1 PEW RESEARCH CENTER

Transcription

1 1 FOR THE PEOPLE & THE PRESS/USA TODAY JANUARY POLITICAL SURVEY FINAL TOPLINE January 15-19, N=1,504 QUESTIONS 1-2 PREVIOUSLY RELEASED QUESTIONS 3-4, 9-12 HELD FOR FUTURE RELEASE NO QUESTIONS 5-8 ASK FORM 2 ONLY [N=739]: Q.13F2 How much, if anything, should the government do to reduce poverty? [READ IN ORDER] 53 A lot 29 Some 8 Not much 6 Nothing at all 4 Don t know/refused ASK FORM 1 ONLY [N=765]: Q.14F1 How much, if anything, should the government do to reduce the gap between the rich and everyone else? [READ IN ORDER] 43 A lot 26 Some 9 Not much 17 Nothing at all 4 Don t know/refused ASK FORM 2 ONLY [N=739]: Q.15F2 How much do you think government policies and programs can do to reduce poverty in this country? [READ IN ORDER] 40 A lot 37 Some 14 Not much 5 Nothing at all 4 Don t know/refused

2 2 ASK FORM 1 ONLY [N=765]: Q.16F1 How much do you think government policies and programs can do to reduce the gap between the rich and everyone else in this country? [READ IN ORDER] 38 A lot 29 Some 18 Not much 12 Nothing at all 3 Don t know/refused NO QUESTION 17, 19, 22 QUESTIONS 18a-c, 20-21, HELD FOR FUTURE RELEASE QUESTION 18d PREVIOUSLY RELEASED Q.25 Do you think your family s income is going up faster than the cost of living, staying about even with the cost of living, or falling behind the cost of living? Early NBC/WSJ Oct July Feb Sep Jan June Going up faster Staying about even Falling behind Don t know/refused Q.26 In your view, what would do more to reduce poverty? [READ AND RANDOMIZE] Raising taxes on wealthy people and corporations in 54 order to expand programs for the poor [OR] Lowering taxes on wealthy people and corporations in 35 order to encourage more investment and economic growth 11 Don't know/refused QUESTIONS PREVIOUSLY RELEASED Q.34 In the last ten years, do you think the gap between the rich and everyone else in the U.S. has increased, decreased, or stayed the same? 65 Increased 8 Decreased 25 Stayed the same 2 Don t know/refused QUESTIONS 34b-38, 42 HELD FOR FUTURE RELEASE NO QUESTIONS 39-41, 43

3 3 Q.44 I'm going to read you some pairs of statements. As I read each pair, tell me whether the FIRST statement or the SECOND statement comes closer to your own views even if neither is exactly right. The first pair is... [READ AND RANDOMIZE PAIRS BUT NOT STATEMENTS WITHIN EACH PAIR]. The next pair is [NEXT PAIR] a. Most people who want to get ahead can make it if they're willing to work hard QUESTION 44d PREVIOUSLY RELEASED QUESTIONS 44e, 45 HELD FOR FUTURE RELEASE Hard work and determination are no guarantee of success for most people Q.46 Thinking about some government policies, do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose [INSERT ITEM; RANDOMIZE]? How about [NEXT ITEM]? [REPEAT AS NECESSARY: do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose?] FAVOR OPPOSE Net favor Favor Net oppose Oppose a. An increase in the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour, Feb 13-18, January, March, December, June, Neither/DK, Dec 7-11, Feb 22-Mar 14, Aug 25-Sep 6, 2010 (RVs) March, December, December, September, August, July, b. The economic system in this country unfairly favors the wealthy The economic system in this country is generally fair to most Americans Neither/DK, Dec 7-11, c. Government aid to the poor does more harm than good by making people too dependent on government assistance Government aid to the poor does more good than harm because people can t get out of poverty until their basic needs are met Neither/DK, DK/Ref 1 In February 2013, the question was worded An increase in the minimum wage, from $7.25 to $9.00 an hour. In January 2007, the question was worded, An increase in the minimum wage, from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour. In March 2006, December 2004, June 2011 and October 2009, the question was worded: An increase in the minimum wage, from $5.15 an hour to $6.45 an hour. In February 1998, the question was worded: An increase in the minimum wage, from $5.15 an hour to $6.15 an hour.

