994, while 94% of this year's Democrats were to the left of the median Republican, up from 70% two decades ago.

Partisan antipathy rages, with 36% of Republicans saying the Democratic Party is a threat to the nation's well being, while 27% of Democrats feel that way about the GOP.

The ideologues live in echo chambers. Nearly two thirds of consistent conservatives and half of consistent liberals say most of their close friends share their political views.

Nor is it just politics that distinguishes the two ends of the spectrum. Fully 75% of consistent conservatives want to live in areas where the houses are larger and farther apart, miles from shopping and restaurants, while 77%% of consistent liberals prefer areas where the houses are smaller and closer together but shops and restaurants are within walking distance.

For 57% of consistent conservatives, but only 17% of consistent liberals, it's important to live in a community with shared religious beliefs. For 76% of consistent liberals, but only 20% of consistent conservatives, a racially and ethnically diverse community is important.

To be sure, ideological differences have always been with us. There have even been times, like the 19th century divide over slavery, when they tore the nation apart.

But compared to the last six or seven decades today's differences feel, well, different. When I lived in Washington, D.C., in the 1970s, it wasn't uncommon to attend parties where some guests were very liberal and some very conservative. The conversations got intense at times but in the end people agreed to disagree and have a good time with each other. In Congress, friendships across the aisle weren't unusual.

They're more unusual now. Pew's survey confirms the impression that today's gulf is more pervasive: "Republicans and Democrats are more divided along ideological lines -- and partisan antipathy is deeper and more extensive -- than at any point in the last two decades," Pew concludes.

Polarization and gridlock made it excruciatingly difficult to pass the last farm bill. If the ideological gap continues to widen, you have to wonder whether there will ever be another.

Urban Lehner can be reached at urbanity@hotmail.com

Follow Urban Lehner on Twitter @Urbanize

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