Rash Report: Media-political divides in D.C. and at home, too

Republicans and Democrats disagree on a lot. But both sides seem to sense that in a fundamental, even profound way, Washington isn't working in any way commensurate to the crises the nation faces.

The election 10 days hence may jolt the sclerotic body politic into action. But probable GOP gains in Congress, coupled with two more years of the Obama administration, are also just as likely to tighten the gridlock gripping the Beltway, particularly as the permanent campaign quickly shifts to the 2016 presidential race.

If so, many might justifiably bemoan the political split that stops progress on essential issues. But the deep divisions may not just be a feature in Congress and the White House. Households across America show similar factionalizing, too, at least when consuming news or using social media, according to a new Pew Research Center study, "Political Polarization and Media Habits."

"When it comes to news about politics and government, liberals and conservatives inhabit different worlds," the study starkly states. What's more, "In a nation marked by increasing ideological uniformity and partisan animosity, those with the most consistent ideological views on the left and the right have information streams that are very distinct from each other and from those of individuals with more mixed political views."

That's strong stuff from the nonpartisan Pew. But the data-driven conclusions suggest that the ideological rigidity in Washington is reflected in, and perhaps in part caused by, partisans' self-selecting media choices.

Pew divided survey participants into groups of "consistently liberal," "mostly liberal," "mixed," "mostly conservative" and "consistently conservative." Those with the highest ideological attachment are the most likely to influence political debate. So it's consequential that what's watched, read, heard, posted, tweeted and trusted by those deemed consistently liberal and consistently conservative is consistently different.

Pew reports, for instance, that consistent liberals generally trust the media more and turn to more sources for news than consistent conservatives. Of 36 sources surveyed, 28 were more trusted than distrusted by consistent liberals, compared with 12 for consistent conservatives.

Even beyond media news usage, "trust" showed sharper divides. The top four sources based on trust for consistent liberals were NPR (72 percent), PBS (71 percent), the BBC (69 percent) and the New York Times (62 percent). The top four for consistent conservatives were Fox News (88 percent), and radio programs from Sean Hannity (62 percent), Rush Limbaugh (58 percent) and Glenn Beck (51 percent).

As for those in the political middle, the four main sources used are CNN (20 percent), local TV (16 percent), Fox News (8 percent) and Yahoo News (7 percent). Among the most trusted were the cable and broadcast news divisions of CNN (61 percent), ABC (56 percent), NBC (54 percent) and CBS (50 percent).

Of course, nowadays many don't just consume news, but comment on it in social media, and Pew's data suggest that consistent conservatives and liberals in this arena are exposed to more ideologically consistent messages than those in the middle.

Compared with the typical Facebook user, consistent conservatives are more than twice as likely (47 percent vs. 23 percent) to read posts "always or mostly in line with their own views." The commensurate rate for consistent liberals is 32 percent. But while consistent liberals may see a bit more diversity of viewpoints, the data also show that 44 percent of consistent liberals have "hidden, blocked, defriended or stopped following someone" because of politics, compared with 31 percent of consistent conservatives and 19 percent of those with mixed political views doing so.

Despite the differences, one clear commonality is that consistent liberals and conservatives are key influencers. Of those who talk politics regularly, 61 percent of consistent conservatives and 57 percent of consistent liberals "lead conversations about politics."

The "different worlds" inhabited by liberals and conservatives may make a world of difference on Nov. 4. But come Nov. 5, the challenge will be governing, not campaigning. Sure, the ideological schisms existing in Washington, and seemingly across the United States, suggest that bipartisan cohesion, let alone consensus, will be elusive. But those elected must press on, because the scale and scope of the crises require it.