A recent Gallup poll found that more than three-quarters of Americans think the country’s founders would be disappointed with the US today. Only 19% of Americans believe the signers of the Declaration of Independence would be pleased with the way the US has turned out.

Pessimism and Pride

Despite this pessimism, around 7 in 10 Americans say that the country has had at least a fair amount of success in achieving its founding ideals. Americans view the US with a conflicting mix of pride and concern, with 66% saying they’re at least somewhat proud of who we are as a country.

The public is almost universal in calling the right to vote and freedom of speech key to the country’s national identity. However, just under half see that freedom of speech as facing major threats. Presidential historian Tim Naftali thinks that if the signers of the declaration could witness the United States today, they’d mostly be astonished by the country’s power, diversity, and wealth.

Divided Views

Americans are divided in their views on the country’s direction, with only 38% of US adults saying they’re confident that the United States’ best years still lie ahead. The country’s 250th anniversary celebrations are also more polarizing than in the past, with Republicans more likely to be interested in the commemoration than Democrats.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.