FAQ
- What is Americans Agree?
- Americans Agree is a nonpartisan project that tracks what Americans agree on politically, across party lines.
- What do you mean by “agree”?
- We focus on “clear multi-majority agreement.” That is when 55% or more of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents all align to support or oppose a policy in recent national polls.
- In some poll results, there is not a number for Independents. Why?
This can happen either because:
- The poll did not have a large enough sample of Independents to include a reliable number for them.
- The poll grouped Independents with Republicans or Democrats based on their self-reported “lean” toward one party or the other. This will be indicated by the labels (e.g., “Dem / Lean Dem”).
- How do you choose which poll results to include?
- We only include results from independent, reputable polling firms. We prioritize points of agreement that matter to current and ongoing policy debates.
- What happens when public opinion reverses on a point of agreement?
- If a point of agreement loses multi-majority support, we remove it in the Poll List. We will re-add it if public opinion later changes back again.
- Which side are you on?
- We are not on a particular side. Our role is to track and analyze what people agree on politically. Some points will be associated with one side, some with the other. We don’t play favorites among the sides.
- Who is behind this?
- Americans Agree is a public service project. It is funded and operated by our founder and other volunteers. We are not affiliated with any political party or partisan organization.
- Are you implying that anything with broad public support should become law or policy?
- No, but in the current polarized and gridlocked era, we believe more attention should go to where Americans agree as the basis for productive debate and action. When that happens, we believe broadly agreed policies will usually be better, longer-lasting policies than their alternatives.
- Can the polling data be trusted as accurate?
- Yes. We only include results from independent, reputable polling firms. And we require not just a majority but a 55%+ majority of each party, minimizing the chance of sampling error.
- By looking for agreement, aren’t you ignoring the hard issues of politics?
- The “hard issues” get no shortage of attention. They are the subject of perpetual conflict and are the grist for the media’s attention mill. Instead, Americans Agree focuses on issues where agreement—and with it, positive action—is readily possible. This does not make them easy, but it does make them tractable.
- What if my question is not answered here?
- Try the search box at the top of the page. After that, if you still can’t find what you’re looking for, feel free to contact us with your question.