POLL QUESTIONNAIRE
Date: January 26-31,
1999 Sample size: 1204 respondents
Margins of error: Half sample (600*) +/- 4%
Three-quarter sample (900*) +/- 3.5% Whole sample
(1204) +/- 3%
Results (including
demographics) are weighted to the Bureau of the
Census's Current Population Study for education level
and age.
*Subsample sizes are
approximate due to the nature of random computer
assignment to subsamples.
[Full sample]
Q1. What is your feeling about how things are going
with the economy in the US? Overall, would you say
the economy is getting better, is getting worse, or
staying about the same?
| Is getting
better |
34.7% |
| Is getting
worse |
14.7% |
| Is staying
about the same |
47.4% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
3.2% |
[Full sample]
Q2. Is your personal financial situation getting
better, getting worse or staying about the same?
| Is getting
better |
28.1% |
| Is getting
worse |
13.6% |
| Is staying
about the same |
57.7% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
0.7% |
[Full sample]
Q3. Over the years, how much attention do you feel
the government pays to what the people think when it
decides what to do-a good deal, some, or not much?
| A good deal |
7.4% |
| Some |
36.0% |
| Not much |
53.7% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
2.9% |
[Half sample]
Q4. In general, do you think people in government
understand what most Americans think-very well,
somewhat well, not that well, or not well at all?
| Very well |
5.1% |
| Somewhat well
|
30.3% |
| Not that well
|
32.5% |
| Not well at
all |
30.5% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
1.5% |
[Half sample]
Q5. In general, do you think people in government
understand what people like you think-very well,
somewhat well, not that well, or not well at all?
| Very well |
2.4% |
| Somewhat well
|
27.1% |
| Not that well
|
32.8% |
| Not well at
all |
34.5% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
3.1% |
Statement: For
the following two statements, please tell me whether
you agree, disagree, or neither agree nor disagree:
[Full sample]
Q6. Public officials don't care much what people like
me think.
| Agree |
58.5% |
| Neither agree
nor disagree |
12.0% |
| Disagree |
27.7% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
1.8% |
[Full sample]
Q7. Elected officials would make better decisions if
they thought more deeply about what they think is
right.
| Agree |
79.2% |
| Neither agree
nor disagree |
5.9% |
| Disagree
|
12.2% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
2.8% |
[Full sample]
Q8. How much do you feel that having elections makes
the government pay attention to what the people
think-a good deal, some, or not much?
| A good deal |
30.0% |
| Some |
40.5% |
| Not much |
28.3% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
1.2% |
[Half sample]
Q9. What is more important when you vote for
Congress-how things are going in the country overall,
or how things are going in your own district?
| Country
overall |
59.1% |
| Own district |
37.1% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
3.8% |
[Full sample]
Q10. How much of the time do you think you can trust
the government in Washington to do what is right-just
about always, most of the time, or only some of the
time?
| Just about
always |
2.3% |
| Most of the
time |
17.1% |
| Only some of
the time |
73.0% |
| None of the
time (volunteered) |
6.9% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
0.8% |
[Full sample]
Q11. What is your hunch: About what percentage of the
time does Congress make decisions that are the same
as the decisions that you [the majority of Americans]
would make?
[one-third heard
variant wording, which produced no effect.]
Those who said
"Don't know" were then asked "Do you
think it is about half the more than half the time,
or less than half the time?" Combined with those
who gave a percentage, the distribution was:
| |
"you" |
"majority" |
| Less than
half |
55.0% |
53.6% |
| Half |
29.5% |
26.1% |
| More than
half |
14.5% |
18.1% |
Q12. Would you say the
government is pretty much run by a few big interests
looking out for themselves, or that it is run for the
benefit of all the people?
| A few big
interests |
74.5% |
| Benefit of
all the people |
18.5% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
7.0% |
[Half sample]
Statement: I'm going to read you a set of arguments
that some people have used when discussing the role
of the public in government. For each one, I'd like
you to tell me whether you find it convincing or
unconvincing. [Arguments were presented in random
order, alternating pros and cons; whether a pro or
con came first was randomized.]
