America’s Ideological Splits Aren’t as Simple as Left, Right and Center
American politics are perhaps more polarized than at any time in recent history. That doesn’t mean, however, that either side is anything close to united. Those on the right and the left are ideologically fractured, a new Pew Research report finds, with the majority in the middle “unified by frustration with politics and little else” and posing challenges to both parties as they try to craft election messaging, build coalitions and motivate infrequent voters.
The report divides the American public into eight groups, many of which defy the traditional liberal/conservative boundaries. Of those, the three most consistently partisan are also the most over-represented in the political sphere, making up just a combined 36 percent of the public, but 57 percent of the politically engaged Americans who regularly vote and pay attention to the news.
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