American German Business Club

Berlin e.V.

Politics

January 27, 2020

Americans’ Take on the U.S. Is Improved, but Still Mixed

Americans’ overall satisfaction with the country’s direction is at its highest point since 2005. However, the 41% satisfied with the country today leaves 58% dissatisfied, and the detailed satisfaction measures reported here help reveal the source of that discontent.

While large majorities applaud the nation’s economy and military strength, they remain critical of the federal government on several dimensions and see room for improvement in numerous areas related to the health and wellbeing of Americans.

Story Highlights

• Most Americans satisfied with country on the economy, national security
• Dissatisfaction still runs high on numerous domestic issues
• Average satisfaction across 27 issues is higher than when Trump took office

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump’s upbeat view of the nation’s economy, military strength, economic opportunity and overall quality of life will likely resonate with Americans when he delivers his State of the Union address to Congress next week. Most Americans say they are satisfied with each of these aspects of the country as 2020 begins. The majority also feel positively about the positions of women and gays in society.

Issues on Which Americans Are Broadly Satisfied at the Start of 2020

Ranked by “Net satisfied” (% satisfied minus % dissatisfied)

At the same time, the majority of Americans are dissatisfied with a host of issues that Trump would do well to address. These include a variety of domestic issues such as public education, healthcare, abortion policies and guns — as well as the economic issues of poverty and the distribution of income and wealth.

Issues on Which Americans Are Broadly Dissatisfied at the Start of 2020

Ranked by “Net satisfied” (% satisfied minus % dissatisfied)

Americans are more evenly split in their assessments of eight other aspects of the country, with fewer than 10 points separating the percentages satisfied and dissatisfied. These include medical care, energy policies, the environment, and government regulation of business, among other issues.

Issues Eliciting Mixed Satisfaction at the Start of 2020

Ranked by “Net satisfied” (% satisfied minus % dissatisfied)

These findings are from Gallup’s annual Mood of the Nation survey, conducted Jan. 2-15. Gallup has measured Americans’ satisfaction with most of these issues each year since 2001, except from 2009 to 2011, when a more limited number of issues were rated or the question was not asked.

Changes Since Trump Took Office

As Trump enters his re-election year, Americans are more positive on eight key issues than they were just before he took office in January 2017.

• Gallup records double-digit increases in public satisfaction with the nation’s economy, security from terrorism, military strength and the state of race relations.
• Satisfaction is also up by between six and nine points on crime, the position of blacks and other racial minorities, the distribution of income and wealth, and the opportunity for a person to get ahead through hard work.

Over the same period, Americans have grown slightly less satisfied on three issues: abortion (down 7 points), the level of immigration (-6) and the environment (-6).

Changes in Americans’ Satisfaction With Issues Since Start of Trump Presidency

Long-Term Trend Is Up, but Still Much Room for Improvement

Americans’ average satisfaction rating for the 27 issues Gallup has tracked consistently since 2001 is now 47%. This is up three points from a year ago and is the highest since the January 2005 poll.

Today’s average satisfaction is roughly on par with the level of the early 2000s. Only in 2002 was the average for this metric substantially higher than it is today. The average 53% recorded that year reflected heightened satisfaction as Americans were in full “rally around the flag” mode shortly after the 9/11 attacks.