Poll: Americans Divided on Everything — from Religion to Politics

A new poll showing how divided Americans are on basic issues such as gender, race, religion, and politics indicates differing ideological views "so enormous and so fundamental that they seem to constitute visions of two distinctly different Americas," ABC News reported Tuesday.

According to an ABC News/Fusion TV poll of 1,000 adults conducted Oct. 17-20 by Langer Research Associates, the gaps in opinion were widest among partisan and ideological groups and indicate a divide so serious that ABC concluded "the bitter battles that played out in Washington this month" over the government shutdown and Obamacare are likely to continue.

Here's a look at some of the survey's findings:

• Forty one percent of those polled believe nonwhites have fewer opportunities than whites. Fifty six percent of Democrats agree, while just 25 percent of Republicans support that statement.

• Just 29 percent of adults trust the government to do the right thing. A closer look shows 62 percent of Democrats and 69 percent of liberal Democrats trust the Obama administration. Just a quarter of Republicans and 18 percent of conservative Republicans feel this way,

• When it comes to including religious views in politics, just 45 percent of Americans say politicians should rely on such views to make political decisions. Again the two parties are split; 60 percent of Republicans say religion should guide political decisions. Just 39 percent of Democrats agree.

• Fifty one percent of Americans surveyed support legal status for undocumented immigrants. The divide deepens the further right and left you go. About 77 percent of liberal Democrats support the a pathway to citizenship, while just 32 percent of conservative Republicans support it.

Age plays a role as well. The poll shows millennials, adults age 18 to 31, are more likely to support legal status for undocumented workers and they're less likely than others to encourage politicians to rely on religious beliefs to make political decisions.

Gender also plays a role. For example, 63 percent of women think females have fewer opportunities in the workplace. Just 43 percent of men agree.

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