In a recent speech this week, former President Barack Obama proclaimed that our nation is in a “political crisis”. His comments came on the heels of President Trump’s vehement responses towards various people and groups following Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
Within his speech, Obama mentioned the “horrific” nature of Kirk’s death, and he explained how the polarization of America’s two parties has opened a gateway for political turmoil.
In a New York Times article Obama was quoted: “Whether we’re Democrats, Republicans, independents, we have to recognize that on both sides, undoubtedly, there are people who are extremists and who say things that are contrary to what I believe are America’s core values.”
Obama continued to describe the growing divide within America, and how the rising friction between the nation’s two biggest political parties is causing a “political crisis of the sort that we haven’t seen before.”
According to Obama’s speech, instead of having two parties working together to unify the nation, the political differences within the country seem to be ripping it apart—creating two opposing sides that refuse to compromise.
New Yorkers seemed to share the former president’s outlook. Some even expressed that the entire United States’ political system has become so polarized that it might be impossible to enact positive change.
Jeff and Taisha, a Harlem couple, took the time to break down their skepticism when looking at American politics today.
“I really believe the world itself is in crisis,” Taisha said.
Her boyfriend agreed and added to her perspective: “I feel like we’ve been in a political crisis for a long time.”
Jeff and Taisha went on to explain how the political climate combined with the various social issues that the country is facing has created a disheartening and depressing social landscape. People at a basic level, especially in New York, are struggling to get by. As they struggle, the news is promoting political imagery that highlights the nation’s growing polarization and division which only adds to the depressive reality that they face.
“It’s supposed to be the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, but nothing here is free,” Jeff said.
Charles Sauter is a New Yorker whose life has reflected the outside turmoil. He has spent his entire life in New York and became a victim to homelessness five years ago. He had a unique perspective concerning the nation’s political landscape, and he explained how he did not feel like the nation’s democracy was aptly cared for.
“I think there’s a big crisis. I don’t think our democracy is being served by Trump,” Sauter said. “I think he’s flying off the handle and not really thinking about his decisions.”
Sauter was also critical of Obama. He believed it was “ridiculous” that the former president is speaking out about current politics, and he felt as though his added commentary fuels confusion.
Furthermore, he claimed that when major politicians constantly argue with and focus on each other, they completely overlook the people that they are supposed to be helping. He specifically mentioned how drastic the problem of homelessness was and how unseen he felt by the government.
“I feel like I worked all my life, paid my taxes, retired, and this is the reward I get,” he said. “I’m homeless.”
A couple blocks south of Harlem, residents within the Upper Eastside had similar viewpoints.
Ben F., a property manager who works in the Upper Eastside, thinks that modern American politics is just two separate echo chambers where neither side is listening to the other.
“I think that everybody just keeps trying to speak louder than the other person, and nobody is actually hearing what our actual issues are,” Ben said. “So, if you go on both sides, people are just so frustrated and disgusted with the other side that they’re kind of blind to see how we can actually connect with each other.”
Ben has been so discouraged by the polarization and division within American politics and American news that he has started to consume foreign news outlets as a supplement.
“I typically don’t watch American News too often because of that [polarization],” Ben said. “I try to see like an Al Jazeera or something that’s like the outside looking in where people don’t have a horse in the race. They’re just reporting as it is.”
For many of the Upper Eastesiders, the fundamental issue at hand with American politics was the drastic separation between the nation’s two most powerful political parties. Dan, another Upper Eastside resident, explained how he honestly could not see our bipartisan nation coming to an agreement anytime soon.
“I think the values of the various groups are fundamentally different in terms of a vision for America,” Dan said.
Looking toward the future, many people had a dire outlook.
Prospective law student and former Intern at the US Department of State David Smith commented on how polarization alters the everyday person.
“There’s much more of a value statement now on ‘I am a Republican or I am a Democrat’, and that polarization inevitably just leads to extremism,” Smith said.
He concluded his statement by explaining how in a society that promotes extremism, it is impossible to find common ground.
According to the Pew Research Center, in March 2025 a poll was conducted that showed that 80% of US adults do not believe that Republicans and Democrats can agree on policies or basic facts. This growing separation in fundamental understanding of America’s basic issues further contributes to polarization.
When considering how polarization directly impacts the nation’s citizens, New Yorkers and people visiting the city said the following:
“I don’t think anyone has the right idea for unity,” James, a visiting worker from Pennsylvania, said. “It feels like everyone is isolated.”
Eva Castro, an art teacher who works a studio near Central Park, talked about how the negativity surrounding the modern political landscape feels almost inescapable.
“A lot of things are going on on a daily basis,” she said. “It’s almost like you can’t escape it.”
Rollin Jackson Jr, a current graduate student at Johns Hopkins University and former intern for Raphael Warnock, provided insight into the issue—speaking about his concerns as someone who has been directly involved in politics.
He spoke about his fear of polarization and the lack of communication amongst the Democratic and Republican parties, and he voiced how unfortunate it is to have government officials who are not trying to represent all people.
“Long gone are the days of respectability politics that we saw with Obama and McCain,” he said.
From Jackson’s perspective, we live in a political system “where a president or a member of congress is not a figure for all but a figure for some.”
He further emphasized the idea that the nation is in crisis by explaining the numerous issues that the country is facing. He mentioned: the Israel Palestinian Conflict, the ongoing issue of police brutality, hate speech and political polarization inside the White House, and even the recency of political assassinations and assassination attempts.
“We are in a state of political crisis, and with multiple sides pointing fingers at each other, I am not sure how we will get out of it,” he said.
