Waning Patriotism Ahead Of 4th Of July Shows Partisan Gulf: Poll

WASHINGTON, DC — Patriotism is waning as Americans prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July, according to a new Gallup poll that shows their pride in the United States has dipped to its lowest point since the respected polling group began measuring it in 2001. The polling results announced Wednesday come a day ahead of President Donald Trump’s “Salute to America” Independence Day celebration, and his presidency was cited as a chief reason behind the lower confidence ratings.

Pride in the country hasn’t completely disappeared — 70 percent of U.S. adults said that overall, they’re proud to be Americans, but only 45 percent said they are “extremely proud.” This is the second consecutive year that Americans describing themselves as extremely proud of the country was below the majority level, Gallup said.

The results of the June 3-16 poll reveal a “sharply polarized political climate,” Gallup said, noting in the report that “these historically low readings on American pride are likely to continue until Trump is no longer in office.”

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The decline in U.S. patriotism was driven largely by Democrats. Only 22 percent of Democrats expressed extreme pride in the country, the lowest in the 19-year history of Gallup’s American pride poll. Democrats’ pride was only half of what it was months before Trump’s election in 2016, the poll said. And pride in the United States is even lower among some subgroups that identify as Democrats, including women, liberals and younger adults.

But among Republicans, 76 percent of whom said they are extremely proud of their country, patriotism has edged higher. Even when Democratic President Barack Obama was in office, Republicans’ extreme pride in their country never fell below 68 percent, Gallup said.

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Those identifying as independents are more proud of their country than Democrats. Gallup said that among the former group, 41 percent expressed extreme pride — the lowest reading in the trend by one point.

For the first time in the history of the poll, those queried were asked to measure their pride in eight aspects of U.S. government and society.

In large majorities, those queried in the poll expressed pride in American scientific achievements (91 percent), the U.S. military (89 percent), American culture and arts (85 percent), economic achievements (75 percent), sporting achievements (73 percent), and diversity in race, ethnic background and religion (72 percent).

But only 32 percent said they were proud of the U.S. political system, and 37 percent said the nation’s health and welfare systems aren’t a source of pride.

Disdain in those areas was universal among those identifying with major political parties, though Gallup said “politics may be affecting Democrats’ sense of pride in their country more than Republicans’, given Democrats’ low approval of the president.”

Trump’s historically low presidential approval rating among world leaders may also have been a driving force in the decline in patriotism among Democrats, Gallup said. The group also pointed to a poll early this year that found just 31 percent of Americans, including 2 percent of Democrats, think world leaders respect Trump.