FILE - Democratic and Republican parties logos are pictured in a file image dated Aug. 25, 2022. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) WASHINGTON - Americans on the right and the left have a lot more in common than they might think — including their strong distrust of each other.A survey published on Wednesday finds that when asked about core values including fairness, compassion and personal responsibility, about nine in 10 Democrats and Republicans agreed they were very or extremely important.
Yet only about a third of either group said they believed the same was true for the opposing party.The results of the poll, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago and the nonprofit group Starts With Us, reveal a stark truth at the source of the polarization that has a powerful grip on American politics: While most Americans agree on the core principles underlying American democracy, they no longer recognize that the other side also holds those values."This is a hidden opportunity for Americans to reestablish a sense of shared values," said Tom Fishman, chief executive at Starts With Us, a nonpartisan organization that works to bridge political polarization.
Americans from both parties need to understand that they still share common values, he said, and to recognize their misconceptions about the opposing party.Americans have a long tradition of quarrelsome politics, dating back to before the Boston Tea Party.