As the national cultural unraveling continues, these statistical markers are interesting signs of where we are now.
Liberal Democrats are about as likely to say the impact of churches and religious organizations is negative (44%) as they are to say it is positive (40%). By two-to-one (58% to 29%), more conservative and moderate Democrats say churches have a positive than negative effect on the country.
Majorities of both conservative Republicans and Republican leaners (75%) and moderate and liberal Republicans (68%) say churches and religious organizations have a positive impact.
But it's okay. The left has a new church. The Church of CNN.
Currently, 85% of Republicans and Republican leaners say the news media has a negative effect on the way things are going in the country, up from 76% two years ago and 68% in 2010.
Overall, 53% of Democrats with a college degree say the news media has a positive effect on the way things are going, up from 31% who said this in 2016 and 30% who said this in 2015. Among Democrats without a college degree, 40% view the media’s impact positively, up modestly from 2015 (34%).
About half (51%) of liberal Democrats think the national news media is having a positive effect on the country these days; significantly higher than the shares who said this in either 2015 (26%) or 2016 (31%). By comparison, 39% of moderate and conservative Democrats say the media has a positive impact, little different than views over the past few years.
What this really measures is the extent to which the media reflects their agenda and ambition. After losing most elected offices, the media is now driving the left's coup in its political safe spaces. And speaking of safe spaces...
A majority of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (58%) now say that colleges and universities have a negative effect on the country, up from 45% last year. By contrast, most Democrats and Democratic leaners (72%) say colleges and universities have a positive effect, which is little changed from recent years.
The media and academia are the backbone of the left's secular religion. The third leg is government and activist politics which can "save" us from Global Warming Armageddon. The media and academia will enlighten us. The rule of the left will uplift our materialism to serve the sacred cause of social justice. And gulag everyone who disagrees.