From the Left
This view is from a writer rated Lean Left.
Surveys show majorities of Democrats and Republicans are proud to be American, preferring life in the U.S. to any other place. Many people agree on key aspects of what it means to be a “true American.”
A false narrative popular today states that Republicans are extremely proud of America and don't see any faults, while Democrats are embarrassed by America and only see faults. Surveys show this is a gross overstatement. A majority of Democrats are still proud to be American, and majorities in both parties say that some things about America make them ashamed.
By and large, Democrats and Republicans are proud to be Americans, yet they are not blind to the country's faults.
Check out the surveys below from the past few years.
- A 2025 YouGov poll finds that Americans may be more prideful than we think:
- 73% of American adult citizens are proud to be American.
- The belief that Americans in general are very patriotic is not only low, but is shared by Democrats (18%) and Republicans (27%).
- 62% of Americans are equally, if not more patriotic than before.
- 69% of Democrats, 61% of Independents, and 57% of Republicans believe that we should not blindly support our country, rather we should acknowledge the faults of our country and try to reconcile them with solutions.
- Over 80% of both Democrats and Republicans believe that participating in peaceful protests and being patriotic are synonymous.
- 71% of Democrats, 71% of Independents, and 81% of Republicans believe that in times of danger, there are groups in the U.S. that cannot be trusted.
- A 2024 Gallup poll revealed a shocking reality among opinions about division in America.
- 80% of Americans believe the nations is deeply divided.
- 19% of Democrats and 15% of Republicans believe Americans are united in agreement on their values.
- Data reported by Deseret News (Center Bias) in 2024 explained many areas where Americans actually agree:
- 93% of Americans believe it is important to reduce divisions.
- 71% of Americans believe that their commonalities outweigh their differences.
- 90% of Democrats and 89% of Republicans believe the government must always be held accountable to the American people.
- 60% believe that citizens must be engaged in and contribute to society.
- 70% of Americans agree on the effectiveness of community-based gun violence prevention programs.
- 90% of Americans see compassion and respect for others as a core value of being American.
- Roughly 70% of Americans believe they are in sight of the American Dream or have already achieved it.
Bella Jasper is currently a high school student who is deeply interested in politics and journalism. In her writing, she hopes to provide a sense of commonality in politics. Bella has a Lean Left bias.
This piece was edited by AllSides.com Managing Editor Henry A. Brechter (Center bias) and News Editor Micaela Ricaforte (Center bias), and was reviewed by James Coan (Center) of Braver Angels.
