Most Voters Think America’s Divisions Cannot Be Overcome, Poll Says.

[0311]

A new Times/Siena survey shows a significant shift among voters, as their concerns about the health of the political system overtake other issues.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/us/politics/times-siena-poll-political-polarization.html

mericans have markedly less faith in the ability of the country’s political system to solve problems than they had five years ago, with a large majority now believing that the country is incapable of overcoming its deep divisions, according to a poll by The New York Times and Siena University.

Even in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, when the country was fighting over mask mandates and forced to reckon with questions about racial inequality, a majority of voters still agreed that the country was capable of solving its political problems.

Today, just 33 percent of voters feel the same.

The steep rise in pessimism reflects a striking shift in the public’s perceptions about what ails the country. After the economy, the poll found that Americans were most likely to point to problems in the political culture as the most urgent. They named polarization and the state of democracy more often than immigration, inflation or crime.

Attacks on our Constitution continue. The illegal deportation of Men and Women who engage in Pro-Palestinian protests have been blocked. Free Speech under attack. Trump wants to put U.S. Troops on the ground of U.S. Cities. This is what Authoritarianism looks like.

 

[martybegan]

A new Times/Siena survey shows a significant shift among voters, as their concerns about the health of the political system overtake other issues.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/us/politics/times-siena-poll-political-polarization.html

mericans have markedly less faith in the ability of the country’s political system to solve problems than they had five years ago, with a large majority now believing that the country is incapable of overcoming its deep divisions, according to a poll by The New York Times and Siena University.

Even in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, when the country was fighting over mask mandates and forced to reckon with questions about racial inequality, a majority of voters still agreed that the country was capable of solving its political problems.

Today, just 33 percent of voters feel the same.

The steep rise in pessimism reflects a striking shift in the public’s perceptions about what ails the country. After the economy, the poll found that Americans were most likely to point to problems in the political culture as the most urgent. They named polarization and the state of democracy more often than immigration, inflation or crime.

Attacks on our Constitution continue. The illegal deportation of Men and Women who engage in Pro-Palestinian protests have been blocked. Free Speech under attack. Trump wants to put U.S. Troops on the ground of U.S. Cities. This is what Authoritarianism looks like.

When the left gives up their "our way 100% or else" position, then the divide can be bridged.

Until then, **** off.

Also, where in the Constitution does it say people here on visas get immunity from deportation for any reason whatsoever?

 

[SweetTea]

Americans have markedly less faith in the ability of the country’s political system to solve problems than they had five years ago, with a large majority now believing that the country is incapable of overcoming its deep divisions,

This has been the goal of the Marxist left and our enemies infiltrating our educational system for decades. It seems they are succeeding. Convince a portion of our population that capitalism is terrible and that socialism / communism is the answer.

 

[Auld Phart]

When the left gives up their "our way 100% or else" position, then the divide can be bridged.

Until then, **** off.

Also, where in the Constitution does it say people here on visas get immunity from deportation for any reason whatsoever?

When the left gives up their "our way 100% or else" position, then the divide can be bridged.

BOTH sides need to give up their 'my way or the highway' mentality

 

[Marener]

This has been the goal of the Marxist left and our enemies infiltrating our educational system for decades. It seems they are succeeding. Convince a portion of our population that capitalism is terrible and that socialism / communism is the answer.

Pretty easy to convince people that capitalism is terrible these days.

 

[Marener]

When the left gives up their "our way 100% or else" position, then the divide can be bridged.

This is projection. Under the Biden administration, we actually got a lot of bipartisan legislation.

Including the bipartisan immigration reform bill. Guess who ended that? That's right. Trump and his allies, who were of the opinion that it should be "our way 100% or else".

 

[martybegan]

BOTH sides need to give up their 'my way or the highway' mentality

Sorry, but the whole "both sides are the same" crap doesn't fly with me.

 

[martybegan]

This is projection. Under the Biden administration, we actually got a lot of bipartisan legislation.

