A Nation Divided—And the Choice Ahead

A Defining Divide in America

For a long time, this publication and I have framed an important divide in the United States. There are those who believe the history, culture, and traditions of our country provide the best road map to address our shortcomings of the past, present, and future. There are others who believe those shortcomings should constitute the basis of an honest look at ourselves. Taking land from Native Americans, the institution of slavery, and the aftermath of continued discrimination against people of color, denying women the right to vote, and more, define us and require we approach matters from the vantage point of ongoing repentance.

Turning Philosophy Into a Voter Question

It is my opinion that this is an accurate description of the basic contours that define and guide political debate in our country today. The next step is to translate this abstract thought into a question that voters feel is real and relevant. Lucky for you, I have come up with one.

We can talk about urban versus rural, or large states versus small states, conservatives versus liberals, populists versus elitists, but what does it add up to? Here you go. Do you believe if the United States as a whole were more like California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York, that would make things better or worse? Then, ask people to rate their own opinion with one equating to the worst and seven equating to the best. Finally, use an open-ended question (” Why do you say this? “) to garner more subjective data on all of this.

A Tale of Two Americas

Inasmuch as this overall thought is evolving on the fly, there is another question that might be worth researching—a straight comparison. List those four states as Option A, then have Florida, Montana, Ohio, and South Carolina be Option B. Ask people to choose one or the other.

The Information Gap

The information ecosystem of today is such that when asked, ChatGPT informs that there is no such thing as a platform that primarily focuses on as close to an unbiased reporting of factual information covering a wide array of subjects. Granted, it took a while to have them say this after first suggesting platforms such as the New York Times and PBS. A tiny push and careful wording of the question led them to say: “What you are describing depended on three things that don’t really exist together anymore. Broad one-stop coverage (news + sports + culture); heavy reliance on wire-style reporting; and minimal editorial framing in news pages.”

This, of course, has resulted in individuals overwhelmingly depending on sources that confirm one’s opinions, coupled with a robust social media component that largely pushes things further in one direction or the other.

Facts vs. Feelings

All of this is mentioned to highlight that an exchange of numbers between the two sides in my currently mythical division of voters is likely to change the minds of somewhere between zero and three people.

You can trust me on this one. Having attempted to use factual information and data to persuade others in my own family, that dog does not hunt. It is both fair and accurate to describe opinions, on both sides, as largely reflecting how people feel about things. Each side believes itself to have taken available information into account and formed the proper conclusion. Yes, there are too many instances of asserting something as fact that is anything but. However, the bigger influence guiding conclusions is how actual facts are weighed and balanced.

A Personal Perspective on Policy

For example, looking at matters from my perspective, is it true that two individuals suffered the loss of life during protests against ICE in Minnesota? That does not lead me to decide we should end funding for ICE. It also upsets me that so many find it easy to overlook the many more deaths that have occurred at the hands of illegal immigrants, most of whom are guilty of crimes here or in the countries from which they came. Oh, and it truly angers me when those deaths are so easily dismissed or ignored. Suffice it to say, I see no evidence that advancing numbers leads anyone to change their opinion.

Searching for Real Answers

This all serves as a precursor to warn that I am working to get the data people in the world to provide information on the questions surrounding what sort of country is it that people desire. Using actual states to form the basis of that choice seems to make that choice more real.

None of this is without agenda or personal opinion. If Americans truly believe a nation that more closely resembled California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York would be an improvement over what we have now, then they are seeking an America completely divergent from what I am seeking. Let’s see what the data says and go from there.

Remember This

Remember this: the division in our country is real. Only voters will decide which side prevails. Fingers crossed. What do you think?