Most Americans Say Political Debates Are Less Respectful

Most Americans agree that political debates have become less respectful and more negative, according to a Pew Research Center study conducted from April 29 to May 13, 2019. Only 3 percent said political debates have become more positive and 2 percent said they were more respectful.

President Donald Trump is apparently to blame. In the same study, 55 percent said Trump altered the discourse of political debate in America for the worse. The president has become known for his erratic tweets, where he commonly called people clowns, phonies, dummies, pathetic, nasty and more. In December, the president attacked Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old girl with Asperger's syndrome fighting global climate change. She was named Time's Person of the Year.

"Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old-fashioned movie with a friend!" he wrote to his 60 million followers on December 12. "Chill Greta, Chill!" She mocked him by changing her Twitter bio to refer to herself as: "A teenager working on her anger management problem. Currently chilling and watching a good old-fashioned movie with a friend."