Political polarization is said to be asymmetrical when one of the political poles bears more responsibility than the other for exacerbating the polarization. But given the fact of polarization, it comes as no surprise that the Left blames the Right and the Right the Left. We all seem to agree that polarization is not good, but we disagree as to who the main culprit is.
We are polarized over polarization!
As a conservative, it is blindingly evident to me that the Left bears the lion's share of the blame. Leftists have moved much farther to the Left than rightists to the Right. But leftists don't agree, and being the recalcitrant bunch that they are, one cannot reasonably hope to change their minds. But you never know, and in any case the following may help to buck up my fellow conservatives and supply them with ammo for the ongoing war.
Here are some issues on which leftists (Democrats in U. S. politics) have gone far to the Left while conservatives (Most Republicans in U.S. politics) have maintained moderate positions.
Immigration. The Republican position is moderate: curtail illegal immigration, but allow legal immigration. The Democrat position is extreme: allow wide-open immigration of any and all. Make no distinction between legal and illegal immigration. Abolish ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). The extremism goes as far as the Orwellian absurdity that one can have border security without border barriers. Oppose President Trump at every turn, even though any reasonable person can see that construction of a border wall is necessary, although not sufficient, to stem the tide of incoming illegals. And on top of it all, lie brazenly as Speaker Nancy Pelosi has done that the border crisis is a "manufactured crisis."
Voting. Nancy Pelosi and other leading Democrats are advocating lowering the voting age to 16. Others want to extend the franchise to felons, allowing those who cannot properly order their own lives to have a say in the proper ordering of society. Still others wish to permit illegal aliens to vote. The extremism of this is evident.
U.S. Constitution. Prominent Democrats advocate the abolition of the Electoral College and changing the number of seats on the Supreme Court.
And so it goes. Here are three others that you can work out for yourself.
Capital Punishment.
Abortion and Infanticide.
Free Speech.
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