Government

Now I am going to read you a list of institutions in American society. Please tell me how much confidence you, yourself, have in each one -- a great deal, quite a lot, some, or very little? First, ... Next, [RANDOM ORDER]

2009 Jun 14-17	Great deal	Quite a lot	Some	Very little	None (vol.)	No opinion
The U.S. Supreme Court	15%	24	41	17	1	3
The presidency	26%	25	24	19	4	1
Congress	6%	11	45	34	4	1
(vol.) = Volunteered response

Trend on confidence in institutions: Based on percentage saying "great deal" or "quite a lot"

	The U.S. Supreme Court	The presidency	Congress
	%	%	%
2009 Jun 14-17	39	51	17
2008 Jun 9-12	32	26	12
2007 Jun 11-14	34	25	14
2006 Jun 1-4	40	33	19
2005 May 23-26	41	44	22
2004 May 21-23	46	52	30
2003 Jun 9-10	47	55	29
2002 Jun 21-23	50	58	29
2001 Jun 8-10	50	48	26
2000 Jun 22-25	47	42	24
1999 Jun 25-27	49	49	26
1998 Jun 5-7	50	53	28
1997 Jul 25-27	50	49	22
1996 May 28-29	45	39	20
1995 Apr 21-24	44	45	21
1994 Mar 25-27	42	38	18
1993 Mar 22-24	44	43	18
1991 Oct 10-13	39	50	18
1991 Mar 1	48	72	30
1990 Aug 16-19	47	N/A	24
1989 Sep 7-10	46	N/A	32
1988 Sep 23-26	56	N/A	35
1987 Jul 10-13	52	N/A	N/A
1986 Jul 11-14	54	N/A	41
1985 May 17-20	56	N/A	39
1984 Oct 6-10	51	N/A	29
1983 Aug 5-8	42	N/A	28
1981 Nov 20-23	46	N/A	29
1979 Apr 6-9	45	N/A	34
1977 Jan 7-10	46	N/A	40
1975 May 30-Jun 2	49	N/A	40
1973 May 4-7	44	N/A	42

N/A: Not asked

Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied with the way the federal government in Washington is dealing with the problems the country is facing today?

	Very satisfied	Somewhat satisfied	Somewhat dissatisfied	Very dissatisfied	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2009 Apr 20-21	8	39	23	29	1
2008 Sep 5-7	3	17	28	51	1

Some people think the government is trying to do too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses. Others think that government should do more to solve our country's problems. Which comes closer to your own view?

	Government doing too much	Government should do more	Mixed/ Depends (vol.)	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
2009 Mar 27-29	50	42	6	2
2009 Mar 5-8 ^	47	42	8	3
2008 Sep 8-11	53	41	4	2
2008 Jun 15-18	50	43	5	2
2007 Sep 14-16	49	43	6	2
2006 Sep 7-10	47	44	6	3
2005 Sep 12-15	50	44	4	2
2004 Nov 19-21	55	36	7	2
2004 Sep 13-15	49	41	8	2
2003 Oct 24-26	52	40	6	2
2003 Sep 8-10	51	43	4	2
2002 Sep 5-8	50	43	5	2
2001 Oct 5-6	41	50	6	3
2001 Sep 7-10	55	36	7	2
2000 Sep 11-13	50	37	11	2
2000 Aug 18-19	54	38	6	2
1999 Sep 10-14	55	39	4	2
1998 Oct 29-30	50	38	6	6
1998 Apr 17-19	59	33	7	1
1997 Jan 31-Feb 2	58	33	6	3
1996 Jan 12-15	58	35	6	1
1995 Dec 15-19	60	32	5	3
1994 Nov 2-6	55	37	5	3
1994 Oct 22-25	57	37	4	2
1994 Jan 15-17	54	39	5	2
1993 Dec 17-19	55	38	6	1
1993 Apr 22-24	49	45	3	3
1993 Mar 22-24	45	49	4	2
1992 Oct 23-25	48	44	5	3
1992 Sep 11-15	51	43	4	3
1992 Aug 31-Sep 2†	50	43	5	2
^ Asked of a half sample
† Based on registered voters

Thinking about the way the federal government has responded to the financial crisis in recent months, generally speaking, do you approve or disapprove of the expansion of the government's role in the economy?

(Asked of those who approve of the expanded government role) Would you like to see the government's expanded role in the economy become permanent, or would you like to see the government reduce its role once the financial crisis is over?

