US: Divided by 2 Visions

Republicans believe that we need border control to maintain the identity of the United States. Democrats believe that migrants enrich the country

When you look at how the U.S. presidential campaign is going, one could say, to use a cliché, that Republicans are from Mars and Democrats are from Venus. Or the other way around, if you will. But they are two groups with conflicting visions of their country.

The only thing that is clear is their perceptions are so different and their positions so radicalized that it is difficult to agree on anything, especially when the forces at play seem politically even: The Republican majority in the House of Representatives is 219 to 212, and in the Senate, the Democrats hold a majority at 52 to 48.

An NPR poll noted this week that the Democrats’ top concern is “preserving democracy,” while the top issue for Republicans is immigration.

According to NPR, the issues that matter to Americans are, for Democrats, preserving democracy and curbing inflation; for Independents, it is protecting democracy, followed by immigration and inflation; and for Republicans, it is immigration, followed by inflation and nothing else.

Some 65% of the general public, and 91% of Democrats, believe that former President Donald Trump should not be immune from prosecution for crimes he committed while president, but 68% of Republicans believe he should.

However, Democrats equate defeating Trump and his authoritarian tendencies with the idea of maintaining American democracy as it has worked so far.

The point is important because the real estate tycoon faces trial for alleged crimes connected to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the capitol, his attempt to subvert election results in at least one state and his handling of classified national security documents, among other charges.

For now, the Republican agenda is dominating America’s attention, but it is a double-edged sword. To begin with, the fact that the Republicans in Congress reject border control measures that it demanded less than a month ago because they were also proposed by the Biden administration does not make much sense and has only one explanation: political gamesmanship.

Republicans believe that border and immigration control is necessary to maintain the American identity as a nation. Democrats believe that the arrival of migrants enriches the country.

Trump’s party is also not helped by the public power struggles unleashed by an ultra-conservative minority that seeks to impose its agenda in ways that have crippled Republican dominance of the House.

The Democratic strategy today seems to be to let the Republicans and Trump show off by making threats. But there is no certainty this will work for Joe Biden who appears disadvantaged by his age, an economic situation weakened by inflation and by charges he has not kept his promises.