Actually, Squirt, my opinion is that both political parties employ methods of what you characterize as "polarization" ... the Democrats have likewise immediately played such cards since reclaiming Congress (e.g. raising the minimum wage, allowing airport security officials the ability to collectively bargain, etc for the labor unions)

And interest groups on all sides love to scare their audiences so they can shake them down for money. (Human Rights Campaign, People for the American Way, Family Research Council, the NRA etc.)

I'm actually not at all a fan of strong political parties, and I think people give "parties" too much credit in the United States. That's also why I prefer the US system of electing representatives compares to other countries where the voters essentially go to the polls and elect a party from which some hack is selected to go make law.

In the US, there are Democrats who are pro life like Harry Reid or Joe Lieberman, or Republicans who are pro choice like Guiliani or the governors of California and Hawaii --- your representative is much more representative to their constituents and you get lots more variations.

Steve