Datapoints

McChrystal’s Might 10/15/2009 

The military is the most highly rated institution in American life. Rich and poor, young and old, and black and white all rate the institution highly. In a new poll conducted by Quinnipiac University, 81 percent of those surveyed said they trusted the U.S. military to make the right recommendations about U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan. Large majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents agreed. In a separate question, 55 percent trusted President Obama to make the right decisions about the Afghanistan war. Several Republican lawmakers have called for General Stanley McChrystal to testify, but thus far Defense Secretary Robert Gates has resisted the calls. One reason may be the popularity disparity between the military and the president.

Source: Quinnipiac University, September 29 to October 5, 2009.

Healthcare Finish Line 10/14/2009 

As healthcare legislation moves toward the floor of the House and Senate, several recent polls have shown a public divided about the effort. In a new poll conducted by GfK-Roper for the Associated Press, 40 percent said they supported the healthcare reform plans discussed in Congress, while 40 percent were opposed. In the poll, 82 percent said it was important that any healthcare plan have bipartisan support.

Source: GfK-Roper for the Associated Press, October 1 to 5, 2009.

Aiding Afghanistan 10/09/2009 

As President Obama’s war council continues deliberations on Afghanistan, Americans are giving mixed signals about the effort. A new poll from Quinnipiac University finds that 52 percent agree that the United States is doing the right thing by fighting the war in Afghanistan, while 37 percent said the United States should not be involved. Nearly two-thirds in the poll said eliminating the threat from terrorists operating there was a worthwhile goal for American troops to fight and die for. In another question, however, 39 percent said building a stable democratic government there was a similarly worthwhile goal. Only 22 percent thought we could be successful building a democracy there. Americans have always welcomed more democracies around the world. They are not confident that we know how to create them.

Source: Quinnipiac University, September 29 to October 5, 2009.

Women's Status 10/07/2009 

In 1963, President Kennedy issued a major report on the status of women. This week, his niece Maria Shriver updates it with a media extravaganza on NBC and affiliated cable networks. “The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything,” conducted in conjunction with the Center for American Progress, will look at how women fare today. We are examining some key indicators, too.

Since 2001, Gallup has asked Americans about satisfaction with various aspects of American life. One of the questions asks about “the position of women in the nation,” and in each survey, a large majority of Americans report being satisfied. In 2008, in only one other area—the overall quality of life—was satisfaction higher than it was with the position of women. Eighty-two reported satisfaction with the overall quality of their lives; 72 percent with the position of women.

Source: The Gallup Organization, January 2008.

Women’s Education 10/05/2009 

In 1963, President Kennedy issued a major report on the status of women. This week his niece Maria Shriver  updates it with a media extravaganza on NBC and affiliated cable networks. “The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything,” conducted in conjunction with the Center for American Progress, will look at how women fare today. We are examining some key indicators, too.  

Young women have made extraordinary strides in education. Today their goals are ambitious, and they are clearly preparing themselves for them. According to a survey conducted by UCLA, more young women entering college today expect to get master's degrees and, separately, an advanced professional one, than plan to get a bachelor’s. Fifty-eight percent in another question in the survey say “becoming an authority in their field” would be essential or very important for them.

Source: Cooperative Institutional Research Institute, Higher Education Research Institute, UCLA.

Congress Out of Touch 10/01/2009 

Congress’s approval rating has been declining recently, and some pollsters report the lowest scores on record. One possible explanation comes from a recent Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll. Only 6 percent of those surveyed said that Congress pays a great deal of attention to what regular Americans think when it decides what to do. Thirty percent said Congress paid some attention, 39 percent said not much, and 23 percent said none at all. Although Democrats control both houses of Congress, 49 percent of those who identify as Democrats said Congress pays not much or no attention at all to what regular Americans think.

Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, September 2009.

Government Waste 09/29/2009 

Gallup recently asked Americans how much of every dollar that goes to the federal government in Washington is wasted, and the mean response was 50 cents. That’s the highest response recorded on the question since Gallup first asked it in 1979. Republicans and independents were likely to see more waste (at 54 and 55 cents, respectively) than Democrats (41 cents). People in the survey felt there was less waste in their state and local government than in Washington.

Source: The Gallup Organization, August-September 2009.

Increasing the Deficit 09/24/2009 

While some have made claims of deficit neutrality during the healthcare debate, the public isn’t buying it. In the September ABC News/Washington Post poll, 65 percent said that healthcare reform would increase the federal budget deficit, 24 percent said reform would have no effect on it, and only 9 percent said reform would decrease the deficit. In a mid-September CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll, 74 percent said if the president’s plan becomes law, it would increase the deficit, while 24 percent said this would not happen.

Source: ABC News/Washington Post, September 2009. 

Too Liberal? 09/23/2009 

ABC News and the Washington Post asked people whether President Obama’s views on most issues are too liberal, too conservative, or just about right. In early September, 39 percent said his views were too liberal, 53 percent about right, and 5 percent too conservative. The 39 percent saying he is “too liberal” is up from 29 percent who gave that response in January.

Source: ABC News/Washington Post, September 2009.

Healthcare Skepticism High 09/21/2009 

Fox News and Opinion Dynamics asked people about two promises President Obama made in his address to Congress on healthcare, and Americans were skeptical of both. Only 28 percent said it was possible that the president’s healthcare plan would not add one dime to the deficit, but 67 percent said that was impossible. Democrats were divided 47 percent to 46 percent about whether this was possible or not. Majorities of Republicans and independents said it wasn’t. In another question, people were told that “President Obama says under his healthcare plan if you have health coverage you like that you won’t have to make a change if you don’t want to.” Sixty percent said they would probably have to make some changes, but 36 percent believed the president. Fifty-four percent of Democrats believed the president, but only 18 percent of Republicans and 32 percent of independents did.

Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, September 2009.