As more details of the Jan. 6 insurrection come to light – and Americans seem more split on issues such as abortion, gun control and the economy – many worry about the state of our democracy.
Americans have become increasingly pessimistic about the direction of the country and the economy. An AP-NORC poll of 1,053 adults nationwide found that 85% of Americans think the country is headed in the wrong direction.
Political scientists and researchers agree that America is in an “extraordinary” time, but most think democracy can prevail.
“There are some very troubling trends taking place right now,” said Cornell Clayton, director of the Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service at Washington State University. “But you have to think about democracy in the long term as a progression. There are ebbs and flows, and we’re definitely in an ebb period.”