If adversity reveals one’s true colors, then the shifting public opinions of political parties in the United States are indicative of the trying times the nation is facing.
According to a recent study by Pew Research Center, between June 2010 and August 2011 the number of people who see the Republican Party as “very conservative” has grown from 18 percent to 23 percent while the number who see the Democratic Party as “very liberal” shrank from 26 percent to 22 percent.
The number of Americans who see the Republican Party as moderate decreased correspondingly from 26 percent to 21 percent.
Political science associate professor Robert Hogan attributes the shifting perceptions to the summer’s debt ceiling debates.
“Considering the fact that Obama was willing to compromise on [the debt ceiling debate] and cut programs that were sacred cows to the Democratic Party, it makes sense that people would see the Democratic Party as less liberal than in the past,” Hogan said.
And the Republican Party did not do much to help its image, he said.
“The Republican Party dug in its heels on this issue, and a lot of voters are seeing them more conservatively than they did in the past,” he said.
Hogan said the Republican Party’s decision to use the debt debate as leverage to force Democrats into spending cuts without raising revenue contributed greatly to their current reputation.
But many students think the growing political divide is not mutually exclusive to the Republicans but a systemic issue.
“I definitely think we’ve become completely divided,” said Lauren Daigle, child and family studies sophomore. “And they wonder why our economy has gone anymore.”
According to mass communication freshman Spencer Brignac, both parties have their share of extremes.
“I see the Tea Party as pretty radical,” he said, “But Obama is pretty far left