Washington Post journalist and political blogger Ezra Klein discussed the polarized state of American politics in a speech to AU students on SEPT. 26.
Klein focused on his growing distaste for American politics during his lecture in the University Club of the Mary Graydon Center.
“It is a incredibly, horribly, annoying time in American politics,”
Klein said in his opening statement.
One problem with the political system is the assumed power of a presidential speech, according to Klein.
“There is no…systematic evidence that proves the American public can be swayed by one piece of systematic speech,” he said. “If anything the more a president talks about something the more people decide they hate it.”
This phenomenon, he said, is due to the growing state of polarization in the United States.
“Obama will endorse something…like say American University, and almost immediately the other party will say ‘no that is a terrible establishment we need to endorse a great place of higher learning like Georgetown’.”
An aspect of the political system, driven by polarization, Klein believes has been detrimental to the functionality of the government is filibustering.
“We have had more filibusters in the [past two years] than we had in the 50s, 60s and 70s combined,” he said. “ American politics is different than it was 30 or 40 years ago.”
sgaber@theeagleonline.com
