A troubling consensus has settled across the American landscape: a resounding majority of citizens believe the United States has profoundly strayed from its founding principles. As the nation braces for its 250th anniversary, this sentiment isn’t merely a political talking point; it’s a deep-seated apprehension reflected in multiple recent polls, revealing a populace increasingly disillusioned with the state of its democracy. For progressives, this widespread recognition of systemic failure is not a sign of despair, but a critical opening for advocating for transformative change.
The Current Reality
The data is unequivocal. A new PBS News/NPR/Marist poll, conducted from June 8-11, 2026, reveals that an alarming 83% of U.S. adults feel America has moved away from its foundational ideals, with 47% stating the country has “moved far away”. This isn’t an isolated finding. Just weeks earlier, a Noble Predictive Insights poll, conducted from June 1-4, 2026, for The Center Square’s Voters’ Voice Poll, found that while 86% of registered voters support America’s founding principles, only 31% believe these principles are being practiced well today. Mike Noble, founder and CEO of Noble Predictive Insights, noted, “Voters are not rejecting the founding ideals, but many doubt the country’s political system is healthy enough to live up to them”.
Other surveys corroborate this pervasive unease. A Quinnipiac University poll from mid-May 2026 found that 61% of Americans believe the U.S. is not living up to the Declaration of Independence’s ideal of “all men are created equal,” and a significant 57% think the system of democracy is not working. Gallup’s May 2026 survey found that 77% of Americans believe the signers of the Declaration of Independence would be “disappointed” with how the country has turned out, a sharp increase from 42% in 2001. Even more broadly, an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll in June 2026 highlighted that fewer Americans see their country as exceptional, with about three in ten now believing there are better countries than the U.S.. This growing skepticism is particularly pronounced among young people, with 44% of adults under 30 saying other countries are better than the U.S..
These polls paint a vivid picture of a nation grappling with a crisis of identity, recognizing a stark disconnect between the aspirational rhetoric of its founding and the lived reality of its citizens.
A Progressive Critique
From a progressive vantage point, this widespread public disillusionment is not surprising; it’s the inevitable outcome of decades of deliberate policy choices that have prioritized corporate power and concentrated wealth over democratic governance and the common good. The “straying” from founding principles—individual rights, equal treatment under the law, and government by consent of the people—can be directly linked to a relentless assault on democratic institutions and a widening chasm of economic inequality.
The influence of money in politics is a primary culprit. A new report from Public Citizen, released in June 2026, revealed record-shattering corporate political spending in the current election cycle. Nearly one-third of all corporate political spending on elections since the 2010 Citizens United decision has occurred in this cycle alone, with $517 million already spent—a figure “sure to soar” as the November general election approaches. Rick Claypool, Research Director at Public Citizen, starkly warned, “This corporate spending is a disaster for democracy”. Industries like crypto, Big Tech, and online betting are fueling this surge, often directing funds to “corporate supremacist super PACs” that prioritize sectoral interests over the broader public. The Washington Post reported in April 2026 that 13,000 lobbyists spent approximately $5 billion in 2025 alone to influence Congress and federal agencies, demonstrating the outsized sway of special interests.
This corporate capture directly undermines the principle of “government by the consent of the people” by replacing the voices of ordinary citizens with the demands of powerful donors. The result is a political system rigged against the majority. A January 2026 YouGov poll found that 80% of Americans, including majorities across all political affiliations, believe the rich have too much political power.
Hand-in-hand with corporate influence is the staggering and growing wealth inequality that fundamentally erodes equal opportunity. The Washington Post highlighted in April 2026 that economic inequality has reached a 30-year high, with the top 1% of households owning nearly one-third of the nation’s wealth, roughly equal to the bottom 90%. The gap between CEO and worker salaries has skyrocketed, from 31:1 in 1978 to 281:1 in 2024. This grotesque accumulation of wealth directly translates into political power, creating a self-reinforcing cycle where economic disparities breed political inequality, further entrenching the status quo. As a working paper by Manuel Schechtl in November 2025 concluded, increasing wealth concentration “actively erode American democratic institutions”. Oxfam’s February 2026 report echoed this, stating that extreme wealth has become “a direct threat to political freedom”.
Furthermore, the very design of America’s policymaking institutions reinforces this inequality. With numerous veto players, the filibuster, and Senate malapportionment, the U.S. system is “uniquely designed to block the policy change most Americans want,” effectively preserving the status quo and benefiting those at the top.
The Path Forward
The profound public recognition that America has lost its way offers a potent opportunity for progressive movements to advocate for structural change. This isn’t a moment for incremental reforms; it’s a demand for a re-founding, a recommitment to genuine democratic principles.
First and foremost, robust campaign finance reform is essential to dismantle the corporate capture of our political system. Overturning Citizens United remains a critical objective, but immediate actions must include strict limits on corporate and super PAC spending, increased transparency, and robust public financing of elections. If we are to have government “by the consent of the people,” the people must be able to elect representatives free from the financial servitude of corporate interests.
Secondly, tackling rampant wealth inequality is paramount to restoring equal opportunity and fostering a truly representative democracy. Progressive taxation, including wealth taxes and higher taxes on capital gains, can begin to reverse the decades-long transfer of wealth upwards. Policies that strengthen workers’ rights, ensure living wages, and invest in public goods like affordable housing, healthcare, and education are not just economic imperatives but democratic necessities. As some states are already exploring, measures like a “millionaire’s tax” can generate significant revenue without driving out the wealthy.
Finally, we must address the structural impediments within our policymaking institutions. Reforming or eliminating the filibuster, addressing Senate malapportionment, and ensuring fair voting rights for all citizens are crucial steps to make our government more responsive to the will of the majority rather than a select few. Community-led initiatives to boost civic participation, supported by companies offering paid time off to vote, can also help re-engage citizens in the democratic process.
The overwhelming consensus among Americans that their nation has strayed from its core ideals is a powerful mandate for change. It’s an indictment of the status quo and a clarion call for a progressive vision that rebuilds democracy from the ground up, ensuring that “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” are not just hollow words, but a lived reality for all.