a little difference?

Could the American people be a lot less polarized than the media makes us out to be?

It would probably be in the best interests of those currently in power to convince people that things are gridlocked and pretty hopeless and no one is going to listen to you anyway, so just shut up and keep consuming.

Qui bono?

New Study Finds Much Common Ground Between Red and Blue Districts

A new study conducted by NCDD members at Voice of the People and the Program for Public Consultation finds remarkably little difference between the views of people who live in red (Republican) districts or states, and those who live in blue (Democratic) districts or states on questions about what policies the government should pursue. The study analyzed 388 questions asking what the government should do in regard to a wide range of policy issues and found that that most people living in red districts/states disagreed with most people in blue districts/states on only four percent of the questions.

The study titled, "A Not So Divided America," contradicts the conventional wisdom that the political gridlock between Democrats and Republicans in Congress arises from deep disagreements over policy among the general public. 

The study analyzed questions from dozens of surveys from numerous sources including the National Election Studies, Pew, major media outlets, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs as well as the Program for Public Consultation. Responses were analyzed based on whether the respondents lived in red or blue districts or states.   

• On only four percent of the questions (14 out of 388) did a majority or plurality of those living in red congressional districts/states disagree with the majority or plurality in the blue districts/states.
• For a large majority of questions - 69 percent - (266 of 388), there were no statistically significant differences between the views in the red districts/states and the blue districts/states.
• For 23 percent, or 90 questions, there were statistically significant differences in the size of the majority or plurality, but the dominant position in both the red and blue districts/states was on the same side of the issue.
• Thus for 92 percent of questions people in red and blue districts and states basically agreed. 

The full study can be found here.

The report's appendix with the survey questions analyzed can be found here.