If you are a straight-ticket voter and only vote for all Democrats or all Republicans on the ballot, please refrain from reading this column and go directly to the comics page. Today’s thoughts are intended for the split-ballot voters.
Are you frustrated with today’s political tribalism? Are you tired of political name bashing and mud-slinging? Are you tired of the braggadocio and grandstanding attitude of some politicians’ self-anointed superiority?
Do you find yourself part of the 98% of Americans who purposely do not watch Fox News, MSNBC or CNN because it’s obvious all three networks are skewing news to a specific political niche wing and their stories are definitely not fair or balanced?
If this is you, welcome to what the nonpartisan and nonprofit More in Common organization has identified as the "Exhausted Majority" that comprises 67% of Americans. Voters are not divided just into Democrats and Republicans. In reality, our political leanings are housed in seven distinct segments.
In one of America’s largest-ever investigation of the electorate, where 8,000 Americans were interviewed, two out of three Americans have had it, despaired over political divisions and disengaged from politics. With a 1% margin of error, the demographically balanced research found that only 8% of Americans can be called die-hard Democrats (Progressive Activists) and 25% are hard-core Republicans (Devoted Conservatives and Traditional Conservatives). This combined 33% of the population are in a cult of their own thinking, vehemently opposed to the other party’s values and would vote for the devil if that were "their" candidate.
The country is split on a range of major issues (immigration, white privilege, international trade, climate change, national security, xenophobia, feminism, DACA, guns, health rights, LGBTQ rights, and so on). Members of the Exhausted Majority are fed up with the polarization infesting American government and society. They are flexible in their views and willing to endorse different policies rather than kowtowing to a single political party. They believe bipartisanship is necessary and expect the same from their elected delegates.
To that end, a 253-page book, "The Ultimate Guide to the 2020 Election," authored by Ryan Clancy and Margaret White from the non-partisan and not-for-profit organization No Labels, is a must-read for the Exhausted Majority. The book, spun off from the More in Common research findings, presents 101 nonpartisan solutions to a multitude of issues, and offers 70 questions to be asked of presidential candidates.
For the Exhausted Majority to bring back civility and accountability to the political arena, first of all, they must vote in every election. In the 2016 election, only 55.7% of voting age Americans voted; the United States ranks No. 26 out of 32 developed nations in citizen voting share. The Exhausted Majority can decide the 2020 election by voting.
Secondly, they must let their elected officials know their opinions on issues and hold them accountable for their bill sponsorship and voting actions. A simple two-minute call, text or email, per week, to Iowa's two senators and four representatives — a mere 12 minutes — needs to be a part of the Exhausted Majority weekly to-do list.
You can go to www.hiddentribes.us and take an eight-minute shortened version of the survey to see what segment best describes you. No personally identifiable information is collected, and user data is not sold to any third party.
Since 33% of Americans are tribal and won’t stray from their cult, only the Exhausted Majority can change politics. Join me to change the Exhausted Majority to the Exhilarated Majority.
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