Five key stories about democracy

At a time when polarization often drowns out nuance, a new report from More in Common titled “Shared Ideals, Divergent Realities” offers a revealing portrait of Americans’ views on democracy in the Trump era. Despite a political climate dominated by division and distrust, the findings underscore a striking and perhaps hopeful truth: Americans across the political spectrum still overwhelmingly support democracy and constitutional norms. The danger lies not in disagreement over those ideals but in our profound divide over who—and what—endangers them.

The report, based on a representative national survey and in-depth qualitative interviews, shows that 63% of Americans—including 69% of Republicans and 79% of Democrats—believe democracy is “definitely the best” form of government for the United States. Over 70% agree the president should always act within the bounds of the Constitution, even if it limits his ability to get things done. These are not small numbers. They reflect shared civic values at a time when such agreement often feels out of reach.