Americans are now facing a common enemy, COVID-19.

I want to thank all Americans for pulling together, for coming together.

It's called the invisible enemy, and that's what it is.

It's an invisible enemy.

The US Federal Reserve has announced it will buy hundreds of billions of dollars in bonds

and will lend directly to businesses to try to calm the markets.

Millions of Americans are now having to stay at home to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Despite ensuing turmoil, politicians from both parties have been accused of political point scoring.

President Trump has been widely criticized for using an Oval Office address to refer to a foreign virus.

The country now has a choice, whether to unite against COVID-19 or revert to the partisan squabbling

that hallmarked the last few years.

You're listening to the economist asks, I'm Ann McHelvoy, and this week we're asking,

why is America polarized?

My guest today tackles this question head on in his latest book, Why Were Polarized?

Ezra Klein is a self-proclaimed policy nerd who created the influential Wank Blog.

He jumped ship from the Washington Post to co-found Vox Media, and in his book,

he then argues that polarization is a feature, not a bug of the American political system,

dividing the country with disastrous results.

So what might be done about it in these divided times?

Ezra Klein, welcome to the economist asks.

Thank you for having me.

To start with the world is facing polarization.

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