We will all have plenty to say later this week about Thursday’s presidential debate, with most of the conversation inevitably and necessarily focused on performance and cognitive ability. Real policy dialogue on such critical issues as abortion rights, the Supreme Court, the state of the economy, guns and the survival of democracy will struggle for oxygen as a convicted felon desperate for immunity attempts to bully his way to a “victory” with insults and hostility.
But, for now, consider the results of a recently published Pew Research Center survey conducted in April that vividly illustrates what’s at stake beyond the noise and distractions. It makes clear the deep divide in values and perceptions in America between registered voters of President Joe Biden and those of Donald Trump. From guns to race, to immigration and diversity, to religion, abortion and criminal justice, the results articulate two starkly different visions for America’s future and the kind of leadership each group wants. Here are nine highlights:
On gun ownership: While 86% of Trump supporters say “gun ownership does more to increase safety by allowing law-abiding citizens to protect themselves,” only 23% of Biden supporters do.
On slavery and race: While 79% of Biden supporters say the “legacy of slavery affects the position of Black people in America today to a great deal/fair amount,” only 27% of Trump supporters do.
On white privilege: While 80% of Biden supporters say “white people benefit from advantages in society that Black people do not have,” just 22% of Trump supporters do.
On immigration and inclusion: While 87% of Biden supporters say “America’s openness to people from all over the world is essential to who we are as a nation,” only 36% of Trump supporters do.
On immigration and deportation: While 63% of Trump supporters say “there should be a national effort to deport documented immigrants currently living in the U.S.,” just 11 percent of Biden supporters do.
On separation of church and state: While 86% of Biden supporters say “religion should be kept separate from government policies,” barely half (56%) of Trump supporters do.
On the Bible’s influence: While 43% of Trump supporters say “government policies should support religious values and belief,” just 13% of Biden supporters do.
On abortion rights: While 88% of Biden supporters say “abortion should be legal in all or most cases,” just a third (38%) of Trump supporters do.
On criminal justice: Ironically, 81% of Trump supporters say the “criminal justice system in this country is generally not tough enough on criminals,” while less than half of Biden supporters (41%) do.
What kind of America do we want? How do we define our national identity? How should we treat immigrants? Should Christianity influence public policy and lawmaking? Are we as a nation committed to women’s reproductive freedom? These are just some of the questions and issues at stake in November, underscoring the seriousness of the choice and outcome.
All of these questions and any of the Pew survey results are fair game for today’s prompt, but particularly: What kind of country do you want? And would a win by Trump—who feeds on and fuels conflict and division—ensure even more divisiveness and hate between Americans? Likewise, does President Biden’s call in 2020 for greater unity now seem like nothing more than a pipe dream?
As always, I look forward to reading your thoughts and for this community to learn from each other. Please do be respectful in your remarks. Trolling will not be tolerated.
*Photo illustration by Boarding1Now via Getty Images.
