America Speaks with Frank Luntz (Video)

‘Overblown’: Americans debate the merits of DEI policies

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has emerged as a controversial subject not only in U.S. politics but also in corporate and academic debates and across American culture as a whole. An overwhelming majority of Americanssay that one’s individual life circumstances largely determine that individual’s success, as opposed to simply hard work and merit, and yet Americans across the political spectrum share an aspiration for meritocracy, even if that goal seems far away. Whether certain DEI policies move us closer towards or further away from that goal is often at the heart of these debates.
 
Watch the above 24-minute episode of America Speaks where pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntzinterviews a focus group of Americans for their opinions on the culture and politics of DEI and on whether they think DEI programs have a mostly positive or negative impact on the goal of meritocracy.

‘Biased’: What Americans think of ‘mainstream media’

There’s been an increase in new independent media voices over the past few decades, amplified especially in recent years by the rise of the internet and online media. Those trends, together with increasing financial difficulties for legacy newsrooms, have contributed to the relative decline of many mainstream news outlets and to the collapse of local investigative journalism.
Added to these difficulties are wide-ranging accusations of bias, accessibility and sensationalism that news media professionals have sometimes struggled to address. More and more Americans are now gaining their news from social media or from “news influencers,” but this is not only an American trend. A United Nations study published late last year warned that roughly two-thirds of “digital content creators” around the world do not verify their information before publishing it.
Watch the above 22-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks Americans to share their opinions on the news media industry and where they think they should go to for their news.

‘Getting rid of them’: Americans discuss Trump and immigration

Cracking down on immigration was one of Donald Trump’s top 2024 presidential campaign promises, and he has sought to ramp up U.S. deportations and border security efforts since his return to the White House last month. Some proponents of stricter immigration systems have applauded those efforts, while critics protest that they are cruel, inhumane, unnecessary and ultimately bad for the U.S. economy.
Watch this 29-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks a focus group of Americans to share their opinions on immigration issues and how they think President Trump has been doing on immigration in his first month back at the Oval Office.

‘Woke’: Why some Biden 2020 voters backed Trump in 2024

Donald Trump’s surprise win in the national popular vote count in the 2024 U.S. presidential race shocked even veteran political commentators. Part of that victory certainly owed itself to poor Democratic turnout — a turnout which resembled lower 2016 numbers instead of higher 2020 numbers and which traumatized the Democratic Party establishment with its first popular vote loss in two decades.
A portion of that surprise victory, however, also came from individuals who voted for Joe Biden in 2020, but then voted instead for Trump in 2024.
Watch the above 33-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz zooms in on a group of Americans who voted for Biden in 2020 but for Trump in 2024. Dr. Luntz asks them to share their personal reasons for why they moved over to Trump, what the Democrats could do to win them back, and how they think the returning president has been doing mere weeks into his second term.

‘A promise’: Cadets describe their journeys at West Point

Many of the future officers of the United States Armed Forces begin their journeys as cadets at West Point, America’s oldest military academy and one of the top military academies in the world today. The United States military is often commended for its skill in complex organization and team-building, and students and faculty say that this culture starts early at West Point.
 
Watch the above 25-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks a focus group of West Point students to describe their journeys as cadets to the American public and to share the lessons they’ve learned.

‘A disturbing pick’: Americans debate Musk, Trump’s cabinet picks

Controversy has surrounded Donald Trump’s questionable selections for top cabinet positions in his upcoming second term, and around his close partnership with Elon Musk, a multibillionaire who spent at least $277 million to help Trump win reelection. Recent arguments between Musk and MAGA-affiliated U.S. Congress members, however, have revealed deep schisms within the Republican Party in the run-up to Trump’s inauguration.
 
Watch the above 39-minute episode of American Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks Americans to share their opinions of Trump, Musk, Trump’s cabinet selections and Trump’s relationship with Congress.

‘Dysfunctional’: Americans share criticisms of Congress

Only about 1 in 5 Americans say they support or have an optimistic view of Congress, while 3 out of 5 say they disapprove or have a pessimistic view. While these numbers change a little over time, there are consistently more Americans who disapprove than approve.
 
Watch the above 28-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks Americans to share their criticisms of Congress, why they say it’s failing to deliver, and what they’d like to see change in the years ahead.

‘Instill optimism’: Americans on how future generations can succeed

It can be difficult to predict the relative living standards of future generations in the modern world, where it seems like so much is changing so fast. Emerging technologies like AI, for instance, might empower and accelerate human productivity, but at the same time could also exacerbate wealth, income and power inequalities. And while many of today’s opportunities might not exist for the next generation, it’s also probable that new opportunities will emerge which we cannot yet imagine.
 
Watch the above 21-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz dives into the debate about changing U.S. standards of living over time, how those changes relate to evolving technologies, and what advic

‘System is rigged’: Black Americans on the American Dream

Over the past few decades, rising costs of living and housing in the United States have outpaced real wage gains, which have remained more or less stagnant despite consistent growth in worker productivity over time. All of this — together with rising inequality, the shrinking of the middle class, and the inability of unemployed or unhoused Americans to access the welfare that they need — has contributed to a growing sense of financial hardship for many Americans.
 
Watch the above 30-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks a panel of Black Americans to share their thoughts and feelings about whether or not the American dream can still survive in this economy. Dr. Luntz and the panel are later joined by John Hope Bryant, founder and CEO of Operation HOPE, who shares tools and guidance for achieving greater success in the American financial system.

‘Have a little compassion’: Americans talk high holiday prices, anxiety

American shoppers say they will spend a record high amount this year on holiday gifts and expenses, up 8% from the same time last year. While the holidays are meant to be a time of celebration, those with tight budgets can experience acute anxiety from the costs associated with travel, gifts, and taking time off work to be with friends and family.
 
Watch the above 25-minute episode of America Speaks as pollster and political analyst Dr. Frank Luntz asks Americans to share how they’re making ends meet this holiday season, what gifts they’re choosing when everything costs more, and why they believe the economy is worse this year than last.