Should the 2020 census ask “Are you a U.S. citizen?” Democratic critics maintain that the inquiry would discourage members of the immigrant community from voting. Republicans say citizenship status would contribute to a more accurate count and realistic picture of the nation.

“The American people deserve to know who is in this country,” President Trump noted in a recent tweet.

Three federal courts already have blocked the Commerce Department — which oversees the census — from adding the question. The Supreme Court will figure the whole thing out next month.

But what about Americans themselves?

Despite considerable press coverage which undermines the idea of a citizenship question, a sizable number of people approve of the idea and they span all demographics and age groups, according to a new Hill-HarrisX survey of 1,002 registered U.S. voters conducted earlier this week.

“Six in 10 registered voters, 60%, said that the U.S. Census Bureau should ask the citizenship question even if it results in fewer responses. Another 21% said the question should not be included, while 19% were unsure,” wrote Hill analyst Matthew Sheffield.

“Despite partisan differences, a majority of voters from all demographics included in the survey said they believed the citizenship question should be included. White voters overwhelmingly supported the question, with 65% in favor and 17% opposed. Black respondents favored asking about citizenship by a 53-19% margin. Hispanic respondents supported it, 53-28%,” Mr. Sheffield said.

Also favoring the idea: 81% of Republicans, 54% of independents and half — 49% — of Democrats. In addition, 67% of men and 54% of women also support the citizenship questions — along with 66% of those over age 65, and 53% of those ages 18-34.

For all things census, don’t forget to check out Census.gov.

‘STAND WITH BARR’

“A Real Attorney General: Bill Barr gets smeared for refusing to duck and cover like Loretta Lynch. Washington pile-ons are never pretty, but this week’s political setup of Attorney General William Barr is disreputable even by Beltway standards. Democrats and the media are turning the AG into a villain for doing his duty and making the hard decisions that special counsel Robert Mueller abdicated,” notes a new Wall Street Journal editorial.

That particular Capitol Hill climate has prompted a protest.

“Stand with Barr. Democrats are distraught over the fact that their two-year witch hunt found no collusion and completely exonerated President Trump. Rather than accept the facts, the radical left has decided to double-down on their outrageous lies. We’ve seen them lie over and over again about President Trump, and now they’re doing the same to Attorney General William Barr,” advises a new public petition being circulated by the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, part of the president’s 2020 campaign outreach.

“Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer want to blame Barr, an honest man who has devoted his life to public service, for the fact that they wasted two years and over $30 million of your money on a conspiracy theory that turned out to be completely false. Patriotic Americans can’t sit by and watch Democrats attack Attorney General Barr for doing his job,” the petition plea notes.

THE IVY HALLS

“In recent years, dangerous trends and ideas about speech have been spilling from academia into the world beyond campus. Walking on eggshells, exercising extreme caution about respecting taboos, reporting colleagues for jokes overheard, and deflecting substantive arguments with ad hominem counterattacks may soon be common features of corporate and community life,” write Debra Mashek and Jonathan Haidt, who founded a nonprofit to encourage open inquiry and viewpoint diversity among faculty and administrative officials.

In a how-to for Reason Magazine, the pair have identified 10 colleges “where you won’t have to walk on eggshells,” and diverse but civil discourse is encouraged.

“These are schools — large and small, public and private — where evidence suggests that students will have better odds of developing the habits of heart and mind necessary to thrive in a world of complexity, nuance, and difference,” they write.

Curious? The chosen schools are Arizona State University, Chapman University, Claremont McKenna College, Kansas State University, Kenyon College, Linn-Benton Community College, Purdue University, St. John’s College, the University of Chicago and the University of Richmond.

‘A VITAL DESTINATION’

Fox News, which has remained the most-watched cable news network for 17 years, will air another presidential town hall for a Democratic candidate. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand appears Sunday in a one-hour town hall, live from Iowa, the event moderated by “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace. The New York lawmaker will be the fourth Democrat to be hosted by Fox News; Sens. Bernard Sanders and Amy Klobuchar, plus South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg also were featured in recent weeks.

The event will further establish Fox News as “a vital destination for 2020 candidates,” says Jay Wallace, Fox News president and executive editor.

“We look forward to Chris delivering a dynamic and substantive discussion from the influential state of Iowa to our millions of viewers,” he notes.

Millions is right. Indeed, a Fox News appearance is vital for Democratic hopefuls, ratings-wise. The network has been No. 1 across the entire cable realm during the day for 34 consecutive months — almost three years — and No. 1 in prime time for the third month in a row, according to Nielsen Media Research. Fox News also has bested news rivals MSNBC and CNN for 208 months straight.

WEEKEND REAL ESTATE

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POLL DU JOUR

• 66% of Americans say they have enough money to “live comfortably.”

• 57% say their personal financial situation is “getting better.”

• 56% say their personal financial situation is “excellent or good.”

• 56% say they are “saving money.”

• 54% worry about money for retirement.

• 42% worry about the costs of normal health care.

• 35% worry about paying normal monthly bills.

Source: A Gallup poll of 1,012 U.S. adults conducted April 1-9 and released Thursday.

• Kindly follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin

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