“Political Finger-Pointing in the Digital Age”

Who’s to blame for the polarized political scene causing an inefficient Washington…elected officials or today’s news consumers?

News habits differ greatly among the political spectrum.

Polarized parties could perhaps be the greatest contributor to inefficiency in Washington. The public’s tendency to click on articles reflecting their personal bias only fuels this polarized system. 

Americans tend to point fingers at elected officials in Washington for not comprising with leaders of the opposing party.

But, are those pointing just as guilty?

The Pew Research Center has done extensive research exploring a correlation between political polarization and American’s online behavior.  Sites frequently visited for news, reveal a good bit about where someone lies on the political spectrum.

It’s easy to blame the media for only presenting biased news. Yet, the media industry technically lays a solid spread on the table for Americans to pick and choose from. The biased media outlets actually take the lead in ratings and profits. Americans appear to have an economic preference for like-minded news. Consequently, biased media sources gain more attention and subscribers on average.

Sitting centerfold is often seen as the non-risky, politically correct spot to be. But in this digital age, the center may be the riskier move for media profitability.

A one-sided, stubborn attitude is becoming characteristic of an “American identity”.  We pick a side and run with it. Politics provide the perfect platform for an ideologically stubborn identity to thrive…and destroy any hope of compromise while doing so. It comes as no surprise that diplomatic compromise seems almost out of the picture in America’s two-party system. 

Could my decision to frequent the same papers and networks actually be contributing to the inefficiency in Washington? 

Research supports this scary, yet highly possible connection.

Political polarization is linked to people’s information environment. Essentially, their news sources and social media accounts. News outlets that lean to one side are simply more profitable in this day and age.

Variance occurs in regards to their ‘trust rating’. For example, conservatives only showed 14% trust in left-leaning sources like CNN, but 88% in the conservative giant Fox. With an increasing gap between ideological preferences, each side looks to the other as an enemy.

CNN and Fox News had a high trust rating overall, representing the centrist majority in America – often overshadowed by polarized politicians and biased news consumers.

Tony Dokoupil of NBC news told The Week in an interview a few years ago that "at the center of national sentiment there's no longer a chasm but a common ground where a diverse and growing majority — 51 percent — is bound by a surprising set of shared ideas.”

Four years have passed since Dokoupil’s statement. So why does America find itself more polarized than ever? Technological development is keeping pace quickly with the growing political divide.

Access to hundreds of news article, social media, the blogosphere, etc. at the click of a button presents Americans with a choice. The choice to either absorb information from sites that prop up their preconceived beliefs, or to explore the other side.

Developments in this digital age should educate opposing views through a new information environment. A politically educated public is possible.

Americans hesitation to want oneness and sameness is evident in the public’s struggle to work together in a respectful and positive environment. Our leaders are not leading by example. A continued lack of diplomacy in our politics could lead to a more divided, less efficient America.

However, the rise of the digital age presents a new argument in favor of the congressman. Mr. Congressman has credible reasons to point back at the American public in blaming the political divide.

Consumers should attempt a cognitive effort to consume news from both sides of the political spectrum. The party divide will only grow if citizens do not take responsibility for hearing both sides of each political argument before forming a concrete opinion.

Who knows? Maybe America’s political leaders will take a hint from the public.

United we 'Stand'

The American catchphrase ‘United we stand’ has recently been gaining a lot of attention.

NFL athletes have been using their massive fan-base and media attention at primetime football games as a platform to perform peaceful protests via kneeling during the National Anthem. As American citizens, these players obviously have a right to protest and the freedom to express their dissatisfaction with the government’s attempts to improve racial equality in the nation… but is during the national anthem the appropriate time for this?

The national anthem does have historical roots as America’s solemn patriotic song that expresses national identity.

Steeler’s player Alejandro Villanueva sees both sides of the argument as a former marine and current NFL starting left tackle. He revealed which team he favored during the Steelers/ Bears game Sunday when he proudly walked onto the field out of the locker room tunnel, solo. But now in Monday morning quarterback fashion, Villanueva is looking back at his actions with regret, now stating that he “threw the Steelers under the bus” during the National Anthem.

Should Americans in general be forced to pick a side in the pair-up between Trump’s anti-kneeling stance and the NFL’s promotion of peaceful protest?

Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys’ actions revealed that, finally, someone was taking a deeper look at the whole issue through the lenses of varying perspectives. Instead of kneeling during the National Anthem itself and possibly disrespecting those that have served in the US Military, the Cowboys took a knee, together, before the national anthem ever began to show that their views on the racial inequalities in our nation are still strong.

Perspective is a valuable tool in addressing conflict. For once, both teams can win.

Who is running the country? The press, the presidency, or your Facebook post?

What is trending on Facebook can reveal a good bit of what is on the minds of Americans. For an American public that flourishes on personal opinions and the act of clicking that “share” button on social media posts about the political scene, politics may actually be at the forefront of the millennial generation.

