Season 1 Episode 1 of the We the Voters podcast tackles two sides of a hot-button topic: political polarization. In this episode, I ask the question…so why can’t we just get along? 

And then, I try to answer it — from two schools of thought. 

You can listen to the episode right here, or wherever you listen to your podcasts: 

Listen in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podchaser, TuneIn, and Soundcloud.

News Clips Referenced in this Episode

This is the article that dives into polarization in the 19th century. 

This is the USA Today article that explains polarization and the party switch. 

This is the 2014 Pew Research Center study about polarization. 

This is the 2017 Pew Research Center study about polarization.

This is the Christian Science Monitor article that examines differences between the 1850s and today.

This is the US News and World Report article that explains polarization and the party switch in the 1960s.

This is the NBC Poll about former President Donald Trump’s job performance.

This is the article about Georgia governor Brian Kemp’s job performance. 

These are three opinion pieces from the New York Times about inclusivity on college campuses. 

This is the Boston Globe article about inclusivity on college campuses.

This is the CNBC article about Senate Democrats blocking a police reform bill.

This is a Bloomberg article about party line voting.

This is a timeline of bipartisan policy from the Bipartisan Policy Center.

This is the Foreign Policy opinion piece about the need for multiple political parties. 

This is the Hidden Tribes Report.

This is the 2019 Public Religion Research Institute study.

This is the 2020 Pew Research Center study.

This is the article about the public’s role in healing from political polarization. 

CORRECTION: In the episode, I reference this report to illustrate party unity in the federal government. This is an inaccurate reference, as it references votes in Virginia state government. Party unity in federal government can be seen more accurately in this report. Apologies for the confusion. 

Sound Clips Referenced in this Episode 

This is the episode of Politicking with Larry King featuring conservative talk show host Dennis Prager. 

This is the Vox video with Norm Ornstein entitled Face It. Republicans Have Broken Politics.

This is the Fox Business Channel interview with Charlie Kirk.

This is the NPR interview with political scientist Lee Drutman. 

This is the Fox News interview with South Carolina Representative Trey Gowdy.

This is the episode of the Bulwark Podcast with Charlie Sykes featuring former North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp. 

Connect With We the Voters

Let’s stay in touch between episodes. 

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more real-time updates from We the Voters. For the rest of the week, I’ll be covering the Inauguration in and around Washington DC. 

If you have thoughts about this week’s episode, I’ve opened up a text and voicemail hotline at 773-658-9492. Your stories and thoughts may be used in an upcoming episode or otherwise on the We the Voters site. 

You can also email me at anytime at wethevotersproject@gmail.com. I love to hear from you! 

Categories: Podcast