President has important task uniting Americans
President Joe Biden’s goal of being a president to all Americans is one of his most important challenges. Democrats and Republicans have been polarized through years of the media’s sophisticated manipulation backed by monied special interests.
Television reporting responds to hype and outrageousness to get viewers’ attention. Any efforts to provide balanced reporting might include interviews with two sides to an issue. Unfortunately, because of confirmation bias, viewers just digest the views that support their own and disregard the other side. With so many issues, soundbites become the norm.
Politicians either mirror their polarized constituents or cave to political contributions to secure their vote. Issues become black and white ie. socialism vs. capitalism but rarely a healthy compromise.
The vision of our country’s founders was “all men are created equal;” we are failing their vision of Americans united in common good. “Trickle down” economics does not work; a rising tide of economic success should raise all boats. Biden needs your confidence as he tries to heal our nation.
JOHN SHACKLETON, ATLANTA
The progressive view is inconsistent with unity
Michael Ramirez’s cartoon on May 2 wonderfully highlights the numerous identity categories in the “progressive view of America,” versus one category, American, in everyone else’s view. The progressive, identity-politics view seems profoundly inconsistent with promoting unity in the country, but instead seems very well designed to pit different identity groups against each other. Obsessing over our differences seems to be an odd way to try to bring us together. Overall, I believe that President Biden’s dual goals of progressive policies and American unity are unlikely to be achieved.
DANA R. HERMANSON, MARIETTA
