FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Ashley Berke
National Constitution Center
215.409.6693
[email protected]
Jack Stokes
The Associated Press
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[email protected]
AP-NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER POLL
REFLECTS VOLATILITY OF THE TIME
Opposition to broadening president’s economic power lessens,
but 82% oppose government health insurance requirement
Americans’ faith in Congress down, while confidence in military is up
Government receives high marks on keeping nation safe,
but failing grade on promoting well-being of Americans over special interests
Philadelphia, PA (September 13, 2011) – Over the past year – one in which the country
faced gridlock over the national debt and a near government shutdown – American
opinion reflects the nation‟s volatility, a new poll released today by The Associated Press
and the National Constitution Center indicates. Among key findings is a notable
decrease in the number of Americans that oppose giving the president more power to
improve the economy – down to 61% from 73% in last year‟s poll, a change that takes
on new significance in light of President Obama‟s recent jobs speech. Meanwhile, 82%
of Americans believe the federal government should not have the power to require all
Americans to buy health insurance. Faith in Congress also has reached a new low, with
57% of Americans having little or no confidence in the nation‟s legislative branch (up
from 49% in 2010).
The new poll, conducted in August 2011, is the fourth in an annual series that tracks
public opinion on constitutional issues.
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Of the 19 different institutions in this year‟s poll – including the Supreme Court, local and
state governments, the media, public schools and organized religion – the U.S.
Congress ranked as the least trusted. The U.S. military earned the deepest public
respect, holding the confidence of 54% of Americans. The federal government and the
U.S. Congress earned only 10% and 8% confidence respectively, with 31% of
Americans expressing no confidence at all in Congress – the highest no-confidence read
of any institution tested. Among Republicans, 54% lack confidence in Congress, a drop
from 64% last year. Democrats, however, represent the sharpest increases, moving
from 35% lacking confidence in 2010 to 57% in 2011.
Views on the Constitution and its basic tenets remain consistent with last year‟s findings
– approximately three-quarters agree that the U.S. Constitution is an enduring document
that remains relevant today, and nearly as many say laws should be followed even if
public safety might be at risk. However, 60% say judges should interpret laws broadly,
taking into account the broader interests of the nation.
“As our nation grapples with economic and political turmoil, the majority of Americans
regard the Constitution as a steady beacon,” said National Constitution Center President
and CEO David Eisner. “There is a ray of light, however; Americans seem to be saying
that „We the People‟ have the power to fix what‟s not working in America.”
Nearly six in 10 Americans say the country needs a stronger sense of community and
more people helping one another. A majority of those surveyed (69%) have taken up
that cause and participated either in some form of volunteer work or in public meetings
about community affairs in the past year. “It is reassuring to see that Americans are
heeding the Constitution‟s call for active citizenship,” added Eisner. “Especially as
Constitution Day approaches, it is essential for citizens to recognize that it is within our
grasp – and up to us – to catalyze change.”
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The poll also shed light on some of the central political issues of the day, with more than
eight in 10 believing the federal government should not have the power to require all
Americans to buy health insurance. In particular, Republicans (95%) and independents
(87%) are sharply opposed to the government having such authority. Findings also
show mixed views on the range of options for either extending marriage rights to samesex couples or preventing same-sex marriages from happening (additional findings to be
released on September 14, 2011.)
In rating the government‟s handling of responsibilities as spelled out in the Preamble of
the Constitution, significantly more Americans feel the government is doing a good job
making sure that our nation is safe from foreign and domestic threats, receiving a 72%
approval rating (up from 53% last year). Similarly, ratings have climbed from 54% to
63% regarding the government‟s job in making sure all Americans feel safe, secure and
free. However, the government still receives poor reviews on promoting the well-being
of all Americans over special interests, with a mere 9% of people ranking efforts as “very
good.”
Complete poll results are available at http://surveys.ap.org.
The poll involved telephone interviews with 1,000 adults nationwide. The survey was
conducted from August 18-22, 2011 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate
Communications, and had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage
points.
About the National Constitution Center
Located on Independence Mall in Historic Philadelphia, the National Constitution Center
is America‟s first and only nonprofit, nonpartisan institution devoted to the U.S.
Constitution. As a cutting-edge museum, national town hall and educational facility, the
Center illuminates constitutional ideals and inspires acts of citizenship through must-see
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multimedia exhibitions, live performances, timely public programs and dynamic
educational resources. The museum dramatically tells the story of “We the People”
through more than 100 interactive exhibits, films, photographs and rare artifacts; the
stirring theatrical performance Freedom Rising; and the iconic attraction Signers’ Hall,
featuring 42 life-sized bronze statues of the Founding Fathers. As America‟s town hall
for constitutional dialogue, the Center regularly engages political leaders, scholars,
pundits and journalists of diverse viewpoints. The Center also houses the Annenberg
Center for Education and Outreach, which serves as the hub for national constitutional
education and provides exceptional civic learning resources both onsite and online. For
more information, call 215.409.6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.
About the AP
The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased
news from every corner of the world, to all media platforms and formats. Founded in
1846, AP today is the largest and most trusted source of independent news and
information. On any given day, more than half the world's population sees news from
AP. On the Net: www.ap.org.
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