The very symbol of American unity, Independence Day, is marked this year by the deep polarization that reigns in the United States.
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In Washington and elsewhere in the country, two parallel organizations have prepared a series of events to mark July 4.
The traditional America 250 takes care of the generally non-partisan festivities, while the new Freedom 250 group organizes more pro-Trump celebrations.
Some Democratic states have also decided to shun the activities of Freedom 250. This is the case of the governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, who refused to participate in the big fair organized by the pro-Trump group. Rather, it was a duo of Republican and Democratic senators who set up a private delegation to represent the state at this event.
“We see that everything is political, everything is controversial now and there is this gap between the two parties and especially these two political parties that are largely disavowed today,” declared Marie-Christine Bonzom, political scientist, journalist and specialist in the United States, in an interview with LCN on Friday.
The Democratic and Republican parties are in the minority in the United States, where independents are now the dominant force in the country, according to Ms. Bonzom.
According to her, many Americans simply no longer identify with these two political groups.
“These two political parties have brought the country into a kind of vortex of partisan polarization,” summarizes the political scientist.
The word unity, to which Thomas Jefferson, in particular, attached great importance, is very present in the Declaration of Independence of 1776. Today, it no longer has the same significance, believes Marie-Christine Bonzom.
“The sense of pride in the country is at its lowest, probably since the post-Nixon era. After the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal, Americans said they were not proud of being American,” she recalls.
” Revolution “
The disengagement of Americans from the two main parties is part of a “revolution” and a “realignment” currently taking place in the United States.
“The two parties themselves, feeling disowned, are moving towards their extremes. This has already been done on the Republican side with Donald Trump and his MAGA base. This is being done today in the Democratic Party with what we call the DSA, that is to say the Democratic Socialists of America,” explains the United States specialist.
The DSA are also starting to gain ground and win primaries; they could greatly harm the Democratic Party during the mid-term elections in November, but nothing is decided on the Republican side.
“Donald Trump is very weakened in view of midterms. It is possible at this stage, if the election took place, that he would lose both the majority in the House and perhaps in the Senate, which would mark the end of his effective presidency by 2028. But the Democratic Party does not yet seem to be taking full advantage of Mr. Trump’s difficulties and setbacks in the polls,” explains Marie-Christine Bonzom.
To see the full interview, watch the video above.
