Americans Growing Tired Of Politics

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Distrust in politics has been growing in recent years. In new Pew Research, Chapter 10 is about American distrust in politics. It is reported that 8/10 Americans described Politics in a negative way. 

Negative Views of American Politics

65% are exhausted and 55% are angry with a small amount of 10% being hopeful. Honestly, with recent events occurring in American Politics, it makes sense. 

Discussions of government shutdowns, former President Trump being liable for Fraud and sexual assault, Hunter Biden in court on firearm charges, and Dianne Feinstein being 90 years with hospitalizations this year and Mitch McConnell freezing up during remarks to reporters. 

There is a lot going on in American politics that it is hard to keep up, especially in the age of social media when all of the negatives are on full display. It can be overwhelming and feel as if everything is falling apart. 

What one word or phrase would you use to describe politics in the U.S. these days?

When responding to this question, 79% of individuals responded with a negative word. Words such as chaos, corrupt, divisive, polarized, and confusing. Even the words “dumpster fire” was reported by at least 1% of respondents. 

Those with more Republican-based ideology are a little more likely to say they feel angry often and think about politics compared to those with Democratic ideology.

But is everyone exhausted?

People who have higher levels of engagement in politics have higher levels of exhaustion. This demographic is reported to most likely respond with anger and exhaustion when discussing American politics. 

Those with more Republican-based ideology are a little more likely to say they feel angry often and think about politics compared to those with Democratic ideology. 

But it is the same that in both parties, those with the most involvement have higher responses of negative viewpoints for American politics. 

Increased stress in political conversations 

Six in ten adults believe that having any political conversations with someone that they disagree with is “stressful and frustrating.” A small third think conversations with someone from the opposite ideology is actually “interesting and informative.”

There is also an important note that different demographics have different views on the stress of discussing politics with the opposite ideology. 

Two/thirds of White Americans find discussing political conversation stressful. This is different from 59% of Asian Americans and 54% of Hispanic Americans. 47% of Black Americans find these conversations stressful but 50% of Black Americans find it “interesting and informative.”

Women are also slightly more likely to find political conversations stressful as opposed to men who are slightly more likely to find it “interesting and informative.”

There is also an age factor to consider as adults 50 and older are more likely to report political conversations to be stressful compared to their younger counterparts. 

What changed?

An overwhelming majority of 84% report that political debate is more disrespectful than in the past and it has been getting more and more disrespectful in the last several years. Only 4% believe that it has gotten more respectful and 12% believe that there has not been a change. 

There is an ongoing argument as to if former President Trump being in office has increased the disrespect in American Politics but there are also those who believe that he just continued previous trends.  

Many argue that the 2016 Presidential election was the crucial moment but it was seen before then.

Columnist Andy Martin declared then candidate Barack Obama a fraud in 2004, claiming he exaggerated his stories in his memoir. This blew up again in 2008 in which people started questioning Obama’s citizenship to the United States.  

A candidate for a Texas school board position, Mary Lou Bruner accused President Obama of being a gay prostitute for cash in his youth on Facebook before she ran in 2016. 

This rhetoric and disrespect is growing but it is not new, it is growing past articles and Facebook posts and going into daily life. It’s the new age of American politics that is taking an adjustment due to hate and events occurring so that no one can escape what is happening. Especially in the age of social media.