PRO ARGUMENTS
Q13. The government
has become so bogged down in partisan conflict and so
distorted by the influence of moneyed interests that
it is necessary for the American public to have a
stronger voice in shaping government decisions. Do
you find this argument convincing or unconvincing
| Convincing |
80.2% |
| Unconvincing |
17.8% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
2.0% |
Q14. The
principles of democracy are the cornerstone of the
United States' form of government. Therefore, as a
general rule, the government should be guided by the
will of the majority when making decisions. Do you
find this argument convincing or unconvincing?
| Convincing |
76.5% |
| Unconvincing |
21.0% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
2.5% |
Q15. Nobody
knows what's best for the people better than the
people. Paying attention to the views of the majority
would probably lead to policies that are best for the
country as a whole. Do you find this argument
convincing or unconvincing?
| Convincing |
73.6% |
| Unconvincing |
22.4% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
4.0% |
CON ARGUMENTS
Q16. The public is
emotional, volatile and uninformed. Therefore it is
better for policymakers not to be very influenced by
the public's wishes when making decisions. Do you
find this argument convincing or unconvincing?
| Convincing |
19.9% |
| Unconvincing |
77.0% |
| Don't
Know/Refused |
3.1% |
Q17. Members of
the government are well informed and are able to
think through issues thoughtfully and objectively.
Therefore, their judgments should count for more than
the views of the public. Do you find this argument
convincing or unconvincing?
| Convincing |
25.7% |
| Unconvincing |
73.0% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
1.3% |
Q18. While there
are many problems in the way that the government
works, increasing the influence of the public is not
really going to help. There is really no reason to
believe that the public is any better than the people
in the government.
| Convincing |
26.5% |
| Unconvincing |
69.7% |
| Don't know |
3.8% |
[Full sample]
Q19. Now I would like to ask you to consider how much
influence the views of the majority of Americans do
have on the decisions of elected officials in
Washington. Please answer on a scale of 0 to 10, with
0 meaning not at all influential and 10 meaning
extremely influential.
[Full sample]
Q20. Now, using the same scale, I would like to know
how much influence you think the views of the
majority of Americans should have on the decisions of
elected officials in Washington.
[Half sample
hears Q21 through Q23 in random order]
Statement: Using the same scale, I would like you to
rate three different parts of the government in terms
of how much influence the views of the majority of
Americans have on them.
Q21. How much would
you say the majority's views influence the President?
Q22. How much
would you say the majority's views influence the
Congress?
Q23. How much
would you say the majority's views influence your own
member of Congress?
[Half sample]
Q24. If the leaders of the nation followed the views
of the public more closely, do you think the nation
would be better off, or worse off than it is today?
| Better |
80.5% |
| Worse |
9.5% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
10.0% |
[Half sample]
Q25. Thinking about the average American, would you
say you follow what's going on in government and
public affairs more closely or less closely than the
average American?
| More closely
than average |
57.0% |
| Less closely
than average |
25.1% |
| About average
(volunteered) |
17.3% |
| Don't know |
0.6% |
[Half sample]
Q26. Compared to the average American, would you say
you are more able or less able to make reasonable
judgments about national issues?
| More able
than average |
57.9% |
| Less able
than average |
20.0% |
| About average
(volunteered) |
17.4% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
4.8% |
[Half sample]
Q27. I'm going to read two statements. Please tell me
which statement you agree with most.
A. Members of Congress
should not pay attention to polls that show their
approval ratings, because this will just make them
react to every little shift in their popularity
B. Members of Congress
should pay attention to polls that show their
approval rating, because this gives them a general
measure of whether or not they are heading in the
right direction with the public.
| Statement A |
33.8% |
| Statement B |
61.2% |
| Neither
(volunteered) |
2.6% |
| Don't know |
2.4% |
[Half sample
that did not hear Q27]
Q28. I'm going to read you two statements, please
tell me which statement you agree with most.
A. When members of
Congress are thinking about how to vote on an issue,
they should read up on polls on the issue, because
this can help them get a sense of the public's views
on the issue.
B. When members of
Congress are thinking about how to vote on an issue,
they should not read up on polls, because this will
distract them from thinking about what they think is
right.
| Statement A |
67.2% |
| Statement B |
26.3% |
| Neither
(volunteered) |
3.2% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
3.3% |
[Half sample]
Q29. When you read about a poll how much confidence
do you have that you can judge whether it was done in
a fair and scientific manner-a great deal, a fair
amount, not very much, or none at all?
| A great deal |
5.8% |
| A fair amount |
50.4% |
| Not very much
|
29.8% |
| None at all |
12.7% |
| Don't know |
1.3% |
[Full sample]
Q30. If you asked a nationwide scientifically
selected sample of 1,000 Americans a poll question,
what percentage of the time do you think that the
results would be approximately the same as the
results you would get if you asked all Americans the
same question?
