A new Gallup poll finds that Americans agree on little when it comes to which values the country needs most, with Republicans and Democrats diverging sharply on priorities such as patriotism and equality.
Gallup surveyed 3,000 U.S. adults between May 12 and 22, asking respondents to choose from a list of 12 values which ones they believe most Americans share, regardless of party or background. Seventy-six percent of respondents identified at least one shared value, 59 percent identified at least two, and 46 percent identified three or more.
Among the values respondents said are still widely shared, honesty, integrity and courage each came in at just 13 percent. Humility ranked lowest among shared values, at 10 percent.
The poll also asked whether it is more important for Americans to respect differing values or to share the same ones. Seventy-nine percent said respecting different values matters more, while 19 percent said sharing the same values is more important. That view was held by 84 percent of Democrats, 81 percent of independents and 72 percent of Republicans.
Diverging priorities by party
When asked which three values the country most needs today, Democrats selected honesty (32 percent), integrity (29 percent) and responsibility (24 percent). Republicans selected responsibility (41 percent), honesty (38 percent) and integrity (33 percent).
The starkest gap appeared on patriotism and equality. Just 6 percent of Democrats named patriotism among the three values the country most needs, compared with 46 percent of Republicans. Equality, meanwhile, was the top choice for Democrats at 44 percent, while Republicans ranked it 11th out of the 12 values listed.
The survey was conducted roughly six months before the midterm elections, offering a snapshot of how differently the two parties’ coalitions define the values they believe the country should prioritize going forward.
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