COMBINED RESULTS: BASED ON FULL SAMPLE

	2009 Mar 27-29
	%
Approve of expanded role	53
(Would like to see it be permanent)	(13)
(Would like to see it reduced once crisis is over)	(39)
(Unspecified)	(1)

Disapprove of expanded role	44

No opinion	2

(Asked of a half sample) Do you think President Obama's proposals to address the economic problems in the country call for too big an expansion of government power, the right amount, or not a big enough expansion of government power?

	Too big an expansion	Right amount	Not big enough	No opinion
2009 Mar 27-29	40%	46	10	4

Do you think the federal government today -- [ROTATED: has too much power, has about the right amount of power, or has too little power]?

	Too much	About the right amount	Too little	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
2009 Mar 5-8 ^	50	42	7	2
2008 Sep 8-11	52	40	6	2
2007 Sep 14-16	56	36	6	2
2006 Sep 7-10	52	40	6	2
2005 Sep 12-15	50	43	6	1
2004 Sep 13-15	42	49	7	2
2003 Sep 8-10	43	49	7	1
2002 Sep 5-8	39	52	7	2
^ Asked of a half sample

On the whole, would you say you are satisfied or dissatisfied with the way the nation is being governed?

	Satisfied	Dissatisfied	No opinion
	%	%	%
2008 Sep 8-11	26	72	2
2007 Sep 14-16	31	67	2
2006 Sep 7-10	41	57	2
2005 Sep 12-15	44	55	1
2004 Sep 13-15	49	49	2
2003 Sep 8-10	56	43	1
2002 Sep 5-8	59	39	2
2001 Sep 7-10	57	39	4
1991 May 23-26 ^	58	39	3
1984 Dec 7-10	55	37	8
1973 Sep 21-24 †	26	66	8
1971 Dec 10-13 †	37	54	9

^ WORDING: the way the nation is governed
† WORDING: the way this nation is being governed

Some people think the government should promote traditional values in our society. Others think the government should not favor any particular set of values. Which comes closer to your own view?

	Promote traditional values	Not favor any set of values	No opinion
	%	%	%
2008 Sep 8-11	48	48	4
2007 Sep 14-16	49	45	7
2006 Sep 7-10	50	44	6
2005 Sep 12-15	50	47	3
2004 Nov 19-21	55	41	4
2004 Sep 13-15	54	41	5
2003 Sep 8-10	56	40	4
2002 Sep 5-8	56	38	6
2001 Oct 5-6	59	39	3
2001 Sep 7-10	53	41	6
2000 Sep 11-13	54	38	8
1999 Sep 10-14	56	39	5
1998 Oct 29-30	56	37	7
1998 Apr 17-19	55	38	7
1997 Jan 31-Feb 2	53	40	7
1996 Jan 12-15	59	36	5
1994 Nov 2-6	55	37	8
1994 Oct 22-25	55	40	5
1994 Jan 15-17	54	40	6
1993 Dec 17-19	57	37	6
1993 Apr 22-24	55	39	6
1993 Mar 22-24	53	42	5

In general, do you think there is too much, too little or about the right amount of government regulation of business and industry?

	Too much	Too little	Right amount	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
*Gallup Poll*
2008 Sep 8-11	38	27	31	3
2007 Sep 14-16	38	26	33	4
2006 Sep 7-10	36	28	30	6
2005 Sep 12-15	34	23	40	3
2004 Sep 13-15	37	24	34	5
2003 Sep 8-10	37	25	35	3
2002 Sep 5-8	35	31	31	3
2002 Jun 28-30	32	33	30	5
2002 Feb 8-10	28	30	39	3
2001 Sep 7-10	41	17	38	4
1993 Mar 22-24	37	28	30	5

*Los Angeles Times*
1991 Apr	27	29	36	8
1981 Mar	54	18	14	14

Next, we'd like to know how you feel about some things as far as their future is concerned. Please say whether you feel generally optimistic about -- [ITEMS ROTATED] -- as far as the future is concerned, generally pessimistic about it, or uncertain about it.

