A Pox On All Your Houses

A recent survey by Harvard’s Center For American Political Studies and The Harris Poll revealed a fascinating result: none of the 13 political personalities tested garnered a majority of favorable responses. None. And, it didn’t matter whether the personality was a Democrat (8 on the list) or a Republican (5 on the list)—voters in 2021 just seem fed up with the lot of them. And if this result wasn’t surprising enough, the highest percentage of combined favorable responses went to (wait for it): Donald J. Trump (44%).

The lowest aggregate favorable views went to Sen. Kristen Sinema (23%). President Biden stands at 43% favorable (and 50% unfavorable)—a huge decline since he took office last January. In between, below majority ratings were meted out to: Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz, Kamala Harris, Ron DeSantis, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Tim Scott, Mitch McConnell, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Joe Manchin.

So, what does all this mean? In a time beset with a lingering pandemic and growing inflation, people seem overwhelmed. But perhaps most importantly, voters see a squabbling political leadership unable to come to grips with the problems they face on a day-to-day basis. Partisan bickering is taking a toll, and the message is becoming clear: a pox on all your houses.

Bi-partisan support for the recent infrastructure package may signal a change in mood—but past experience argues otherwise. The divide in America goes far beyond partisan differences—it is a deep cultural rift that shows no signs of healing. As long as this rift lasts, voters will likely continue to express their disdain for all political actors.