“We are Americans first, Americans last, Americans always. Let us argue our differences. But remember that we are not enemies. (Estepa) This quote from John McCain during his speech at the 2004 Republican National Convention resonates with Americans, most of whom are victims of America's political polarization. Senator John McCain, known as the Senate maverick, was the epitome of a moderate politician, putting the well-being of the country ahead of his own party's agenda. In recent years, political division has grown into hyper-partisanship, leading to gridlock in Congress. An increasingly polarized electorate, gerrymandering, and the policies of Presidents Obama and Trump have contributed to growing division within the U.S. government as well as American society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay America has become polarized over “what it means to be American.” (Drutman) The two political parties have very different views on where this country should go. The Democratic Party has become more progressive (wants more government involvement) with leaders such as Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, while the Republican Party has become more conservative (wants less government involvement), with leaders like Donald Trump, Mike Pence and others. Tea Party Republicans. “The left believes that Donald Trump is anti-American, xenophobic, racist and opposed to the true American vision of tolerance. His immigration policies and the border wall go against the principles America stands for. The right believes that Democrats are un-American, that they denigrate our founding as a Christian nation, and that they want to secularize everything. They don't want to open our borders to anyone who wants to blow us up. They define real Americans as those who don’t live on the coast or in the cities, where most Democrats live.” (Drutman) The two parties see America's future on different paths, but do not respect each other's views. In a democracy, it is essential that everyone's opinions are respected, and in the current political environment of the United States, this seems extremely unlikely. It seems that the goal of each party is to pursue its own agenda when in power and to obstruct that of the other when in power. not in power. Americans saw this with the adoption of Obamacare. “[Obamacare] was the first time comprehensive health care was passed with the support of a single party, which influenced the implementation stage of the policy. " ("Partisanship was not the only factor in how the Obamacare exchanges were adopted by the states.") years, criticizing certain elements of Obamacare, notably the single-payer system. The health care issue sparks resentment on both sides. Democrats believe that those who disagree with Obamacare don't care about uninsured people with pre-existing conditions, while Republicans don't want to transform America's healthcare system into a socialized system. Americans have also seen polarization in the congressional confirmation of Supreme Court justices. After Justice Scalia died, President Obama selected Justice Merrick Garland for consideration. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell delayed his confirmation hearing until after the 2016 presidential election. After the president was elected.