Americans are not as divided as they think

The United States seems to dive deeper and deeper into political polarization every year, with presidential candidates and political leaders tearing each other apart.

It is also at a peak in 2024 due to the presidential election, which will be a second face-off between two candidates that most Americans dislike, according to The New York Times.

The presidential campaign has relied on some deeply polarizing issues like irregular immigration, abortion, and gender-affirming care.

It is clear that the divide is essentially political, with Democrats and Republicans increasingly growing farther apart on fundamental issues.

However, the latest AP-NORC election poll shows a different picture: Americans agree on fundamental issues much more than it seems.

According to AP News, over 90% of Americans agree with the top three core values that define their country, and over 70% concur with four more.

Over 90% of Americans define three values as fundamental to their country: equal protection under the law, the right to vote, and freedom of speech.

Over 80% of US citizens agree that the right to privacy, the freedom of religion, and the right to assemble peacefully are fundamental American values.

The number is lower regarding the freedom of the press: 70% of Americans think it constitutes a fundamental right.

The number is even lower when discussing the right to keep and bear arms. Only 54% of Americans see it as an unalienable right.

That is the line where the political divide returns. According to AP News, most Republicans see the right to bear arms as fundamental, while Democrats feel the opposite.

Still, Michael Albertus, a political science professor at the University of Chicago, told AP News that if "normal people" gather in a room to discuss issues, they will often find more common ground than wedges.

The first part of the poll was a ray of sunshine, in contrast with the gloomy second part, which measured Americans' feelings about their democracy.

The poll found that only three in ten Americans believe the nation's democracy is functioning well, and five in ten think it works poorly. 14% think the US is not a democracy.

However, experts cited by AP News and ABC said there is a connection between discontent with democracy and agreement on core values.

Lilliana Mason, a political scientist at Johns Hopkins University, told AP News that leaders do not reflect the electorate, as they behave much more polarized.