The Number

49% Fluctuating patriotism: Numbers down from 1991

In a 2007 Pew poll, about half (49%) of Americans say they completely agree with the statement "I am patriotic" ?— a decline from the near-record 56% who said so in August 2003. (In November 1991, 58% said they completely agreed with the statement.) While patriotic sentiment has remained at a very high level for a very long time , strong expressions of patriotism have fluctuated in frequency somewhat. There have long been partisan differences in strong expressions of patriotism, with more Republicans completely concurring with the statement than either Democrats or independents. The gap between Republicans and Democrats reached an all-time high in 2003 (23 points). Since then, however, the percentage of Republicans voicing complete agreement with the statement has declined from 71% to 61%. Democratic views have remained more stable, so the partisan divide has narrowed to 16 points.