Blame the Public for our Partisan Politics

A look at our political climate in Washington over the past three years and few would refute that we have a polarized governing body. Blame is usually directed at the two major political parties for their increasing ideological rigidity. Perhaps, but a more basic reason is at the heart of this entrenched partisan divide, as Gallup Poll statistics examining historical presidential approval ratings show.

Presidential approval rating averages from President Ronald Regan to President Barack Obama present a clear partisan divide in how Democrats and Republicans polled judge a president’s performance: Not surprisingly, each group showered favorable praise on the president when he’s a member of their party and voiced strong disapproval of the leader if he isn’t. Yes, there is a certain measure of political logic that voters’ reaction to a president would be skewed by their own party identity, but the fact that the divide is so stark and consistent across presidents regardless of party is indeed troubling. The data suggest that average American voters lack the ability or willingness to fairly assess presidential performance due to the influence of their own political party bias.

It’s understandable that voters might take exception to certain policy positions espoused by a president who’s a member of an opposing party, and would therefore be inclined to offer a less favorable critique. However, the polarization in approval ratings over time suggests neither political group is willing to give the opposition party's president fair credit -- even when, one assumes -- they may like what he’s doing. In other words, political ideology likely trumps fair judgment.

And this leads us back to our polarized political climate. It follows that the extreme partisan politics we see playing out in Congress is simply a reflection of the political divide shown in the views of voters throughout the country. If like-minded voters of their respective political parties can’t be fair and reasonable in their views of the president, why should the public expect elected leaders to behave any differently?

But there’s a huge contradiction in all this: Voters frequently express frustration and anguish at the inability of Democrats and Republicans to work together to get things done for the good of the country, which is a sensible and reasonable expectation. But what those same voters need to first acknowledge is that their own partisan political attitudes make it highly unlikely for that to happen because politicians ultimately take their cues from the voters they represent. So, if voters truly desire less partisan politics, they might try being less partisan.