A. Our system of government and how well it works

	Generally optimistic	Generally pessimistic	Uncertain	No opinion
2008 Jan 10-13	44%	23	33	1
1999 Feb 4-8	53%	19	27	1
1996 Mar 8-10	43%	28	28	1

Trends for Comparison: The Roper Organization

	Generally optimistic	Generally pessimistic	Uncertain	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
1983 Feb	51	21	27	1
1981 Feb	51	21	26	2
1979 Feb	49	22	26	3
1977 Aug	47	21	29	3
1977 Feb	57	14	26	2
1975 Aug	45	24	29	3
1974 Aug	55	15	27	3

Next, I'm going to read you a list of things that are considered by some to be problems with the way things work in Washington. For each, please tell me whether you, personally, consider it to be -- a crisis, a major problem, a minor problem, or not a problem. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

A. The failure of the government to solve the major challenges facing the country in the last few years

	Crisis	Major problem	Minor problem	Not a problem	No opinion
2008 Jan 10-13	28%	52	16	3	2

B. Democratic and Republican leaders making decisions based on what is best for their party even if it is not in the best interests of the country

	Crisis	Major problem	Minor problem	Not a problem	No opinion
2008 Jan 10-13	23%	57	16	3	2

C. Powerful special interests having too much control over what the government does

	Crisis	Major problem	Minor problem	Not a problem	No opinion
2008 Jan 10-13	29%	53	14	3	2

Please tell me how you would rate the honesty and ethical standards of people in these different fields -- very high, high, average, low, or very low? First, ... Next, ... [RANDOM ORDER]

Trend on honesty and ethical standards of senators and congressmen: based on percentage saying "very high" or "high"

	Senators	Congressmen
	%	%
2008	N/A	12
2007	N/A	9
2006	15	14
2005	16	14
2004	N/A	20
2003	20	17
2002	N/A	17
2001	25	25
2000	24	21
1999	17	11
1998	19	17
1997	14	12
1996	15	14
1995	12	10
1994	12	10
1993	18	14
1992	13	11
1991	19	19
1990	24	20
1988	19	16
1985	23	20
1983	16	14
1981	20	15
1977	19	16
1976	19	15

N/A: Not asked

I'd like to ask you about your member of Congress. Would you say that your member of Congress is [RANDOM ORDER]? Next, is your member [ITEM INSERTED]?

A. Corrupt or not corrupt

	Corrupt	Not corrupt	No opinion
2006 Apr 28-30	22%	67	11
2006 Jan 6-8	22%	68	10
1994 Oct 22-24	27%	65	8

B. Focused on the needs of special interests, or focused on the needs of the constituents in your district

	Special interests	Constituents	No opinion
2006 Apr 28-30	40%	48	12
2006 Jan 6-8	40%	49	11
1994 Oct 22-24	42%	47	11

C. Generally out of touch with average Americans or generally in touch

	Out of touch	In touch	No opinion
2006 Apr 28-30	77%	22	1
2006 Jan 6-8	69%	28	2
1994 Oct 22-24	75%	23	2

I'd like to ask you about most members of Congress. Would you say that most members of Congress are [RANDOM ORDER]? Next, are most members [ITEM INSERTED]?

A. Corrupt or not corrupt

	Corrupt	Not corrupt	No opinion
2006 Apr 28-30	47%	46	7
2006 Jan 6-8	38%	55	7
1994 Oct 22-24	50%	44	6

B. Focused on the needs of special interests, or focused on the needs of the constituents in your district

	Special interests	Constituents	No opinion
2006 Apr 28-30	65%	30	6
2006 Jan 6-8	54%	40	6
1994 Oct 22-24	58%	37	5

C. Generally out of touch with average Americans or generally in touch

	Out of touch	In touch	No opinion
2006 Apr 28-30	38%	55	7
2006 Jan 6-8	38%	58	5
1994 Oct 22-24	41%	54	5

If the leaders of our 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 off	Worse off	No difference (vol.)	No opinion
2005 Sep 12-15	73%	22	3	2
2001 Sep 7-10	75%	18	4	3
1996 Apr 25-28 ^	80%	11	--	9
1975 Oct 3-6	67%	16	9	8

^ Asked of half sample

If the leaders of our nation followed the views of public opinion polls more closely, do you think the nation would be better off, or worse off than it is today?

	Better off	Worse off	No difference (vol.)	No opinion
2005 Sep 12-15	61%	33	3	3
2001 Sep 7-10	63%	27	6	4
1996 Apr 25-28 ^	73%	14	--	13
(vol.) = Volunteered response
^ Asked of half sample