America is polarized, but the center is not dead
Running for office in Virginia taught me something that cable news and social media often hide: The United States is not as extreme as its politics.
TL;DR
- Running for office in Virginia showed that the U.S. is not as politically extreme as its politics suggest.
- Most people are focused on everyday concerns like family, jobs, schools, safety, bills, faith, health, and the future, not political warfare.
- Cable news, social media, and loud political voices can create the illusion that the middle has vanished and every disagreement is a battle.
- The author believes the American people are more reasonable than the political noise indicates.
- U.S. democracy is under serious pressure, with trust in the federal government near historic lows (17% trust always or most of the time, according to Pew Research Center).