Young voters have an unfavorable view of how things are going in the United States, with less than half agreeing they are “proud to be an American” in a new poll.
According to the Blueprint poll released Wednesday, just 42% of young voters ages 18-30 are proud to be American, while 64% believe that America is in decline. Half say it’s accurate to describe America as a “hellscape,” dystopia,” or “dying empire.”
Less than half of voters surveyed think America is more of a “good guy” than a “bad guy” right now, 48%, while just 33% say America is a “force for good in the world.”
Many young voters expressed anti-colonialist sentiments, including 38% who said America is a global imperial oppressor, 48% who agreed America is at risk of becoming a fascist country, 45% who said America should pay reparations to black people, and 36% who agreed prisons and police “as we know them” should be abolished.
The majority believes the American dream hasn’t been equally accessible to all, American systems of power are built on the marginalization of minorities, black people face systemic disadvantages in America, and most people are racist, sexist, and biased.
While more left-leaning on social politics, young voters tend to be very cynical about government and politicians, with 65% saying nearly all politicians are corrupt, 51% saying the American political system doesn’t work for them, 48% believing it doesn’t matter who wins elections as nothing changes, and 35% saying that nothing a politician has done has helped them.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Half of young voters worry about how the government would respond to another global pandemic, including 22% who are “very worried.” Just 14% are confident in the government’s ability to handle another pandemic.
On the subject of COVID-19, 11% of young voters actually reported being happier during the pandemic, while 51% say they were happier before, and 21% report being happier afterward. Seventy-seven percent agree that the pandemic changed the country for the worse.