There is much discussion in the United States about whether there is polarization between our two dominant political parties. The results of the presidential election have shown that there is a divide between the states, a battle between the Democratic blue states and the Republican red states. What is striking is that the "colors" of these states do not change. Red stays red and blue stays blue. Chapter 11 of Fault Lines provides different views on polarization. James Wilson, a political science professor at Pepperdine University in California, suggests that polarization is indeed relevant in modern society and will ultimately cause the downfall of America. In contrast, Morris Fiorina, a political science professor at Stanford University, argues that polarization is nothing more than a myth, something Americans shouldn't worry about. John Judis, senior editor of The New Republic, provides insight into a driving force of polarization, the Tea Party movement. Through this article, I will highlight the main factors provided by Wilson and Judis that contribute to polarization in the United States and consider which factors Fiorina might agree with. James Wilson's article, "How Divided are We?", attempts to convince the reader that there is polarization (a culture war) in the United States. Wilson does not define polarization solely by partisan disagreements, but rather as “an intense commitment to a candidate, culture, or ideology that distinguishes the people of one group definitively from the people of another rival group” (Canon 205). This polarization extends to the extent that one group's set of beliefs is completely correct and its rival's is completely wrong (Canon 206). Wilson provides three main factors for the growth of polarization. Given Fiorina's strong position that polarization is not very extensive, I don't think she would agree with Wilson's argument about polarization. The two arguments are directly in conflict with each other. However, Fiorina might agree with Judis' article. You might agree that many Tea Party members are very disconnected from the moderate view of the general public. In conclusion, I believe that polarization exists in the United States. I agree with many of the points Wilson makes in his article, as stated above. The gap between liberals and conservatives is growing ever wider, leaving no room for those with moderate views in the mix. Polarization is harmful to our two-party dominated republic, and it is difficult to determine what could fix our political system.