America's political divide: From disagreement to violence

Editor's note: Xin Ping is a commentator on international affairs, writing regularly for Xinhua News Agency, CGTN, Global Times, China Daily, etc. The article reflects the author's views and not necessarily those of CGTN.

The world was stunned by the attempted assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump on July 13. It was the worst attack on a U.S. leader since Ronald Reagan survived a bullet wound in 1981.

An investigation has been launched but before any evidence was available, many Republicans blamed the Democrats for inciting violence against Trump. They claimed that the shooting was not an isolated incident, but a result of the Democrats' long-term campaign to demonize Trump and his supporters.

This accusation reflects the extreme polarization of the U.S. political landscape and the deep and dangerous political divisions that have plagued the U.S. for years. The 2024 U.S. election is like a continuation of the 2020 election, only the two main parties and American society are more divided than ever.

The two parties disagree on almost every issue, from immigration, health care, and gun control to abortion, climate change, and foreign policy. They often demonize each other, and view each other as enemies and threats. They rarely interact or communicate with each other; when they do, they often resort to insults and violence.

For example, in early 2024, the dispute between the Republican-led Texas government and the Democrat-controlled federal government over immigration issues escalated into an armed standoff, and 25 Republican states openly defied the federal authority. In April, Arizona went back 160 years overnight, banning abortion and reviving a law from 1864. As soon as the news came out, both parties used this issue to attack each other and mobilize their voters.

The U.S. Gun Violence Archive paints another grim picture. By July 19, the country had already suffered 301 mass shootings in 2024, with 9,347 lives lost – that is about 47 deaths daily. This is another big issue where the two parties hold opposite stances. The Democratic Party advocates a stricter gun control policy, while the Republican Party supports easier access to guns. Ironically, Trump himself was hurt by a gun.

The root cause of this social divide is the failure of the American political system to represent the interests of the people. The separation of powers in the U.S. has devolved into a partisan tug-of-war, with a "party first" mentality prevailing. The leaders of the legislative, executive and judicial branches – the pillars of governance – are prioritizing party directives over public duty.

This shift is particularly evident in the judiciary, where key appointments and court rulings are increasingly used to serve party interests instead of maintaining the balance of power. Justice Clarence Thomas of the U.S. Supreme Court, a staunch conservative, once remarked in frustration, "Liberals have made my life miserable for 43 years, and now I will make them miserable for 43 years."

In Congress, blocking or vetoing bills presented by the other party is common, and it seems that the only thing both parties can agree on is to disagree. They have been struggling to get laws passed. The current Congress managed to get only 34 bills through in 2023. At this rate, the 118th Congress is on track to be the least productive in modern history.

In the previous eras, American political discourse was characterized by robust debates over policy nuances, with an unspoken agreement among parties to eschew vile campaign tactics. However, the current climate has shifted towards animosity and personal attacks, infiltrating events as significant as presidential debates, where discussions became petty squabbles over who excels at golf and name-calling.

The coarsening of political dialogue is fueling the flames of social unrest in America. A recent survey by the Public Religion Research Institute and Brookings Institution found that approximately 23 percent of Americans now believe that "true American patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country" – a significant increase from 15 percent in 2021.

This shift away from rational discourse paves the way for extremism to take root. According to Reuters, the 2021 Capitol riots were followed by at least 213 instances of political violence in the U.S., marking the most sustained and severe wave of unrest since the 1970s.

The Capitol Hill riot in 2021 and the Trump incident in 2024 have exposed the fragility of American democracy. The political system is plagued by the influence of money and special interests, the manipulation of electoral rules and institutions, and the polarization of the public and the media. 

The people feel disillusioned, and some resort to violence or extremism as a way to vent their frustration and demand change. One more chaotic election will only make the wounds of America worse and undermine its democracy.

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