Two things led to the meteoric rise of polarization in American politics: the assent of the Tea Party and the 2010 midterm elections. The Tea Party’s influence grew with its opposition to President Obama’s stimulus packages following the Great Recession and to his Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare). Its influence had a big effect on the 2010 midterm elections, which saw the Republican Party take control of the House and reduce the Senate’s Democrat majority to just 53. The result was unstoppable polarization and effective governance grinding to a halt.
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