Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — Americans of all stripes have been growing increasingly cynical about government institutions, media and even one another — a trend that could have profound consequences at the individual level, according to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.
Cox spoke about the turmoil that underlies so much of the nation's politics Friday morning during the Atlantic Festival in Washington. He reiterated talking points he's previously championed to encourage healthier disagreement, and warned there is real danger in the widening gap between Americans of different beliefs.
In contrast to previous periods of instability, Cox said the current moment is unique because politicians have learned to weaponize fear to divide people.
"I truly believe that we're living through kind of an 1850s experience in our country again," he told journalist McKay Coppins. "As you drain the trust from the system, as Jonathan Haidt said ... the end result of that is not just us hating each other in a pluralistic society, but it ends with people shooting each other.
"And that should scare all of us, and it should scare all of us into doing whatever we can to stop that, to reengage each other in positive ways."
.@govcox tells @McKayCoppins that the erosion of trust in democratic institutions results in "not just us hating each other in a pluralistic society, but it ends with people shooting each other."
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) September 29, 2023
"And that should scare all of us...into doing whatever we can to stop that." #TAF23pic.twitter.com/L3pstJTRfv
The problem, as Cox sees it, isn't just about what Democrats and Republicans believe and how that differs; it's in part due to what Republicans think Democrats believe, and vice versa. This so-called perception gap actually widens the gulf between people, he said.
"It turns out that most Republicans and most Democrats aren't that far apart philosophically," he said. "We just aren't, but we think we are. And that's dangerous because if you think that the other side is willing to violate democratic norms, if you think the other side is willing to engage in political violence ... then you give permission to your side to do the same thing."
"Every Republican thinks all the Democrats are like AOC," Cox said, in reference to Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. "And all the Democrats think that we're all Marjorie Taylor Greene. ... It's not true, and we know it's not true."
Beyond just preventing future political animosity and possible violence, the governor said a willingness to engage with those you disagree with is also essential to accomplishing policy goals.
"We can't solve any of these big problems in our country if we hate each other," he said, pointing to the looming government shutdown in Congress.
He said that the most common criticism he receives is from people who say he just wants them to "go along to get along," which he said is wrong because he's not asking for people to give up on their principles or beliefs.
"I want you to passionately argue for what you believe in, but attack ideas, not people," Cox said. "Some people think that 'disagree better' means I get to win on every issue ... and that's just not true. That's not how it works in government or in a society. You win some, you lose some. I do think there is an issue with trust being drained out of the system and trust in our institutions."
We can't solve any of these big problems in our country if we hate each other.
