The partisan divide is widening and the nation is growing more pessimistic, NBC News found, citing the results of polls between now and their start 30 years ago.
Presidential approval used to be more bipartisan, we used to have a great confidence in the future for our children, we view mothers in the workplace far more favorably, we are more supportive of same-sex marriage, and are less likely to attend church every week, according to the report.
"The long-term trends here are more than just interesting, they reveal something bigger about Washington and the world outside of it," Dante Chinni wrote.
"While political gridlock has been the dominant story on Pennsylvania Avenue for years now, the numbers here show the country doesn't need the Congress or the president to go through major changes in attitude and culture. In a fairly short amount of time, there have been dramatic shifts in the way we see the world and ourselves. And there's no reason to expect them to suddenly slow down regardless of who is in the White House or the Capitol Building."
Noted differences between then and now in the poll:
- Presidential approval – Just 6% of Democrats approve of President Donald Trump, which is remarkably lower than the 53% approval by Democrats in the first NBC News poll in September 1989.
- American dream – Respondents in '89 were 5-point optimists (50% confident in our children's future and 45% not confident), while the latest poll was 40-point pessimists (27% confident, 67% not confident).
- Working mothers – 6 points positive in '89 and now 64 points in positive.
- Same-sex marriage – 19 points opposed then and 27 points supportive now.
- Church attendance – 27 points favoring regular attendance then, to just 3 point favoring now.
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