Poll: Far fewer people say they are proud to be an American (only 52%)

[davidn3600]

Strong feelings of patriotism that peaked in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks have been on the wane for more than a decade, as many Americans grappled with prolonged warfare in the Middle East, the worst recession in decades, and bitter political controversies over domestic and foreign policies.

As the nation prepares to observe another July 4th holiday, the share of people who are “extremely proud” to be an American has dropped sharply, from 70 percent in 2003 to a new low of 52 percent today, according to a new survey by Gallup.

The long-term decline in extreme pride in the country – including steep drops in early 2005 and in 2013 -- are likely linked to a rising dissatisfaction among Americans with the general drift of the country and its economy, according to Gallup. At the height of the patriotic ardor, in 2004, 55 percent of Americans said they were generally satisfied with the way things were going. Since then, the rate of satisfaction has mostly held below 30 percent, according to the polling organization.

“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,” Gallup wrote. “But over the last three years, Americans’ willingness to say they are extremely proud to be an American has declined further.”

For sure, there is still plenty of enthusiasm among Americans for their country: 29 percent of the public surveyed by Gallup from June 14 to 23 said they were “very proud” to be an American, while 13 percent said they were “moderately proud.” Only one percent said they were not at all proud to be citizens.

Yet since patriotic zeal peaked in 2003 after the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, “all major subgroups have shown significant declines in the percentage saying they are extremely proud to be Americans,” the study found. And the current brutal presidential campaign between presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton isn’t likely to make things better.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/extemely-proud-american-fewer-people-111500441.html

[RKP5637]

1. M$M keeps things in a turmoil, whatever, to keep viewers in suspense and hence $$$$$'s

in profits to M$M. The ads are endless. Raking in the profits.

[Hoyt]

2. Glad to be an American, but not satisfied with it, particularly those who Trump attracts.

[runaway hero]

4. Those people been there for years.

The Obama Witch doctor thing, for example, was not a trump event.

[Hoyt]

10. Ain't liked them since about 1964.

[BlueStater]

3. Patriotism is loving your country enough to recognize its faults and try to fix them.

It isn't total blind allegiance. That's something these "MURICA, FUCK YEAH!" pinheads don't get.

[RobertEarl]

5. We need

A Future To Believe In

Our moderation on too many big issues makes the US look weak and under the control of a few whose main goal in life is profit$.

[840high]

9. .+1

[bhikkhu]

6. Not proud that we tortured people

That's a stain that's going to stick around for a long time. I could be proud of a country that stood for something and then lived up to that ideal, but not so long ago "the gloves came off" and we did some horrible things. Perhaps the gloves are back on, but that doesn't change the fact.

That most of the people who were fine with torture became the very visible and vocal tea party, and now the very vocal and violent supporters of trump (a big supporter of torture) only makes it worse, and more present.

[Iggo]

7. I love my country and I love being an American.

I'm proud of my country when it does things I can be proud of.

I'm proud of being an American when I do something as an American that I can be proud of.

[runaway hero]

8. If you're African American

There is no reason to be proud to be an American.