4 4 Q.46 CONTINUED FAVOR OPPOSE Net favor Favor Net oppose Oppose DK/Ref October, February, b. A one-year extension of federal unemployment benefits for people who have been out of work for a long time, QUESTIONS HELD FOR FUTURE RELEASE ASK FORM 1 ONLY [N=765]: Q.49F1 In your opinion, which is generally more often to blame if a person is poor? Lack of effort on his or her own part, or circumstances beyond his or her control? Lack of Circumstances effort beyond control Both DK/Ref, Apr 4-15, Mar 11-21, October, CBS/NYT: CBS/NYT: LAT: NYT: December, Gallup: May, Gallup: Gallup: Gallup: CBS/NYT: Gallup: Gallup: Gallup: November, Gallup: September, Gallup: March, ASK FORM 2 ONLY [N=739]: Q.50F2 In your opinion, which generally has more to do with why a person is rich? [READ AND RANDOMIZE] 38 Because he or she worked harder than most other people 51 Because he or she had more advantages in life than most other people 7 Both 4 Don t know/refused NO QUESTION 51

5 5 Q.52 If you were asked to use one of these commonly used names for the social classes, which would you say you belong in? The upper class, upper-middle class, middle class, lower-middle class, or lower class? Upper class Uppermiddle class Middle class Lowermiddle class Lower class DK/Ref, Jul 16-26, 2012 (SDT) Apr 4-15, Dec 7-11, Mar 15-29, 2011 (SDT) May 11-31, 2010 (SDT) February, 2008 (SDT) PARTY In politics TODAY, do you consider yourself a Republican, Democrat, or independent? ASK IF INDEP/NO PREF/OTHER/DK/REF (PARTY=3,4,5,9): PARTYLN As of today do you lean more to the Republican Party or more to the Democratic Party? No Other Lean Lean Republican Democrat Independent preference party DK/Ref Rep Dem, Dec 3-8, * Oct 30-Nov 6, * Oct 9-13, Sep 4-8, Jul 17-21, * Jun 12-16, * May 1-5, Mar 13-17, Feb 13-18, * Jan 9-13, * Yearly Totals Post-Sept Pre-Sept

6 6 PARTY/PARTYLN CONTINUED No Other Lean Lean Republican Democrat Independent preference party DK/Ref Rep Dem QUESTIONS REPJOB, DEMJOB, HELD FOR FUTURE RELEASE ASK REPUBLICANS AND REPUBLICAN LEANERS ONLY (PARTY=1 OR PARTYLN=1): TEAPARTY3 From what you know, do you agree or disagree with the Tea Party movement, or don t you have an opinion either way? BASED ON REPUBLICANS AND REPUBLICAN LEANERS [N=624]: Not No opinion Haven t heard of/ Agree Disagree either way heard of Refused DK, * -- Dec 3-8, Oct 30-Nov 6, Oct 9-13, Sep 4-8, Jul 17-21, Jun 12-16, May 23-26, May 1-5, Mar 13-17, Feb 13-18, Feb 14-17, Jan 9-13, Dec 5-9, * -- Oct 31-Nov 3, 2012 (RVs) Oct 4-7, Sep 12-16, Jun 28-Jul 9, Jun 7-17, May 9-Jun 3, Apr 4-15, Mar 7-11, Feb 8-12, Jan 11-16, Jan 4-8, Dec 7-11, Nov 9-14, * 1 -- Sep 22-Oct 4, Aug 17-21, * 1 -- Jul 20-24, * 1 -- Jun 15-19, May 25-30, Mar 30-Apr 3, * 1 -- Mar 8-14, * -- Feb 22-Mar 1, Feb 2-7, Jan 5-9, In the February 2-7, 2011, survey and before, question read do you strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree with the Tea Party movement In October 2010 and earlier, question was asked only of those who had heard or read a lot or a little about the Tea Party. In May 2010 through October 2010, it was described as: the Tea Party movement that has been involved in campaigns and protests in the U.S. over the past year. In March 2010 it was described as the Tea Party protests that have taken place in the U.S. over the past year.

7 7 TEAPARTY3 CONTINUED Not No opinion Haven t heard of/ Agree Disagree either way heard of Refused DK Dec 1-5, Nov 4-7, Oct 27-30, 2010 (RVs) Oct 13-18, 2010 (RVs) Aug 25-Sep 6, 2010 (RVs) * 9 Jul 21-Aug 5, Jun 16-20, * 19 May 20-23, Mar 11-21, Key to Pew Research trends noted in the topline: (SDT) Pew Research Center/USA Today polls Pew Research Social and Demographic Trends