Including the bipartisan immigration reform bill. Guess who ended that? That's right. Trump and his allies, who were of the opinion that it should be "our way 100% or else".

"bipartisan"

Says the side that wants to force bakers and photographers to participate in same sex weddings even if they don't want to due to religious reasons.

 

[Marener]

"bipartisan"

Yep.

You guys have become so reactionary against bipartisan bills, you no longer even see much of a role for Congress anymore. That's why you support Trump's authoritarianism.

 

[martybegan]

Yep.

You guys have become so reactionary against bipartisan bills, you no longer even see much of a role for Congress anymore. That's why you support Trump's authoritarianism.

Nope.

and I noticed you dropped my other point, you ******* hack.

 

[JLW]

This has been the goal of the Marxist left and our enemies infiltrating our educational system for decades. It seems they are succeeding. Convince a portion of our population that capitalism is terrible and that socialism / communism is the answer.

I thought you were better than this than to write such a shit post. I guess I was wrong.

Never underestimate how low a MAGA will go is the lesson here.

You obviously don't know what a "Marxist" or "Communist" is.

No wonder this country is such deep shit trouble.

 

[Marener]

Nope.

Yep. Congress is all but perfunctory under this administration. Trump does whatever he wants, regardless of the laws. He can stop appropriations passed by Congress. He can fire anyone even when Congress has protected their position from politics. He can levy any tariff on anyone for any reason. He can give exemptions to those tariffs for anyone for any reason. He can hand money out to his friends. He can stop funding for his enemies. He can send the National Guard anywhere, anytime for any reason. He can take away a VISA for anyone, anywhere, for any reason. He can launch military strikes whenever he wants.

What does Congress do?

Nothing.

And that's the whole point. You don't want Trump to compromise. You're getting the authoritarianism you want.

 

[martybegan]

Yep. Congress is all but perfunctory under this administration. Trump does whatever he wants, regardless of the laws. He can stop appropriations passed by Congress. He can fire anyone even when Congress has protected their position from politics. He can levy any tariff on anyone for any reason. He can give exemptions to those tariffs for anyone for any reason. He can hand money out to his friends. He can stop funding for his enemies. He can send the National Guard anywhere, anytime for any reason. He can take away a VISA for anyone, anywhere, for any reason. He can launch military strikes whenever he wants.

What does Congress do?

Nothing.

And that's the whole point. You don't want Trump to compromise. You're getting the authoritarianism you want.

Congress passed the laws Trump is using and citing to get his agenda accomplished.

All of this is perfectly legal. Blame congress for writing open ended laws that leave things up to the executive to figure out. The Right has been complaining about this for decades.

 

[ThisIsMe]

A new Times/Siena survey shows a significant shift among voters, as their concerns about the health of the political system overtake other issues.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/us/politics/times-siena-poll-political-polarization.html

mericans have markedly less faith in the ability of the country’s political system to solve problems than they had five years ago, with a large majority now believing that the country is incapable of overcoming its deep divisions, according to a poll by The New York Times and Siena University.

Even in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, when the country was fighting over mask mandates and forced to reckon with questions about racial inequality, a majority of voters still agreed that the country was capable of solving its political problems.

Today, just 33 percent of voters feel the same.

The steep rise in pessimism reflects a striking shift in the public’s perceptions about what ails the country. After the economy, the poll found that Americans were most likely to point to problems in the political culture as the most urgent. They named polarization and the state of democracy more often than immigration, inflation or crime.

Attacks on our Constitution continue. The illegal deportation of Men and Women who engage in Pro-Palestinian protests have been blocked. Free Speech under attack. Trump wants to put U.S. Troops on the ground of U.S. Cities. This is what Authoritarianism looks like.

The last paragraph you wrote is the reason why our political divisions will only grow worse. You see the right as bad people, the right see the left as bad people, and our media is behind it all pushing us along to further divisions.

I agree with the premise of the article. Our divisions are deep and probably will never be solved. Every empire eventually falls, maybe political division is the reason ours will fall.

