Americans Worry About Rising Political Tensions

Key Findings:

• Unified Belief: Americans agree that political violence is wrong.
• Growing Concern: Fear of increased political violence has grown over recent years.
• Political Divisions: Politics is the main reason people can't get along.
• Generational Differences: Older Americans believe people get along more than younger ones.
• Decline in Politeness: Older generations feel politeness has declined over time.

The Silence Around Politics

• Avoidance: Fewer than half feel safe sharing political views publicly.
• Rare Discussions: Half of the public rarely discuss politics with those who have different views.
• Online Behavior: Most avoid political discussions online, preferring like-minded groups.
• Decline in Face-to-Face Discussions: The number of people talking face-to-face with those who have different political views has dropped in the last four years.

Reasons for Silence

• Fear of Consequences: Many believe expressing political views can lead to insults, threats, or job problems.
• Risk vs. Benefit: The risks are seen as outweighing the benefits, such as finding like-minded people or building support.

Feeling Disrespected

• General Feeling: Most Americans, regardless of age or political affiliation, feel disrespected by society.
• Exception: Those comfortable expressing their political opinions feel more respected.

Decline in Political Civility

• Bipartisan Agreement: Both Democrats and Republicans agree that politics has become less civil over time.
• Perception of Opposition: Most see political opposition rather than enemies.
• Threat Perception: A significant number of Democrats view Republicans as a threat to their way of life, similar to four years ago.
• Enemy Perception: A little over a third of Republicans see Democrats as enemies, slightly less than before.

Pessimism About the Future

• Overall Pessimism: Most Americans are pessimistic about the country's ability to set aside political differences and work together.
• Optimism Differences: Republicans are somewhat more optimistic than Democrats, and younger Americans are more hopeful than older ones.