Maryland friends find shared views on Venezuela

Two friends in Maryland discovered they hold nearly identical views on U.S. foreign policy after a brief conversation in a cafe. The finding aligns with new data showing that a large portion of the American electorate shares moderate opinions that cross traditional partisan lines.

Shanna Berry and Alma Ong have been friends for years. In January, they were asked to discuss the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Both women are in their early 50s. Berry is a Christian, an Air Force veteran, and a retired hairdresser who supports President Trump. Ong is a Buddhist who grew up in London and moved to the United States in the 1990s. She identifies as more liberal and does not like the president.

Initially, the pair declined to speak because they wanted to protect their friendship. When Berry finally shared her opinion, she said the end of the Maduro regime was necessary. She noted uncertainty about the legal process but acknowledged that many Venezuelan people were happy with the outcome. Ong was surprised by the answer. She told Berry that she agreed with everything she had said.

Kristin Laurin, a psychology professor at the University of British Columbia, said this exchange reflects common patterns in political research. She explained that people often avoid political discussions to prevent conflict. This silence leads individuals to overestimate how different their opponents are from themselves. Laurin noted that politicians and social media platforms often amplify extreme views to drive engagement, making the actual divide seem larger than it is.

Researchers point to the April indictment of former FBI Director James Comey as another example of cross-partisan agreement. Comey was charged with posting a photo of seashells that the Department of Justice deemed a death threat against the president. Many conservatives and Democrats alike criticized the move. Jonathan Turley, a constitutional law professor at George Washington University Law School, expressed surprise at the focus on the shell art.

Stan Fletcher, a restaurateur in Maryland who voted for Trump three times, supported the First Amendment during the controversy. He argued that 95% of Americans are moderates who fall under a bell curve. He described the loud voices on both sides as outliers. The non-partisan Pew Research Center classifies Americans into nine groups based on values. One group, the Pragmatic and Polite Right, includes 56% Republicans and 37% Democrats. This group values civility and holds moderate views on race and immigration.

Jocelyn Kiley, who leads politics research at Pew, said the messy middle makes up about 60% of the electorate. The groups farthest to the right, including the No Apologies Right and Faith First Conservatives, account for just 21% of the population. Kiley stated that political division is real but contains more nuance than public perception suggests.