, Columnist
Politics Never Really Stopped at Water's Edge
The polarization of U.S. foreign policy isn't as new as people think -- or as much of a problem.
Wilson and Harding, polar opposites.
Photo: Topical Press Agency/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Democrats and Republicans still agree on the need for the U.S. to engage with the world, according to a new survey; they just increasingly disagree about how to do it. But U.S. history suggests that sharp partisan divisions in foreign policy aren't as unusual as people assume -- or as much of a problem.
Majorities in both parties favor an active U.S. role in world affairs, according to a new poll from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and they mostly agree on top goals and threats. Yet voters diverge on the way to meet those challenges. Republicans emphasize military force; Democrats favor diplomacy. Moreover, the gap on immigration, climate change, and Israel has widened.