A Gallup poll released just in time for Independence Day shows Americans could use a pick-me-up in how proud they are to be American. The number of those “extremely proud” to be Americans dropped to 52 percent, a new low since the poll was first conducted in 2001.

While all groups have declined from the 2003 high of 70 percent, millennials have declined the most. While 60 percent of those 18-29 were “extremely proud” in 2003, that number has dropped to just 34 percent, making them the least proud demographic.

Liberals are also to blame, as they saw the second lowest percentage at 36 percent in the poll. In 2003, only 56 percent were “extremely proud” to begin with.

The lack of pride from millennials and liberals is not surprising. “There's overlap between some of those categories: Millennials are more likely to be liberal and nonwhite than older Americans are, for example. If we're clumping people together, though — which we are because that is what we do — it's those millennials that are dragging our extremely proud numbers down,” Philip Bump for The Washington Post writes.

“Because no one who is 18 to 29 today was in that same age group in 2001 or 2003, the trends in patriotism among young adults could be evidence that those in the millennial generation are less patriotic than young adults in generations that preceded them. And that generational change may help explain why there has been further decline in patriotism among all U.S. adults over the last three years,” Gallup also notes.

Among the most patriotic demographics included Republicans at 68 percent, those 50-64 at 64 percent, and conservatives at 61 percent.

Gallup also points to “Implications” of the results:

The vast majority of U.S. adults indicate they are at least moderately proud to be Americans, but as they celebrate the Fourth of July this year, fewer say they are extremely proud than at any point in the last 16 years. Americans' continued frustration with national conditions -- likely tied to their concern about the economy and lack of faith in public institutions -- is probably one reason patriotism is at a recent low point.



Democrats are more likely than liberals to say they are “extremely proud” to be Americans, but still have a low rating of 45 percent. It’s worth wondering then if the DNC really meant it when they fundraised with their “America Is Already Great” hat.

In this climate of lacking patriotism, it’s also no wonder schools are declaring the American flag to be “disrespectful.”