Key Takeaways from June 2019 NBC/WSJ Survey

As we approach Independence Day, we are taking a closer look at the state of Democracy in America.  Americans take a pessimistic view of Democracy today and believe that our founders would be disappointed with where we have taken their vision.  Most Americans believe that Democracy in America needs some real work.  But America is not a house divided and this is not a tear-down, rather it is a house in need of a lot of work on its foundation and its significant structural damage. 

Fueling this desire for change is a level of engagement that has surged in recent years.  Along with very high levels of interest in the 2020 election at this early stage, Americans are much more likely to say that politics is important in their life than they were almost 30 years ago.  The challenge here is that while Americans identify a number of fixes to the country that they believe would make a difference, there is not an intensely held consensus across party lines in support of any individual solution.

On other current issues, Donald Trump’s job rating remains below 50%, support for beginning impeachment hearings now has increased (but even among Democrats it is under 50%), and a record number of Americans support keeping abortion legal.

Selected Articles:

Polling shows solid growth in support of legal abortion

Americans Aren’t Sure U.S. System Can Fix Long-Term Problems, Poll Finds