A significantly higher percentage of Republicans say they are “extremely proud” to be American compared to Democrats and independents, according to survey results released just two days before Independence Day. The Gallup poll, which surveyed U.S. adults from June 3-23, shows that 59% of Republicans say they are “extremely proud” of their national identity, which remains near record-low numbers. Only 34% of Democrats and 36% of independents said the same, which is up slightly from last year for both demographics, according to Gallup. The gap between Republicans and Democrats in expressing pride in America has closed in the past five years. Republicans’ pride in their country has dropped from 76% to 59%, while Democrats’ pride in America has risen from 22% in 2019 to 34% in 2024. The Gallup results show that that gap began to close toward the end of former President Donald Trump’s term in office and throughout President Joe Biden’s first term. A majority of U.S. adults (67%) are extremely or very proud to be an American. Republicans are uniquely patriotic, with 59% versus 36% of independents and 34% of Democrats reporting they are extremely proud to be American. Full story: https://t.co/cwbRVLEZPJ pic.twitter.com/FnzK85wcVz — Gallup (@Gallup) July 4, 2024 Gallup’s latest survey results show a stark contrast in how Republicans, Democrats, and independents felt about being American 20 years ago. In 2004, 82% of Republicans, 65% of independents, and 60% of Democrats said they were “extremely proud” to be American. Republicans have maintained a higher sense of pride in their national identity than Democrats and independents since the turn of the century. “Americans’ national pride was highest after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, when patriotism surged in the U.S.,” Gallup wrote. “Extreme pride has been trending downward since 2015.” “While the percentage of U.S. adults who say they are extremely proud to be American is near the lowest point on record, about two-thirds continue to be at least very proud,” Gallup added. “Republicans’ national pride, though near its lowest point, remains high compared with Democrats’ and independents’, although all party groups are significantly less proud than they were 20 years ago.” According to the survey, 18% of U.S. adults say they are “moderately proud” to be American, 10% say they are “only a little” proud, and 5% say they are “not at all” proud. Another Gallup survey taken over the same time period showed that Americans have an overall negative view of the current economic conditions. Forty-eight percent of respondents said economic conditions in the U.S. are “poor,” 28% said they are “only fair,” and only 25% said they are “excellent/good.” Nearly 70% of Americans said they believe the economy is “getting worse,” and 26% said it’s “getting better.” 25% of Americans describe current U.S. economic conditions as “excellent” or “good,” up three points from May. However, the percentage rating conditions “poor,” now 48%, also increased slightly, blunting positive movement in the index ECI update: https://t.co/8vEW9AFKKk pic.twitter.com/FMdkqFphCf — Gallup (@Gallup) July 3, 2024

Last July 4th seemed like the least patriotic birthday America has ever had. In many cities, parades were dismal or non-existent, fireworks were banned, and the American flag was hard to find. Once the world’s most powerful symbol of triumph, it has been torn down by Americans who believe it is instead a bigoted reminder of a hateful history. With the immense power that 2024 holds on the future of this national divide, it is imperative to remind each American citizen why the colors of our flag are still worth celebrating. America has defined freedom for 248 years. She has fought against oppression and regulation, against tyranny and evil. She has defended the liberties of speech and religion, the gifts of open trade and innovation, the rights of life and innocence, and the ability to not only pursue happiness, but to define it for oneself. America has sent her own men to fight for not only the freedom of her citizens, but also for that of strangers. Freedom is the American identity. It is the pride in this identity which wraps itself in another word: Patriotism. This spirit has endured every challenge of our nation’s lifetime. Patriotism fortifies delicate liberty. “A republic, if you can keep it;” her strength must be ceaselessly reinforced. But patriotism, it seems, has gone out of style. In its place has emerged a form of tyranny disguised in a quintessentially American shade of blue. A record low number of Americans are proud to be American. The so-called ‘fight for freedom’ has begun to rot its own definition. The misuse of these words is changing our national identity. A fight for freedom is not a fight for rights, as the Left has decided to define it. Many aspects of the American life are freedoms, not rights. Education is a freedom, not a right. The ability to choose which doctor to go to is a freedom, not a right. When the government tries to make something a right, it steals whatever freedom it began with. Forcing businesses to hire people based on their skin color takes away the mechanisms which allow them to thrive and grow. No one has a right to be hired. Rather, everyone has the freedom to seek out employment and do whatever is so required to be a desirable employee. The excellence of America lies where these freedoms meet. The freedom to pursue excellence is what it means to be an American. To risk true freedom in an effort to establish the rights of some is a step proven dangerous by history. French philosopher and judge Montesquieu declared that “the liberty of one citizen is of greater importance to the public than the ease or prosperity of another.” If we preserve special treatment for some, we take it away from others. Montesquieu reminds us that the only true freedom comes from liberty. No one has a right to success or special privilege, but true freedom provides everyone with the chance to try. Patriotism has always been the glue of America, and it still comes in all three colors. Neither red, nor white, nor blue is more important than the others. Together, they preserve freedom. Divided, they cannot stand. Today, our flag is still flying. That is enough to invoke celebration and pride. Every casket it has ever draped demands as much. America is the only country in the world to which people choose to move. They risk their lives and leave their families in a bid to buy into the world’s greatest pursuit of liberty. To live as an American is to live with the freedom to become anything. That is a freedom worth celebrating. For all the talk about privilege in this country — white privilege, male privilege, hetero-privilege — let us not forget that being an American is the greatest privilege of all. * * * Elsie Halvorsen is a recent graduate of Harvard College, class of 2024. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

