4 in 10 Americans Feel Proud as US Turns 250; Many Others Are Conflicted

WASHINGTON (AP) — Duane Mitchell, a 78-year-old veteran in Montana, plans to celebrate the United States' 250th birthday by driving his restored red, white and blue 1954 Chevrolet pickup in local parades. He bought a decorative eagle for the truck and will have children throw candy to the crowd. "Everybody loves it," he said. Mitchell is not alone. About 4 in 10 U.S. adults say they feel "proud" about the country's 250th anniversary, according to a new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Roughly 3 in 10 say "excited" describes their feelings. But the poll also shows that many Americans feel indifferent or conflicted. A separate Gallup poll finds that most Americans now believe the signers of the Declaration of Independence would be disappointed with how the country has turned out. That number has risen sharply from 25 years ago. **Republicans and Older Adults Feel Proud** Most Republicans feel proud or excited about the anniversary. About 7 in 10 Republicans say pride describes their emotions. Among independents, that number drops to about 3 in 10. Only about 2 in 10 Democrats feel the same way. Older Americans, those ages 60 and older, are also mostly proud. About 6 in 10 say this describes how they feel. Mitchell, who served in the Vietnam War, wants the country to "celebrate it to the maximum." He wants Americans to remember those who gave their lives for freedom. "It was a sacrifice," he said. "The most important thing about the celebration is understanding that freedom is not free." About 7 in 10 U.S. adults believe America has succeeded "a great deal" or "a fair amount" in achieving its founding ideals. This view is shared by a majority of Democrats, independents and Republicans, though Republicans are most likely to agree. **Democrats and Young People Feel Conflicted** More Democrats and young people say "conflicted" or "indifferent" describes their feelings. About 4 in 10 Democrats and roughly 3 in 10 adults under 30 say "conflicted" fits "extremely" or "very" well. Laura Davis, a 44-year-old progressive in Chicago, struggles with what she calls "American declarations of grandiosity." She points to the White House ballroom construction and the repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. She believes that money could be better spent on Americans in need. "It doesn't mean we can't celebrate the things that do make America unique," she said. "But I think it's more nuanced than that." About 8 in 10 Americans say the signers of the Declaration would be disappointed with the country today. Only about 2 in 10 say they would be pleased. In 1999, when the question was first asked, 55% believed the signers would be disappointed and 44% thought they would be pleased. **How Americans Plan to Celebrate** Just under half of U.S. adults, 44%, plan to celebrate by spending time with friends or family. About 3 in 10 plan to watch coverage on television or social media. More than half of adults ages 65 and older plan to celebrate with friends or family. Adults under 30 are more likely to say they are not planning to celebrate at all. About 2 in 10 U.S. adults plan to attend a neighborhood or community event. Roughly 1 in 10 plan to attend an official America 250 event. Lyle Nelson, a 67-year-old in Idaho, plans to watch the Macy's firework show at home. He agrees with much of what President Donald Trump has done in office. "I wonder if he's thankful that he gets to be president during the 250th anniversary," Nelson said. "I think he'll be excited for that." --- *The AP-NORC poll of 2,596 adults was conducted April 16-20. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points. The Gallup-With Honor poll of 3,199 adults was conducted May 12-22. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.1 percentage points. The separate Gallup poll of 1,001 adults was conducted May 1-17. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.*