[Full sample]
Q31. We'd like to know whom you think members of
Congress should pay more attention to when they make
a decision Here are two arguments on this issue.
Please tell me which one you agree with more.
A. The member should
pay more attention to the views of people in the
district who write letters and call their member.
Those who care more about the issue are better
informed and are often the people most affected by
the outcome.
B. The member should
pay more attention to the views of the majority of
the people in the district. It is a principle of
democracy that the views of the majority should carry
more weight
| Statement A |
43.1% |
| Statement B |
53.7% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
3.1% |
[Half sample
hears Statement and Q32 Through Q35]
Statement: Imagine
that a group of 500 American citizens was selected
from all over the country to be representative of the
entire US population. This group then met and were
informed about all sides of the debate on a number of
public policy issues and had a chance to discuss
these issues. Then they were asked to make decisions
on what they thought was the best approach to these
issues.
Q32. Compared to
Congress, do you think that the decisions of the
majority of such a group would be more like the
wishes of the majority of the public, or less like
the wishes of the majority of the public, than the
decisions that Congress makes?
| More like
majority |
68.1% |
| Less like
majority |
24.6% |
| Neither more
nor less (volunteered) |
3.2% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
4.1% |
Q33. Do you
think that the decisions of the majority of such a
group would probably be better or worse than the
decisions that Congress makes?
| Better |
66.3% |
| Worse |
15.0% |
| The same
(volunteered) |
8.0% |
| Don't Know |
10.8% |
Q34. Do you
think this group would be more likely or less likely
to come to a consensus than Congress?
| More likely |
56.6% |
| Less likely |
31.2% |
| About the
same |
5.0% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
7.2% |
Q35. Do you
think this group would probably favor or oppose
impeaching President Clinton and removing him from
office?
| Favor |
27.4% |
| Oppose |
59.6% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
13.0% |
[Half sample]
Q36. Please tell me if
you agree or disagree with the following statement:
The goal of Congress should be to make the decisions
that the majority of Americans would make if they had
the information and time to think things over that
Congress has.
| Agree |
85.4% |
| Disagree |
12.0% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
2.5% |
[Half sample
that did not hear Q36]
Q37. What do you think is the more important question
members of Congress should ask themselves when making
decisions?
A. What does the
majority of the public think is best?
B. What would the
majority of the public probably think was best if it
was well informed about all sides of the issue?
| What does it
think best? |
29.3% |
| What would it
think best? |
65.1% |
| Neither
(volunteered) |
1.5% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
4.2% |
[Half sample]
Q38. Is it your impression that the wealth in the US
is becoming more equally distributed -or that the
rich are getting an increasingly larger share?
| More equally
distributed |
18.9% |
| Rich are
getting a larger share |
74.5% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
6.5% |
[Half sample]
Q39. Over the last ten years would you say that,
overall, corporations have gained influence or lost
influence on the US government?
| Gained
influence |
67.5% |
| Lost
influence |
23.9% |
| Stayed about
the same (volunteered) |
3.4% |
| Don't know |
5.2% |
[Half sample
that did not hear Q39]
Q40. Over the last ten years would you say that,
overall, the wealthy have gained influence or lost
influence on the US government?
| Gained
influence |
69.2% |
| Lost
influence |
22.1% |
| Stayed about
the same (volunteered) |
4.5% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
4.3% |
[Half sample,
one-quarter sample heard Q39 first and one-quarter
sample heard Q40]
Q41. If the American
public had more influence on US government policy, do
you think that this would be probably have a positive
effect or a negative effect on the economic position
of people like you?
| Positive
effect |
77.1% |
| Negative
effect |
14.8% |
| No effect
(volunteered) |
1.9% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
6.2% |
[Half sample]
Q42. When your Representative in Congress votes on an
issue, which should be more important-the way voters
in your district feel about that issue, or the
Representative's own principles and judgment about
what is best for the country?
| Way voters
feel |
68.5% |
| Principles
and judgment |
25.3% |
| Both equal
(vol.) |
4.0% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
2.2% |
[Half sample
that did not hear Q42]
Q43. If a member of Congress is involved in
developing legislation on an issue and he finds that
the majority of people in his district favor a course
of action that is different from the one that he
thinks is best, should he:
A. Do what he thinks
is best, on the basis that he should not be swayed by
external pressures.
B. Accept the will of
the majority, on the basis of democratic principles.
