Analyzing the Culture Wars: The Myth of a Polarized America the idea of a culture war in American politics is gaining attention. If the tension between conservatives and liberals is palpable, its intensity proves difficult to measure. However, it does not appear that many Americans are polarized on the topic of polarization, as most would agree that the culture war is real (Fiorina, 2005). It was this reflection that pushed Morris Fiorina to write the book Culture War? The myth of a polarized America. In it, Fiorina lays out an argument against the idea of a culture war by examining party affiliation by states, how public opinion on hot-button issues has changed over time, and various explanations for which Americans are so hung up on about polarization. Although Fiorina makes a good argument, the evidence supporting the culture war is too powerful to explain. Fiorina gave several rational explanations for why Americans believe the culture war is real, the most poignant would argue that it confuses positions with choices in that individuals vote for candidates closest to them on a spectrum ideological (2005). Therefore, when an individual votes, they are not necessarily voting for a perfect representation of their views, but rather for the candidate who most resembles them. This is a great rationalization for how moderates would vote, but again, the most partisan individuals are also the most engaged (Abromowitz and Saunders, 2008). Because the most polarized individuals are often the most politically active, they have the greatest influence on government, resulting in the election of polarized candidates and

Essay / Analyzing the Culture Wars: The Myth of a Polarized America the idea of a culture war in American politics is gaining attention. If the tension between conservatives and liberals is palpable, its intensity proves difficult to measure. However, it does not appear that many Americans are polarized on the topic of polarization, as most would agree that the culture war is real (Fiorina, 2005). It was this reflection that pushed Morris Fiorina to write the book Culture War? The myth of a polarized America. In it, Fiorina lays out an argument against the idea of a culture war by examining party affiliation by states, how public opinion on hot-button issues has changed over time, and various explanations for which Americans are so hung up on about polarization. Although Fiorina makes a good argument, the evidence supporting the culture war is too powerful to explain. Fiorina gave several rational explanations for why Americans believe the culture war is real, the most poignant would argue that it confuses positions with choices in that individuals vote for candidates closest to them on a spectrum ideological (2005). Therefore, when an individual votes, they are not necessarily voting for a perfect representation of their views, but rather for the candidate who most resembles them. This is a great rationalization for how moderates would vote, but again, the most partisan individuals are also the most engaged (Abromowitz and Saunders, 2008). Because the most polarized individuals are often the most politically active, they have the greatest influence on government, resulting in the election of polarized candidates and

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