The Democrats and Republicans are both minority parties, but cannot seem to accept that their ideologies are not shared by the rest of the population. The majority of voters are independent or unaffiliated and lean away, not toward a party ideology. It should not be a surprise that Democratic or Republican ideologies by themselves are not winning over the vast majority of the population. When 75% of the population is neglected to cater to a shrinking, aging, party base, some very faulty reasoning is being used.
" …
For independents, by contrast, negative motives are cited most frequently among the reasons for leaning toward a party. Among Republican-leaning independents, 55% say a major reason for leaning toward the GOP is that Democratic policies are harmful to the country. Just 30% cite the positive effects of Republican policies.
For Democratic leaners, far more also point to the negative consequences of the other party’s policies (51%) rather than the positive effects of their own party’s policies (34%) as a reason to associate, however loosely, with their own party.
The Democrats and Republicans are both minority parties, but cannot seem to accept that their ideologies are not shared by the rest of the population. The majority of voters are independent or unaffiliated and lean away, not toward a party ideology. It should not be a surprise that Democratic or Republican ideologies by themselves are not winning over the vast majority of the population. When 75% of the population is neglected to cater to a shrinking, aging, party base, some very faulty reasoning is being used.
" …
For independents, by contrast, negative motives are cited most frequently among the reasons for leaning toward a party. Among Republican-leaning independents, 55% say a major reason for leaning toward the GOP is that Democratic policies are harmful to the country. Just 30% cite the positive effects of Republican policies.
For Democratic leaners, far more also point to the negative consequences of the other party’s policies (51%) rather than the positive effects of their own party’s policies (34%) as a reason to associate, however loosely, with their own party.
…"
http://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2016/06/Overview_7i.png
http://www.people-press.org/2016/06/22/partisanship-and-political-animosity-in-2016/