The Great Divide

There are those that claim that the United States is more divided than it has ever been.

I believe that is overstated.

Many forget that there were very stark divisions going back to the Revolutionary War with only about a third of the colonists actively supported the rebellion against the British.  About 20% were Loyalists who were completely against acting against the British Crown and the remainder were neutral.

Of course, consider the division that existed on the issue of slavery in the mid-1800's that led to the Civil War 

We have seen significant rifts in public opinions leading up to the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War and the abortion issue during my lifetime.

However, with all that being said, a recent polling survey reveals some startling evidence of what underlies much of the division we see in the United States today.

It shows a shocking and stunning divide and disconnect in the views of the urban elites in this country compared to the rest of America.

You could call it The Great Divide.

The polling survey was completed recently under the auspices of the Committee To Unleash Prosperity.

Source: https://committeetounleashprosperity.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Them-vs-Us_CTUP-Rasmussen-Study-FINAL.pdf

For purposes of the survey, the Elites were defined as those having a graduate degree, a household with more than $150,000 of household income,  and living in a zip code with more than 10,000 residents per square mile. 

A subset of the Elites included graduates of Ivy League universities and other elite institutions such as Northwestern, Duke, Stanford and the University of Chicago. This sub-group was labeled as "Ivy League Graduates" in the survey results.

Look first at how the Elites view the status of their personal finances compared to everyday Americans.

74% of Elites and 80% of Ivy League Graduates said their personal finances were getting better these days compared to only 20% for everyone else.

40% of Americans say things are getting worse for them compared to almost no Elites saying the same.

Source: https://committeetounleashprosperity.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Them-vs-Us_CTUP-Rasmussen-Study-FINAL.pdf

You could probably not have a greater divide than that.

It probably should not surprise you after seeing these responses that the Elites strongly approve of Biden as president.

84% approve of Biden compared to 44% for Americans overall,

Source: https://committeetounleashprosperity.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Them-vs-Us_CTUP-Rasmussen-Study-FINAL.pdf

What I found most troubling in the survey results is the authoritarian bent in the survey responses when it came to individual issues.

It is clear that these Elites  really believe that they know best.

Elites were three times more likely to say that there is too much individual freedom in the United States compared to the views of everyone else.

Source: https://committeetounleashprosperity.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Them-vs-Us_CTUP-Rasmussen-Study-FINAL.pdf

Of course, these Elites were the same people who were largely responsible for setting Covid policy and also believed that parents who spoke out against school closures needed to be investigated by the FBI. 

Interestingly, there is a significant difference even within the Elites on the issue of individual freedom based on age.  Among members of the Elites who are 55 or older, just 10% think there is too much individual freedom in the United States today. However, a majority (54%) of Elites under the age 35 believe it.

That is a sobering finding for anyone looking to the future of America.

You get a better sense of how the Elites believe that individual freedom should be curtailed when you look at their responses involving one of their pet issues----climate change.

The Elites largely favor banning a number of modern conveniences that are an integral part of the fabric of American life in the name of fighting climate change.

Somewhere between 60% and 80% of Elites favor banning gas stoves, gas powered cars, non-essential air travel, SUV's and private air conditioning.

None of these proposals gets more than 25% support among the rest of Americans.

Source: https://committeetounleashprosperity.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Them-vs-Us_CTUP-Rasmussen-Study-FINAL.pdf

Those views are shocking especially when you consider that there is no clear scientific consensus on whether we are really experiencing climate change. In addition, even if we are experiencing change, it is unclear whether any of these proposals would have the slightest effect globally when considering a myriad of other factors---China and India emissions, sun activity, cloud cover, ocean activity and other possible effects.

None of that matters to the Elites.

They think they know best and believe you have too much freedom to make your own decisions on how to live your life.

I can't help but wonder what our Founding Fathers would think of all of this.

After all, they were the Elites in that day and age.

They generally were all prospering under British rule. They had a lot to lose by rebelling against the British crown.

However, they desired individual freedom and the ability of the people to make decisions in their collective interest rather than the whims and will of an authoritarian class.

It is well worth keeping all of this in mind in this election year.

There is a Great Divide between what the Elites believe and want for you and this country compared to what normal American voters believe is in their best interest and in the people's business.

Be aware of this divide. 

You, your family and friends may find yourselves being led to a place on the wrong side of that Great Divide without even knowing it.

Are the candidates you are voting for doing the bidding of the Elites or are they interested in protecting the rights and freedoms of everyday Americans?

It might be the most important consideration of all in who you vote for in 2024.