It’s not just polarization that’s driving voters’ malaise − it’s something else, which carries a stark warning for the health of American democracy.
Now that Super Tuesday is over and the Democratic and Republican nominees are all but officially chosen, as everyone expected, voters can turn the page to the general election.A September 2023 Monmouth University poll showed no more than 40% of Americans said they were “enthusiastic” for either Biden or Trump to run again. That same month, the Pew Research Center found that 65% of Americans were exhausted with the current state of American politics.
From this perspective, Democrats and Republicans are pack animals motivated to protect their group and their group’s interests. The public discussion about the country’s past, present and future therefore leaves out a wide range of people’s voices. What they might say is hard to know, specifically because they don’t engage in political discussions.
If younger American voters aren’t excited about the choices on the ballot, they may be more likely not to vote at all.