#ThanksObama: Percentage of “Extremely Proud” Americans Hits New Low
Make patriotism great again.
According to a new Gallup Poll, the number of people who identify as “extremely proud” Americans has fallen to a new low. Take a look:
New Low of 52% “Extremely Proud” to Be Americans
PRINCETON, N.J. — As the nation prepares to celebrate Independence Day, 52% of U.S. adults say they are “extremely proud” to be Americans, a new low in Gallup’s 16-year trend. Americans’ patriotism spiked after 9/11, peaking at 70% in 2003, but has declined since, including an eight-percentage-point drop in early 2005 and a five-point drop since 2013.
Americans’ declining patriotism is likely related to broader dissatisfaction with the way things are going in the U.S. In January 2004, when 69% were extremely proud to be an American, 55% of Americans were satisfied with the way things were going in the U.S. That was the last time satisfaction has been at the majority level, and the percentage satisfied has mostly held below 30% since 2007, including the 29% in Gallup’s most recent update.
Americans’ patriotism stayed relatively flat from 2006 through 2013, a period that spanned the Great Recession and Barack Obama’s election and first term as president. But over the last three years, Americans’ willingness to say they are extremely proud to be an American has declined further.
Gallup notes that young people are one of the groups which has declined significantly in patriotism but that’s hardly a surprise considering what we’ve seen on college campuses in the last few years.
There are no surprises in these findings either:
Political liberals (36%) join young adults as the least patriotic major subgroup today. Independents, Democrats, nonwhites and college graduates also show below-average patriotism.
Republicans (68%), conservatives (61%) and those aged 50 to 64 (64%) are the major subgroups most likely to say they are extremely proud to be Americans. Republicans, 50- to 64-year-olds and nonwhites are the only groups that are at least somewhat more patriotic today than before 9/11. As a result of Republicans’ still-elevated percentage, the 23-point Republican-Democratic gap in patriotism is now roughly double what it was in January 2001.
Prager University suggests that this poll means the left is winning:
New low of “extremely proud” Americans in @Gallup poll. The left is winning, folks. https://t.co/MU1WeOktLQ
— PragerU (@prageru) July 6, 2016
Another way to interpret it is that the Obama era has depressed many Americans and shaken their faith in our leaders and institutions.
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Comments
Count me in.
For Obama, this is a good thing. It is a sign that his fundamental transformation is in process. For some theorists, national pride is a bad thing, and WE are the Evil Empire.
Trump 2016.
LOL! In what universe would Trump being president make anyone proud? He is totally cringe worthy.
Um, maybe the millions of us who voted for him? Trump received more votes in the primary than any previous candidate.
Another way to interpret it is that the Obama era has depressed many Americans and shaken their faith in our leaders and institutions.
Imagine what it will be like after 8 years of Hillary.
Another ‘Great Depression’, but this time it won’t be the economy.
Until the day I die, I will always be proud to be an American. Though not perfect, this country has been the greatest force for good in the history of the world.
Only in America can one hope to better their lives, to attain the highest standard of living ever, and where even the poorest of the poor can live in comfort, without worry about their next meal, so long as the producers produce.
And, the producers will produce, as long as they are properly incentivized to go out, take risks and reap the rewards of capitalism. Yes, I would rather be an American, living in America, than any other place in the world.
We live in the freest nation in the world and for some reason we have some of the most whiny, and ungrateful people on the planet living here.
There are other choices of places to live, for these miserable people, where they can be miserable with pride:
“Utopia” Europe is plagued with the Islamic immigrant’s rendition of absolutist Allahocracy and with socialism’s communitarian debt, with economic stagnation and welfare stupor.
And, in South America populist Marxism has created poverty and squalor and has significantly decreased the welfare of its people.
I am glad you have determined that we live in the freest country the world. I am not sure if you did an actual survey or are basing that on extensive time spent living in other countries, but do share that belief with the the surviving loved ones of the licensed to carry and gainfully employed black man that was shot and killed while retrieving his drivers license after a stop for a broken taillight.
Incidents like that make it a little harder to be proud when traveling abroad and locals ask about such incidents. BTW, you can’t blame these shootings on Obama.
You could blame them on the steady drip, drip, drip in the aftermath of the ill-advised and poorly executed Iraq War. Are you proud of the Defense and Veterans department when they deny the claims of veterans suffering from TBI and PTSD. We thank them for their service, but we don’t want to pay for their injuries.
Huh?! I didn’t say a perfect country, I said the freest.
Yes, I have spent time in other countries including Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico…which do not compare to what we have here.
We should be extremely proud but all we do isn’t advertised. The untold billions in direct aid (public and private)for one thing. We also help the world indirectly simply by the wealth we’ve generated. Look at what we’ve done for China, etc.
But Obama and his ilk see the disparity of wealth between us and the third world as something bad. He knows we cannot bring them completely up to our level any time soon, so we have to be brought to their level. Why? Because its “fair.”
It’s our little garden. Let’s tend it… for We the People and our Posterity.
Many in our population who are not proud of this great nation are those who have been taught to be ashamed of our exceptionalism. They also voted “No”.
I, for one, am more proud to be an American during Obama’s reign than ever before.
Of course, my pride hinges on the view that Obama is NOT an American. He may be “American” by birth and by citizenship, but he is not an American by values.
My pride is also bolstered by the number of good, hard-working Americans who are cluing in to the attacks — both overt and subtle — on our way of life, by unAmerican enemies both foreign and domestic. I am proud that the sleeping giant is waking up.
But that’s just me. 🙂