Political Polarization

I find it interesting that there is often large uproar about a specific issue before it goes to ballot. You see multiple television commercials every night, you hear about it everywhere, and it sounds like everybody feels the same way. Then the votes come in and it doesn’t pass.

One thing that confuses me is the intolerance that is shown for those who are intolerant and the hatred shown for those who hate.

What gives one side the right to define the stance of the other side by taking an extreme position and claiming that anyone who disagrees believes the opposite extreme?