Utahns are split over whether the United States is the most respected country in the world, a new UtahPolicy poll shows.
The latest survey by Dan Jones & Associates also finds Republicans and political independents have a very different view of how our country is seen internationally.
Overall, Jones finds that 49 percent of Utahns “strongly” or “somewhat” agree with the statement: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: the United States is the most respected country in the world.”
Forty-seven percent disagree with that statement, while 4 percent don’t know.
Jones polled 601 adults between June 2-8; with the survey having a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.
Among those who said they are Republicans, 57 percent believe the U.S. is the most respected country, 38 percent disagree, and 5 percent don’t know.
But independents see things differently.
Fifty-nine percent disagree with that statement, 38 percent agree, and 3 percent don’t know.
Most Democrats also don’t believe the U.S is the most respected: 55 disagree with that statement, 42 percent say the U.S. is the most respected while 3 percent don’t know.
Admittedly, the United States’ international reputation has taken some hits in recent years, mainly because of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars – which have lasted a long time.
And those troubled nations still haven’t found lasting peace.
Some good news for the future: 56 percent of those 18-24 years old believe the U.S. is the most respected nation, 40 percent say no.
The grey-hairs, ages 55-64, feel the opposite: Only 47 say the U.S. is the most respected while 54 percent disagree with that statement.
Mormons are known to be patriotic – and Jones finds that 57 percent of those who said they are “very active” LDS believe the U.S is the most respected nation on Earth.
But then it falls away: Only 43 percent of the “somewhat active” Mormons say the U.S. is the most respected nation; 50 percent disagreed with that statement
Of those who said they are “not active” LDS, 51 percent said the U.S. is not the most respected nation while 46 percent believe it is.