C. Reevaluate his
position and look for a new alternative, on the basis
that there is probably something valid in the
majority's position.
| Statement A |
19.1% |
| Statement B |
23.1% |
| Statement C |
54.8% |
| None of these
(volunteered) |
1.0% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
2.0% |
[Half sample]
Q44. With which of the following statements do you
most agree?
A. Democracy works
best when each member of Congress votes in terms of
what is best for his or her district. The process of
majority rule will then produce the best outcome
overall.
B. Each member of
Congress should think about what the whole country's
interests are and together with other members try to
find a consensus about what is best for the country.
| Statement A |
31.5% |
| Statement B |
66.5% |
| Neither
(volunteered) |
0.9% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
1.1% |
[Half sample]
Q45. Do you think your own Representative in Congress
is more interested in doing what's best for the
country, or what's best for your congressional
district?
| What's best
for the country |
33.3% |
| What's best
for your congressional district |
47.8% |
| Neither
(volunteered) |
5.4% |
| Both
(volunteered) |
4.1% |
| It depends
(volunteered) |
0.8% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
8.5% |
[Half sample]
Q46. Generally, do you think most members of Congress
are more interested in doing what's best for the
country, or what's best for their own congressional
district?
| What's best
for the country |
19.1% |
| What's best
for their congressional district |
71.4% |
| Neither
(volunteered) |
3.7% |
| Both
(volunteered) |
1.4% |
| It depends
(volunteered) |
1.0% |
| Don't know |
3.4% |
[Half sample]
Q47. Do you think your own representative in Congress
should be more interested in doing what's best for
the country, or what's best for your congressional
district?
| What's best
for the country |
52.2% |
| What's best
for your congressional district |
37.7% |
| Neither
(volunteered) |
0.1% |
| Both
(volunteered) |
8.2% |
| It depends
(volunteered) |
0.7% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
1.1% |
[Full sample]
Q48. Statement: For each of the following two
statements, please tell me whether you agree,
disagree, or neither agree nor disagree. Here's the
first one:
Sometimes politics and
government seem so complicated that a person like me
can't really understand what's going on.
| Agree |
61.4% |
| Neither agree
nor disagree |
7.3% |
| Disagree |
30.8% |
| Don't know |
0.5% |
[Full sample]
Q49. People like me don't have any say about what the
government does.
| Agree |
55.7% |
| Neither agree
nor disagree |
6.5% |
| Disagree |
37.0% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
0.8% |
[Three-quarter
sample]
Q50. Which of the following would you regard as most
likely to show the greatest wisdom on questions of
what the government should do-the views of: the
majority of Republicans, the majority of Democrats,
or the majority of the public as a whole?
| The majority
of Republicans |
9.0% |
| The majority
of Democrats |
9.3% |
| The majority
of the public as a whole |
76.5% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
5.3% |
[One-quarter
sample that did not hear Q50]
Q51. Which of the following would you prefer to have
the most influence on the government-the views of:
the majority of Republicans, the majority of
Democrats, or the majority of the public as a whole?
| The majority
of Republicans |
12.7% |
| The majority
of Democrats |
9.7% |
| The majority
of the public as a whole |
72.7% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
4.8% |
Statement: Now
on a slightly different subject, I'm going to ask you
some questions about the proceedings currently going
on in Washington, DC.
[Full sample]
Q52. Do you approve or disapprove of the House of
Representatives voting to impeach President Clinton?
| Approve |
39.1% |
| Disapprove |
56.8% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
4.1% |
[Half sample]
Q53. Do you think that most members of the House of
Representatives who voted in favor of impeachment
were mainly trying to do what is best for the
country, or do you think they were mainly motivated
by some other reason?
| Best for
country |
30.8% |
| Other reason |
66.2% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
3.0% |
[Half sample]
Q54. Throughout the Kenneth Starr investigation and
the process leading to impeachment, do you feel that
the government has behaved in a way that is
consistent or not consistent with the wishes of the
majority of the American public?
| Consistent |
22.8% |
| Not
consistent |
68.7% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
8.5% |
[Half sample
that did not hear Q54]
Q55. Do you think that the majority of Americans
approved or disapproved of the House of
Representatives impeaching President Clinton?
| Approved |
24.2% |
| Disapproved |
67.4% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
8.3% |
[Half sample]
Q56. Thinking about the Kenneth Starr investigation
and the House of Representatives' decision to impeach
the President, would you say that what you've heard
has made you feel more likely to vote Democratic,
more likely to vote Republican, or more likely not to
vote at all?
