As President Donald Trump addresses the nation a year after moving to the White House, Americans have mixed views on several issues from economy to taxes, democracy to foreign policy and health care to immigration.
According to Pew Research Center, Americans’ views of economic conditions are more positive than they have been in recent years, 41% seeing economic conditions in the country as “excellent” or “good,” near the highest point in a decade.
Nearly half of Americans expressed the opinion in an October Pew survey that there are a plenty of jobs available in their communities – the highest assessment in Pew Research Center surveys dating to 2001.
On taxes, the public has mixed expectations for the tax law recently passed by Congress and Trump. “About as many say the law will have a mostly positive effect on them and their families (29%) as say its effect will be mostly negative (27%),” the research center said.
In the area of security, 73% citizens say terrorism is a top priority, with improvements in public’s views of the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
On foreign policy Americans evenly divided over whether the U.S. should “be active in world affairs” or “pay less attention to problems overseas and concentrate on problems here at home” (47% each)”, according to a July 2017 survey.
Quite significantly for the international community, on the question of dealing with U.S. allies in global affairs, 59% of Americans say the U.S. should take into account the interests of its allies, even if it means making compromises with them.
On the other hand, 36% say the U.S. should follow its own national interests even when its allies strongly disagree, according to Pews.
“While 74% of Democrats say allies’ interests should be taken into account, 54% of Republicans say the U.S. should follow its own interests when there is strong disagreement.”
On the hot-button issue of immigration, “most Americans say immigrants strengthen the country with their hard work and talents (65%), rather than say that immigrants burden the country by taking jobs and other resources.”
According to Pew, around three-quarters of U.S. adults (74%) favor granting permanent legal status to immigrants brought here illegally as children, and just 37% favor substantially expanding the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
“However, while Republicans and Democrats are on opposite sides of the issue of expanding the border wall (72% of Republicans favor, 85% of Democrats oppose), among both Democrats and Republicans more favor than oppose permanent legal status for immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally as children (50% of Republicans and 92% of Democrats favor this).”
With regard to international trade, North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), gets positive views . Most Americans (56%) say that, all in all, the agreement is good for the U.S.
Health care is an other big issue with the Affordable Care Act seen as having a positive effect on the U.S. than a negative effect (44% vs. 35%), according to a survey conducted in December.
“The same survey found that 69% of Americans say the federal government should play a major role in ensuring access to health care. Yet only 36% say the government is doing a very or somewhat good job at ensuring health care access, down from 56% in 2015.”
Climate change and the environment remain divisive issues for Americans, with Democrats (68%) seeing dealing with climate change a policy priority against just 18% of Republicans holding that view
The highly sensitive issue of race relations is a major concern with a majority of Americans (60%) saying his election has worsened race relations in the United States. “Three-in-ten say Trump’s election has not made a difference when it comes to race relations, and just 8% say his election has made them better.”
SOURCE: Pew Research Center
