two Americas
Rich and poor
Two Americas is the idea that the United States contains two distinct societies divided by race, class, or opportunity—one prosperous and privileged, the other struggling and marginalized.
The phrase gained political currency in John Edwards's 2004 presidential campaign but echoes older observations about American inequality: There are two Americas—one for the rich and one for everyone else.
- red statesRepublican-voting regions
- us versus themPolarized group opposition
- culture warConflict over societal values
- wealth gapEconomic inequality measure
- income inequalityDisparity in earnings distribution
class divide · coastal elites · systemic racism · rust belt · Main Street · educational attainment · affirmative action · regional identity · upward mobility · white picket fence · gerrymandering · housing crisis · segregation · food insecurity · civil rights · racial profiling · poverty line · generational differences
two Americasnational unity
Shared identity across citizenry
united we stand · one nation · common bond · melting pot · indivisible
two Americasclassless society
System without social strata
equal opportunity · economic equality · level playing field · social mobility · economic justice
two Americaspolitical unity
Shared stance among factions
common ground · depolarization · national consensus · national reconciliation · big tent
twos, twice, twin, twins, twinned, twinning, between, twain, twofold