Widening Gap Between Political Parties Leaves Room for Independent Party Popularity

In recent years the polarization between the Democratic and Republican parties has grown leaving citizens feeling obligated to choose between the two. As political opinions grow to be more dominant in social circles, Americans continue to feel pressure to choose sides, alienating themselves from a supposed 50% of the population. In a study from the Pew Research Center, 81% of both Democrats and Republicans have an unfavorable view of the opposite party. With such a high percentage, it is no wonder the country has fallen into seemingly constant political unrest and violent displays of one’s power over the other.

This brings into question the validity of the bipartisan government our country stands on, and shines a light on the possibilities of a more civil discourse between a widening array of independent political parties. According to a 2017 Gallup poll, 42% of Americans are registered Independent, yet Independent Party candidates rarely get more than 5% of votes. With a stronger focus on independent parties, our country may begin to knit together the divide caused by two parties aiming for massively different political outcomes.