White House Spin Machine Hits A Snag After KJP's Briefing Contradiction

The captured fugitive was a convicted rapist, according to records

Television was formed in New York City in 1973 by Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd on guitars, Richard Hell on bass, and Billy Ficca on drums. The band quickly became a staple of the burgeoning punk rock scene at CBGB, although their music was more complex and influenced by jazz and the Velvet Underground. After Richard Hell left the band in 1975, he was replaced by Fred Smith. Television’s lineup stabilized with Verlaine, Lloyd, Smith, and Ficca, and they released their debut album Marquee Moon in 1977. The album, known for its intricate guitar work and extended solos, received critical The post Complete List Of Television Albums And Songs appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), along with federal, state, and local agencies led a six-week national operation that resulted in finding 200 critically missing children, which includes endangered runaways and those abducted by noncustodial persons. This is the second rendition of this coordinated effort, and so it was called Operation We Will Find You 2 […] The post U.S. Marshals Find 200 Missing Children Across the Nation During 6-Week Special Operation appeared first on Good News Network.

Read more about the cosmic microwave background here.

Ahh the bird world, full of incredibly beautiful species that fly, swim, and even just walk (looking at you kiwis) across a vast array of Earth’s diverse habitats. While some species enter the record books for their amazing feats of endurance, soaring for days without touching the ground, we take a closer look at the heaviest bird to grace our skies.Meet the kori bustard (Ardeotis kori). The males weigh between 11-19 kilograms (24-42 pounds) with a wingspan of up to 2.75 meters (9 feet). Sexually dimorphic, the females are roughly half of that size, explains the Smithsonian National Zoo. The Guinness Book Of Records states that the largest confirmed specimen weighed 18.14 kilograms (40 pounds). The bird was shot in South Africa and was documented in 1936. These birds live in two distinct ranges in South and East Africa and spend most of their time on the ground foraging. Their diet includes a wide range from insects, reptiles, and small rodents to seeds, berries, and roots. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the kori bustard as Near Threatened and describes them as “largely sedentary, but does undertake local movements”.The second heaviest flying bird is also a species of bustard – the great bustard (Otis tarda). They weigh only slightly less than the kori bustard at around a maximum of 6–18 kilograms (13-39 pounds). Unlike the kori bustard, which does not migrate and rarely flies very far at one time, great bustards were revealed to have a migration round trip of over 4,000 kilometers (roughly 2,485 miles) between their breeding grounds in Mongolia and their winters in China. Great bustards, like the kori bustard, show a great deal of sexual dimorphism and might have the largest size difference between males and females of any bird species. The males weigh up to four times the weight of the females. In complete contrast, the world’s heaviest bird that can’t fly is the southern African subspecies of the common ostrich. The South African ostrich (Struthio camelus australis) can reportedly weigh 156 kilograms (343 pounds).Of course, with all this talk of birds, we’ve forgotten the heaviest flying mammals, the flying foxes, which weigh a comparatively measly 0.5-1.0 kilograms (1-2.2 pounds) depending on the exact species. There maybe be hope though for a larger flying mammal yet as new research has revealed that hippos are in fact taking to the skies. 

Former President Donald Trump believes Vice President Kamala Harris will ultimately be the Democrat at the top of the presidential ticket on Election Day. After President Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance last week, Trump has remained mostly silent as the Democratic Party implodes over the possibility that party leaders will have to replace Biden. 'Make no mistake that Democrats, the mainstream media, and the swamp colluded to hide the truth from the American public — Joe Biden is weak, failed, dishonest, and not fit for the White House.' But sometime this week, an unknown person secretly filmed Trump at a golf course. The video, obtained by the Daily Beast, provides Trump's unfiltered post-debate thoughts. "How did I do at the debate the other night?" Trump asks someone off-screen while handing the person some money. When the small group of people praised Trump's performance, he responded by describing Biden as an "old, broken-down pile of crap." "He just quit, you know. He's quitting the race," Trump predicted. "I got him out of the race, and that means we have Kamala. I think she's gonna be better. She's so bad. She's so pathetic. She's so f***ing bad. Can you imagine that guy dealing with Putin and the president of China, who's a fierce person? He's a fierce man. Very tough guy." As Trump drove his golf cart away, he quipped, "I just keep knocking 'em out, eh?" (You can view the video here). In a statement, the Trump campaign did not deny the authenticity of the video. Instead, the campaign pointed media to an earlier statement about Biden. "Every Democrat who is calling on Crooked Joe Biden to quit was once a supporter of Biden and his failed policies that lead to extreme inflation, an open border, and chaos at home and abroad," the statement said. "Make no mistake that Democrats, the mainstream media, and the swamp colluded to hide the truth from the American public — Joe Biden is weak, failed, dishonest, and not fit for the White House," the statement continued. "Every one of them has lied about Joe Biden’s cognitive state and supported his disastrous policies over the past four years, especially Cackling Copilot Kamala Harris." As speculation over Biden's political future swirls, the president himself denied on Wednesday that he is withdrawing from the presidential contest. Biden's insistence on staying in the race comes despite the growing number of Democratic lawmakers, operatives, and fundraisers who are calling for him to step aside. The Democratic Party's own internal polling shows that Biden is headed for certain defeat if he elects not to drop out of the race. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!