The divide between conservatives and centrists on side, and leftists and progressives on the other, can only be understood if the basic world-view of both are considered.
Those on the right typically emphasize the lessons of history and experience. Humanity’s heavy slough from tyranny to freedom renders them suspicious of overbearing government. From monarchs to commissars, fuhrers and dictators, the most dramatic crimes against mankind have been committed by strong ruling powers using a variety of excuses for their actions. Conservatives proudly point to the revolutionary role of the U.S. Constitution as a turning point in our species’ evolution. They note that it established for the first time the concept and the practical application of a government established not to rule over, but to represent the people. They point to the process within that document that allows orderly updates through the amendment process. They stress as well the role of Western Civilization and the Judeo-Christian ethic in promoting the dignity and sovereign rights of individuals.
Similarly, they favor capitalism, despite its flaws, because of its proven accomplishment in providing more prosperity for a greater number than any other economic system.
Since the U.S. is the birthplace of the Constitution and the most significant practitioner of capitalism, they tend to emphasize patriotism. They recognize the yawning gulf between it and so much of the rest of the world, and seek to preserve and protect its unique nature, which they call its “exceptionalism.”
The progressive left has a different focus. They point out the existing inequities within both the U.S. and the West. They view America’s success as less than salutary if it is not shared with the rest of the world. Essentially, they take less comfort in the general prosperity of the U.S. as long as any poverty exists within or beyond its shores. They concentrate on past misdeeds of western society, and, even though those actions have in most cases been corrected, believe those prior acts should inhibit criticism of other societies. In line with that perspective, they are hesitant to acknowledge the threats posed by opposing nations to U.S. interests.
Conservatives and centrists believe that by providing an example of how governments should be run, and how economics should be structured, they are helping the rest of the world by providing a roadmap to freedom and prosperity. The Left believes that a more tangible sharing of the fruits of freedom and prosperity with those outside its realm is a moral imperative. The right worries that this will allow non-capitalist, non-free governments to persevere, and continue their mistaken and oppressive policies.
The two ideological camps even differ in their strategies of how to win power and popular support.
Centrists and conservatives rely on straightforward appeals to voters through normal political channels. The left, in contrast, has adopted a strategy using dominance of cultural, educational, and entertainment institutions to spread their message.
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The key question is, despite the vast gulf between the camps, is there common ground? Both seek a world that is prosperous and peaceful, free of racial, ethnic, and gender discrimination. The similarities, however, break down substantially after that.
The concept of individual rights and responsibilities, so cherished by the right, is not reflected in the left’s emphasis of collectivism and group identity. The centrist-conservative concern for a strong national defense worries the left, which believes that much of the funds spent on the military should be allocated to domestic programs.
The U.S. political divide in the 21st Century has become more combative than in the immediately preceding decades. The liberals and centrists who formerly dominated the Democrat Party differed from the conservatives and centrists in the Republican Party mostly in their means to achieve ends both sides shared.
Those liberals have been replaced by the leftists-progressives who now dominate the Democrat leadership. Their views and goals differ far more sharply from their predecessors and those in the center and the right. Because of that, there is less room for compromise or common approaches. The days when a Democrat Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neil, and a Republican President Ronald Reagan could joust in public but reach a compromise in private conversation, or when Republican Speaker Gingrich and Democrat President Clinton could agree on some legislation are, lamentably, at least for the moment, gone.
There are fringe movements that some pundits have tied to one side or another. White Power groups have little or no influence with centrists-conservatives. The Black Lives Matter group, which has some elements of extremists within its ranks, has a more noticeable place within leftist-progressive circles. A worrisome trend of antisemitism has become noticeable on the left.
Some may argue that the Tea Party represents an outlier movement, but that is inaccurate. That movement’s emphasis on a strict construction of the Constitution and a more traditional view of the federal budget places them rather solidly in the mainstream.
The ability of both sides to avoid listening to opposing views has become a worrisome trend, as social media has become a driving force in news reporting.