Divided We Fail: Where We Are, How We Got There, and How We Can Fix It

Divided We Fail: Where We Are, How We Got There, and How We Can Fix It

America is a country built on debate. From the moment our founders gathered to draft the Constitution, there has never been a time when we all agreed on everything. The clash of ideas has always been part of who we are, and in many ways, it has helped us grow. But today, something feels different. Our political disagreements no longer feel like healthy debate—they feel like a battle. We look at the challenges and the solutions to the problems facing America today. More importantly, this book teaches how the left and right can better communicate to seek common ground. In one example, we present a long-time dream proposal of the political left in a way that not a single Republican would vote against. It's all in the presentation. If you’ve ever wondered why a friend, family member, or coworker can look at the same set of facts and come to an entirely different conclusion, you’re not alone. Throughout this book, we explore the challenges facing our great American experiment. From the widening gaps in wealth to the struggle for affordable housing, from the battle against disinformation to the quest for economic dignity for working families. We examine how income inequality has reached levels not seen since the Gilded Age, with the wealthiest Americans capturing an ever-larger share of our national prosperity while working families struggle to maintain their footing. We explore how our fractured information landscape makes it increasingly difficult for Americans to develop a shared understanding of the challenges we face and the potential solutions. We discuss how our political divisions often reflect not just different policy preferences but fundamentally different ways of seeing the world. When the political left and right talk past each other rather than with each other, we miss opportunities to find common ground and practical solutions. In the end, we offer solutions to these problems, and more are within our grasp.