America’s political divide is increasingly geographic, with Democrats concentrated in major metropolitan areas and Republicans drawing support from smaller cities and rural communities. Rooted in the New Deal era, this divide has deepened as the parties have taken opposing positions on immigration, globalization, and national identity. America’s two-party, winner-take-all electoral system reinforces these divisions, fueling political mistrust and policy uncertainty. Institutional reforms, decentralization, and new political coalitions could help reduce polarization and bridge the urban-rural divide.
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Jonathan Rodden
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