| More likely
to vote Democratic |
33.2% |
| More likely
to vote Republican |
22.5% |
| More likely
not to vote at all |
28.2% |
| No effect
(volunteered) |
12.8% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
3.4% |
[Half sample]
Q57. Thinking about the Kenneth Starr investigation
and the House of Representatives' decision to impeach
the President would you say that what you've heard
has made you feel more like paying attention to
politics, or feel less like paying attention to
politics?
| More like
paying attention |
43.5% |
| Less like
paying attention |
43.3% |
| Made no
difference (volunteered) |
11.4% |
| Don't know |
1.7% |
[Three-quarter
sample heard Q58 and Q59]
Q58. Do you think the Senate should or should not
remove President Clinton from office?
| Should |
31.2% |
| Should not |
63.2% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
5.6% |
Q59. Do you
think the majority of Americans favors or opposes
removing President Clinton from office?
| Favors |
23.1% |
| Opposes |
68.4% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
8.5% |
[Half sample]
Q60. Thinking about how your Senators might vote, if
one or both of your Senators votes to remove
President Clinton from office, do you think this
might have some influence on whether you vote for
that Senator in the next election? Please tell me if
this would make you a bit less likely to vote for
that Senator, somewhat less likely, much less likely,
or would it make you a bit more likely, somewhat more
likely, or much more likely to vote for that Senator?
| Much less
likely |
24.9% |
| Somewhat less
likely |
9.2% |
| A bit less
likely |
11.1% |
| A bit more
likely |
7.6% |
| Somewhat more
likely |
7.9% |
| Much more
likely |
17.5% |
| No effect
(volunteered) |
8.9% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
12.7% |
[Full sample for
Demographics section]
Q61. Some people seem to follow what's going on in
government and public affairs most of the time,
whether there's an election going on or not. Others
aren't that interested. Would you say you follow
what's going on in government and public affairs most
of the time, some of the time, only now and then, or
hardly at all?
| Most of the
time |
46.6% |
| Some of the
time |
34.8% |
| Only now and
then |
13.2% |
| Hardly at all |
5.0% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
0.3% |
Q62. We hear a
lot of talk these days about liberals and
conservatives. Here is a 7-point scale on which the
political views that people might hold are arranged:
Extremely liberal, liberal, slightly liberal,
moderate or middle of the road, slightly
conservative, conservative, and extremely
conservative. Where would you place yourself on this
scale, or haven't you thought much about this?
| Extremely
liberal |
1.6% |
| Liberal |
6.5% |
| Slightly
liberal |
7.6% |
| Moderate or
middle of the road |
28.8% |
| Slightly
conservative |
14.9% |
| Conservative |
16.1% |
| Extremely
conservative |
3.6% |
| Haven't
thought about it |
20.4% |
| Refused |
0.6% |
Q63. Are you a
registered voter?
| Yes |
83.5% |
| No |
16.2% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
0.3% |
Q64. Did you
vote for a candidate for President in the last
election in 1996?
| Yes |
68.9% |
| No |
30.3% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
0.8% |
Q65. Have you
ever contributed money or done volunteer work in
support of a Presidential or Congressional candidate?
| Yes |
23.6% |
| No |
75.8% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
0.6% |
Q66. In politics
today, do you think of yourself as:
| Strongly
Republican |
12.8% |
| Leaning
toward Republican |
13.6% |
| Leaning
toward Democrat |
12.8% |
| Strongly
Democrat |
21.0% |
| Independent |
33.2% |
| Other |
1.8% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
4.8% |
Q67. What is
your age?
| 18 to 29 |
22.2% |
| 30 to 45 |
32.4% |
| 46 to 65 |
28.4% |
| Over 65 |
16.0% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
1.1% |
Q68. What is the
highest level of education that you have had?
| Up through
high school |
18.0% |
| High school
graduate |
33.2% |
| Some college |
26.1% |
| 4 year
college degree |
15.1% |
| Advanced
degree |
6.9% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
0.7% |
Q69. What is
your ethnic affiliation?
| White/Caucasian |
76.7% |
| Black/
African American |
9.3% |
| Hispanic/Latino |
7.0% |
| Other |
5.0% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
2.0% |
Q70. Here is a
range of household incomes. Just stop me when I read
an amount that is more than the correct category for
your household income for last year (1998).
| $15,000 |
10.2% |
| $25,000 |
18.8% |
| $45,000 |
28.5% |
| $70,000 |
18.7% |
| $100,000 |
8.7% |
| More than
$100,000 |
6.6% |
| Don't
know/Refused |
8.6% |
Q71. Sex of
respondent