Historian Heather Cox Richardson told KPBS in February that Americans are less polarized than we know, even on hot-button issues like gun safety and abortion. And the politicians who insist we are divided have something to gain.
“The trick is to make sure that people understand that we're here, we have agency, and we need to step up and speak up to reclaim that middle, that democracy,“ she said. “Because there are a whole heck of a lot more of us who feel that way, whether they vote Republican or Independent or Democrat, than people who want to replace that system with all sorts of authoritarianism.”
San Diegan Allan Hoving is trying to do just that by launching an online unity-building platform called The Big Middle.
Why it matters
He explained The Big Middle is two things:
"One is the big middle of Americans who agree across the board on many, many issues," he said. "But in the context of my project, The Big Middle is an online platform that actively fosters the building of consensus."
Hoving said he started this project 27 years ago when he saw that the internet was polarizing everyone.
"And now we see the results with social media," he said. "So more than ever before, I believe that this big middle consensus-building platform, especially on the issues that we're all facing in a very divided America, is needed more than ever."
He said it's for not just voters, but citizens.
"Because everybody in this country has a stake in being able to solve our problems together," he said. "And, you know, when Americans work together, we win. So, The Big Middle is an online forum for everybody to come together and air all of the issues and decide how are we going to work together to solve these."
The issues
The issues the platform tackles include the economy, climate change, immigration and social justice.
"There is a big middle of Americans who tend to agree on certain solutions, certain steps," Hoving said. "And we just need to get together and recognize that there is a big middle, that the big middle needs to become self-aware and the big middle needs to assert itself."
Looking ahead
Hoving's next step is to get the platform launched so people can join in online and "have these healthy debates."
"But I think most importantly, we need the big middle to become self-aware," he said. "And you know, it's often said that there's broad agreement across all the citizens and people in this country to take some steps to solve the problems. But I think right now we're all divided and we're all isolated and in bubbles and the big middle needs to recognize itself and its power and then be able to take positive steps forward."
