The Closing of the American Mind

An excellent and insightful piece. Interested readers should check out Ronald Brownstein's book "The Second Civil War" that discusses hyperpartisanship. One other point to note is that the expansion of 24 hr news and the Internet, not to mention some contributing social factors, encourage the horse-race aspect of politics. Politicians get good press for "beating" the other guy (or gal). The sober realities of policy discussion and compromise have long given way (at least for many Americans) to the snippets and zingers of competitive politics.

Comment: You got it right. Unfortunately the divisions that you speak of are much greater. Segragation by political view is geographic/social reality as well as in narrow casted media enclaves. All too many left wing Democrats don't know a single Republican and vice versa. Simply put we breaking down into tribes on the extremes and if the middle doesn't rise up in revolt, we will be in big trouble!!