By CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The polarization of America is like a cancer that is slowly killing us. And like many forms of cancer, there appears to be no cure.
We are more severely divided now than at any time in the last 25 years according to a new pew study.
And it's not the usual suspects of race, education level, income, gender and religion. Political differences are what's ripping the country apart.
This political divide peaked during the last decade - during the presidencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
The Pew survey finds Democrats and Republicans are most divided on the social safety net for the poor with a 41-point gap between the two parties.
Other issues with huge divisions include: the environment, labor unions, equal opportunity and "government scope and performance."
This deepening polarization is something we see among voters and of course among our so-called leaders in Washington. The government is paralyzed - unable to get over their political differences in order to work together and address the people's business that desperately needs doing.
Perhaps the most serious consequence of partisanship is our skyrocketing national debt - now closing in on $16 trillion.
The Congressional Budget Office says that unless Congress does something about government spending and/or taxes, the federal debt is set to double by the middle of the next decade and will reach twice the size of the whole U.S. economy by 2037. We are committing economic suicide.
But don't expect Washington to do anything about it. There's an election in November.
Here’s my question to you: What can be done about the deepening polarization in America?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
G.:
It starts with the people taking an honest look at how they have voted and how it stacks up to what they really believe. The politicians participated in thousands of lost lives, lost liberties, and lost treasure of our country's post-9/11 policies. They participated in the unemployment and the mountains of debt left by our economic policies. The worst part is they will not stop because they keep getting elected because we keep voting for them. If any sort of change is to come from this polarization, it has to start with us.
Stan:
With 24/7 "news" cycles, modern media fuel this divisiveness. It's not newsworthy if we all get along, as we Americans mostly do. There is no political street rioting as we see in many countries. Except for the very fringes in our society, there's a "live and let live" attitude in the US.
Paul in Ontario:
Two party systems inevitably lead to polarization. The Canadian parliament contains five different parties so there is a lot of wheeling and dealing...and co-operation.
Bill in New Mexico:
Very little. I believe this polarization will only worsen as America's economic health decays. The inability of Congress to work together reflects the attitudes and desires of the voter. Short of government failure, there is no end in sight.
Evinia:
Absolutely nothing. With Fox "News", the Rush Limbaughs, the Sarah Palins and political pundits like yourself constantly fanning the flames of divisiveness, hatred and bigotry, the divide is deepening. There is nothing anyone can say or do.