Washington Monthly article says Americans want connection over division

A new Washington Monthly essay by Dr. Gail C. Christopher says the 250th anniversary of the United States is exposing a gap between America’s founding ideals and daily experience. Drawing on NCHE’s latest Heart of America survey, the piece argues most Americans still want fairness, belonging, and leaders who can lower anxiety and repair trust.

Why it matters: - The article argues that political polarization does not reflect the full public mood. - Dr. Gail C. Christopher says most Americans still want belonging, fairness, and less anxiety in daily life. - The piece lands as the United States marks its 250th anniversary and reexamines what kind of country Americans want to build next.

What happened: - Washington Monthly published "The Heart of America Still Beats for Connection," an essay by Dr. Gail C. Christopher, executive director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity. - The article draws on NCHE’s 4th Annual Heart of America Survey, a public opinion poll of 1,322 U.S. adults conducted online from May 28 to June 3 by pollster Shannon-Janean Currie of Empirica Advisors. - The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.70 percentage points. - The full article is available here. - Full poll results are available here. - NCHE’s Heart of America surveys are archived at the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research.

The details: - Sixty-two percent of Americans say they are proud to be American, down from 72 percent a year earlier. - Only 36 percent say the country is living up to its ideals of freedom, fairness, and equal opportunity. - Fifty-two percent say the American Dream is out of reach. - Americans cite everyday costs as major pressure points: 81 percent point to grocery prices, 75 percent to wages not keeping pace with the cost of living, 72 percent to health care costs, and 71 percent to housing costs. - Elder care is now a bigger family strain than childcare, with 53 percent citing elder care and 44 percent citing childcare. - The article says 89 percent want leaders who can act as "transformers" and see past labels and political tricks. - Eighty-three percent would support a leader who tries to unite people across disagreements. - Eighty-four percent say faith, kindness, and empathy can help America overcome differences. - Seventy-one percent remain hopeful the country can find lasting common ground. - Eighty-five percent say Americans want to belong, connect, and trust one another again. - Eighty-two percent say workplace diversity is important to racial healing, including 74 percent of Republicans, 79 percent of Independents, and 92 percent of Democrats. - Eighty percent say reducing racial segregation in housing matters. - Ninety-two percent support teaching the full history of America, including slavery and racism. - Support for reparations rose to 56 percent from 46 percent in 2023. - Dr. Christopher outlines four steps for what she calls building "the America we actually want": tell a truer story, educate honestly, demand transformational leadership, and make healing a cross-sector project.

Between the lines: - Christopher frames the public mood as "ambivalent patriotism," meaning loyalty to the country paired with doubt that the country is honoring its promises. - She says the survey shows "attachment without satisfaction, loyalty without confidence." - The article pushes back on the idea that the country is defined only by division, arguing that a quieter desire for connection has been present but often ignored. - Christopher links the culture-war narrative to chronic anxiety and fear, and argues that those forces can worsen chronic illness. - She also says the term "culture wars" can mask an older ideology that ranked human worth by race. - The article cites resistance to that ideology from Indigenous peoples, enslaved and free African Americans, Chinese and Mexican immigrants, and women. - Christopher points to Minneapolis residents who stood with immigrant neighbors during ICE-related violence as an example of people choosing solidarity over fear. - She uses The Hero Next Door by ABC News correspondent Martha Raddatz as a cultural example of how shared sacrifice can cut through political labels.

What's next: - Christopher says the country needs new narratives of shared humanity, honest teaching of U.S. history, and leaders who address housing, health care, and wage pressure. - She argues that education, public health, media, and technology all shape whether national healing is possible. - The essay ends by calling the 250th anniversary a moment to replace "culture war" with what Christopher calls "cultural peace."

The bottom line: - The article’s central claim is simple: Americans may be divided in politics, but most still want a country built on fairness, solidarity, and connection.