Watch For Splinters: The Deepening Divide Between Republicans and Democrats

With one fell swing, Donald Trump has ideologically axed the American political establishment. The recent government shutdown in the United States bigly highlighted the growing fracture in our political system, whether through attacks on SNAP benefits or simply flight safety. Although the shutdown has ceased, its effects are certainly to be felt by Americans going into the holiday season. We are at a crucial juncture in the United States’ national story. Populism has surged across the country due to the lack of political cohesion and the mounting material challenges faced by everyday Americans. Whether through the Republican Party’s extremist fringes or the Democratic Party’s incoherent leadership, it should be apparent that we need drastic changes to our democracy. According to some experts, the increase of populism is currently fomenting fragmentation and far-right parties, rendering governance incredibly difficult. 

An interesting cut of wood, the Democratic Party has seen an increase in frustration among its base due to the lack of action among members of Congress throughout Trump’s first and second terms. To many blue voters, the ineffectiveness of the party resides in its position of simply pointing the finger at how bad Trumpism is. Members such as the gentleman from Vermont, Bernie Sanders, have railed against Democrats and Republicans both, as they have effectively lost working-class voters through negligent governance. Nancy Pelosi comes to mind largely due to her bold decision to stick around in Congress and to spar with Trump. How do you expect to maintain votership among people in unions and working average or minimum wage jobs when you do not fight for realistic legislation to help the working class? As one of the wealthiest members of Congress, largely due to stock trading and investing, Pelosi has only recently decided to hop on board with the restrictive trading measures that members like Hakeem Jeffries and Mike Johnson would like to pass. The corporatist trend of Democratic lawmakers is quite disturbing, and it will surely continue to drain votes from the Democrats. To be clear, I have no vendetta against Pelosi, and she has had an immeasurable legacy as a politician. The end of Pelosi’s career and Chuck Schumer's blatant failure to keep his party in line during the shutdown should be a clear signal to the Democratic Party that, with this changing of the old guard, it is time for new and indeed thoroughly different leaders. 

Like a tree losing a limb, Republicans are at an impasse, as the party needs to start rooting out its more dangerous elements. Robert Reich has posited that Republicans have long maintained a regimented party structure that fosters strength in discipline, in contrast to the Democrats' constant need to contend with their own members. No matter what, Republicans close ranks behind their leadership, particularly when dealing with the Democrats. Amidst the Epstein scandal, far-right pressure from Tucker Carlson & co, and a flailing economy, Republicans have very real decisions to make about who they want in their ranks. Recently, Tucker Carlson interviewed white nationalist Nick Fuentes. As you can imagine, Fuentes spouted off on myriad topics, from his antisemitism to his admiration for Joseph Stalin’s ruthless power. It should be easy to denounce outsiders like Carlson and Fuentes, and yet it has become marred by Trump’s more violent supporters and their efforts to leave the floodgates open. Trump has shown himself unable to achieve his promises of affordability, perhaps because of his recent allocation of billions toward the Argentinian President, Javier Milei, while simultaneously denying Americans crucial funding for healthcare and essential services. This stark contrast, coupled with heavy waves of MAGA drama, underscores a fundamental failure of leadership.

What Democrats and Republicans should be able to come together on is the idea of supporting their districts and constituencies. In my experience, there is a sincere sentiment that politicians have ceased to be public servants at a time when many people need leadership now more than ever. The shutdown illuminated the growing discontent among the populace, as many feared loss of healthcare coverage and an uncertain future going into 2026 due to rising inflation and a withering job market. It was recorded that most folks blamed Republicans for the shutdown; clearly, through the silences and uncomfortable smiles by Speaker Mike Johnson, when Americans’ pockets are hurting, it’s time to cut the beaming grin and display some culpability. Pew Research has documented the souring of politics in the United States in 2025, finding that both parties maintain quite low approval due to worsening partisanship and little real change. Tellingly, 25% of Americans in 2025 feel as though neither party speaks to them. Perhaps, on the brighter side, this might weaken the two party system, and members might become more attentive and effective legislators. 

The internal splinters within both parties have created a policy vacuum. To address the populist frustration stemming from Congressional inaction, here are three crucial changes that could unify our country by prioritising people over partisan purity. First, reverse the new $100,000 price tag on the H1B Visa. This policy actively works against our national interest, undermining small businesses and stifling the innovation needed to grow our economy for all Americans. Second, cease the defunding of education for the benefit of everyone. Education faltering can only disadvantage Americans and indeed the global intellectual community. The United States will not improve itself if schools must decide between spending their COVID funds on facilities rather than education. With the wealth of the United States, it is shameful how little care is shown to educators and the necessity of a robust education system. Lastly, the ideological stigmatisation surrounding socialism in the United States must cease. We already have a multitude of aspects, such as Social Security or Medicaid, that ultimately make people’s lives easier when they don’t have to worry about these hurdles. Looking at the Nordic Model, an increased mixed market economy could answer the questions Americans want answered, like affordability and cheaper groceries. It is clear that change is needed, but we must usher it in ourselves, or we will continue to be let down by the splintered weakness of our current political system.

Image: Wikimedia Commons/Daniel Torok

Licence: public domain.

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