U.S. Government textbooks and public opinion polls often teach that Americans are becoming more removed from politics, but do recent voter-turnout statistics back up this conclusion? And if Americans are caring less about what takes place politically in society, why is a Facebook feed overflowing with critiques of the Commander in Chief more common today than a feed filled with pictures of family and friends?

The answers to these questions are obviously not easily answered. However, if one is to analyze the numbers of eligible voters who went to the polls during the 2016 election, a conclusion that Americans are becoming detached from politics is unmistakably false.

Record-breaking numbers at the polls during the 2016 Election revealed that at least 60% of the American public feels strongly enough about politics to exercise his or her right to vote. In addition to higher levels of voter turnout, data from the General Social Survey shows that more millennial Americans are politically active online via political consumerism, the sharing of politicians’ post on one’s personal social media page, organizing protests, etc. than previous generations.

Never the less, America is consistently ranked near the bottom of the world’s leading democracies in terms of voter turnout. Whether this reveals a (a) detachment or (b) dissatisfaction with American politics by the people is an issue worth investigating.

A common answer prior to the 2016 presidential election cycle was that “people just didn’t see the urgency.” This is the same answer given by analyst for why democrats did not show up to support Hillary at the polls in as high of numbers as republicans did for Trump. Whether someone is pro-Trump or believes he is the anti-Christ himself, there is no denying that President Trump’s campaign sparked political interest in demographics that had previously felt detached from American politics.

Social media is major player in modern American political campaigns because not only is it an undeniable example of the first amendment in action, but it also allows politicians an opportunity to communicate directly to the people. Obama set this example in 2008 through his regular social media updates to the public. No media bias. No network party loyalties. Just a profile and a post (or 140 characters in Trump’s case).

Political leaders are not the only people taking advantage of this free platform.

Social media allows a platform for every citizens to influence public opinion, giving those individuals with millions of followers great political influence if they choose. This pairs nicely with the point of political activism: to make an impact on election outcomes and policy decision. So while each individual’s vote counts exactly the same, each individual’s social media account has varying levels of influence based on the number of followers and attention that individual receives.

Keeping this in mind, could one possibly come to the conclusion that social media is running American politics?

It is highly possible. But. Majority of the post being re-tweeted and shared today have the common motif of general dissatisfaction with America’s current political leaders, parties, and progress. Whether social media actually influences politicians’ behavior or if it just serves as a therapy session for Americans to complain about their personal problems is up for debate.

What the many post, tweets, shares, and complaints do reveal is Americans are not as far removed from politics as comparatively low voter turnout rates imply. The Internet age has not only led to the election of a president with a media background, but it has also produced a resurgence of political activism. 

~England's green and pleasant land~

Former Oxford student, architect, art scholar, entrepreneur, and overall awesome guy William Morris grew up in this beautiful home located in the rolling hills-filled Oxfordshire region of England. Kelmscott manor is truly a hidden treasure and I highly suggest taking the time to step away from the fast paced city of London to enjoy the present... and of course, a cup of tea! Skipped over by history and the industrial revolution that ruined much of Britain's natural landscape during the 1800s, the Cotswolds are under appreciated for their beauty and peace. It's hard to explain in words the blissful atmosphere created by Morris's 1824 home, but twentieth century poet Edward Thomas sums up the experience quite well in his poem "Adlestrap." 

Adlestrop, by Edward Thomas

Yes. I remember Adlestrop— 

The name, because one afternoon 

Of heat the express-train drew up there 

Unwontedly. It was late June. 

The steam hissed. Someone cleared his throat. 

No one left and no one came 

On the bare platform. What I saw 

Was Adlestrop—only the name 

And willows, willow-herb, and grass, 

And meadowsweet, and haycocks dry, 

No whit less still and lonely fair 

Than the high cloudlets in the sky. 

And for that minute a blackbird sang 

Close by, and round him, mistier, 

Farther and farther, all the birds 

Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

Cheers to a summer at Oxford University

Gee's restaurant in Oxford is definitely our favorite spot so far

My dorms and classroom at the beautiful Oxford University in England look pretty dang great for going on 700 years of age! This summer I am taking political science/ prelaw courses with some of the most experienced and well published professors out there, which means lots and lots of reading and essays... but I am loving absolutely every second of it! If you ever have the chance to travel to England, I highly suggest taking the fifty eight minute train ride from London to experience a day in my favorite city in the UK, Oxford. The town itself that is nestled right next to Univ college has the perfect mix of city buzz and beautiful English countryside. Not to mention, a rich history that will get any history nerd like myself way too excited. 

The university got its start around 1190 when scholars started flocking to the town of Oxford because of the war in France. At that time, Paris was the only location of a university so it was about time that another center of learning was established. The city of Oxford was ideal for this because there was  royal palaces located near it (Blenheim and Beaumont) and since a King needs clever men to help him run the show, why not start attracting clever men by establishing a university? Since then, Oxford University has grown and expanded to include 38 residential colleges on its beautiful campus. Each college is like a family that dines, learns, and lives together... strengthening the intellectual environment in every aspect of life. 

Stay tuned this summer to follow our adventures around Oxford, the UK, and Europe in general! :)