I once spoke to a former Republican operative whose assessment of the communication problems we are facing struck me as interesting:
- In the past, the two parties primarily differed in how they thought issues should be tackled. E.g. should the economy be stimulated by cutting taxes or by increased government investment in infrastructure.
- Now many of one party's priorities simply don't exist in the other party's platform. For example, Republicans have no plan for promoting social justice/equality because it's not something that they prioritize at all. Similarly, Democrats don't really have a plan for advancing Republican's "traditional values" priorities.
- Because of this, Democrats and Republicans often talk past each other. For example, Democrats can't work with Republicans to tackle economic justice because, in a manner of speaking, economic justice doesn't exist in Republican's world view.
- In the past, the two parties primarily differed in how they thought issues should be tackled. E.g. should the economy be stimulated by cutting taxes or by increased government investment in infrastructure.
- Now many of one party's priorities simply don't exist in the other party's platform. For example, Republicans have no plan for promoting social justice/equality because it's not something that they prioritize at all. Similarly, Democrats don't really have a plan for advancing Republican's "traditional values" priorities.
- Because of this, Democrats and Republicans often talk past each other. For example, Democrats can't work with Republicans to tackle economic justice because, in a manner of speaking, economic justice doesn't exist in Republican's world view.