Take your example of troops in the streets. You call that authoritarianism, and blame trump. People on the right would say that the only reason those measures are being considered is because of the lefts soft on crime stance, and how its been allowed to fester for too long, and also in some republican cities too.

Almost every single problem we have in thr country today is the result of government getting too big, reaching into areas where they are not supposed to be. The constitution laid out exactly what the government could do and EVERYTHING ELSE is for tbe states and the people. However, over the years, government started taking in new powers and new roles, only, the citizens dont agree with the things they are doing, and it causes division.

If we had just stuck to what the cotus said, nearly all of these problems would not exist, because they would all be local problems.

Just sayin'.

 

[martybegan]

The last paragraph you wrote is the reason why our political divisions will only grow worse. You see the right as bad people, the right see the left as bad people, and our media is behind it all pushing us along to further divisions.

I agree with the premise of the article. Our divisions are deep and probably will never be solved. Every empire eventually falls, maybe political division is the reason ours will fall.

Take your example of troops in the streets. You call that authoritarianism, and blame trump. People on the right would say that the only reason those measures are being considered is because of the lefts soft on crime stance, and how its been allowed to fester for too long, and also in some republican cities too.

Almost every single problem we have in thr country today is the result of government getting too big, reaching into areas where they are not supposed to be. The constitution laid out exactly what the government could do and EVERYTHING ELSE is for tbe states and the people. However, over the years, government started taking in new powers and new roles, only, the citizens dont agree with the things they are doing, and it causes division.

If we had just stuck to what the cotus said, nearly all of these problems would not exist, because they would all be local problems.

Just sayin'.

I think you miss the main problem. "The Right thinks the Left's ideas are retarded, The Left thinks the Right's ideas shouldn't even exist"

I don't buy into the whole equivalence thing, sorry.

 

[Marener]

Congress passed the laws Trump is using and citing to get his agenda accomplished.

The laws are meaningless to this administration.

 

[martybegan]

The laws are meaningless to this administration.

Bullshit.

All EO's are based on laws passed by Congress.

Your side thinks Title IX allows men to participate in Women's sports, Trump fixed that.

 

[Marener]

Bullshit.

Not at all.

For example, a law may give Trump the ability to do something in an emergency situation. However, if Trump determines what is an emergency, and if that determination is not subject to any oversight, then the law is meaningless, and Trump can do whatever he wants.

 

[Votto]

A new Times/Siena survey shows a significant shift among voters, as their concerns about the health of the political system overtake other issues.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/us/politics/times-siena-poll-political-polarization.html

mericans have markedly less faith in the ability of the country’s political system to solve problems than they had five years ago, with a large majority now believing that the country is incapable of overcoming its deep divisions, according to a poll by The New York Times and Siena University.

Even in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, when the country was fighting over mask mandates and forced to reckon with questions about racial inequality, a majority of voters still agreed that the country was capable of solving its political problems.

Today, just 33 percent of voters feel the same.

The steep rise in pessimism reflects a striking shift in the public’s perceptions about what ails the country. After the economy, the poll found that Americans were most likely to point to problems in the political culture as the most urgent. They named polarization and the state of democracy more often than immigration, inflation or crime.

Attacks on our Constitution continue. The illegal deportation of Men and Women who engage in Pro-Palestinian protests have been blocked. Free Speech under attack. Trump wants to put U.S. Troops on the ground of U.S. Cities. This is what Authoritarianism looks like.

The only way for the Republic to survive is if blue states and red states can be more sovereign.

Let them govern themselves instead of being held hostage by the Federal government with half the country wanting to secede from the union every Presidential election because the Executive Branch has so much damned power now thanks to the Progressive movement that gave him all that power.

But no, the Left will continue to fight until they have the rest of us as their own personal slaves.

 

[1srelluc]

Ha!....We have just began to live by the feud on the vile dems.

Must be because that high road is impassable with the piles of bones of failed gop politicians.

Yes Sir, right-leaners have had a taste of dem-style revenge and we like it.