Straight Talk Survey: Topline Results Pt. 1

EMBARGOED for release Feb. 15, 2000 (12:01 a.m.)

Research – Straight Talk From Americans – 2000

A National Survey for the Pew Center for Civic Journalism conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates.


TOPLINE SURVEY RESULTS

[To Topline Results Part Two >>]


Topline Results Part One (Questions D1-11)

National and Regional Survey Results by question.

National:
Total n= 1004 adults age 18 and older
Dates of interviewing: October 6-October 31, 1999
Tampa:
Total n= 507 adults age 18 and older
Dates of interviewing: October 18-November 16, 1999
Philadelphia:
Total n= 501 adults age 18 and older
Dates of interviewing: November 10-November 28, 1999
Denver:
Total n= 502 adults age 18 and older
Dates of interviewing: November 10-December 1, 1999
San Francisco:
Total n= 500 adults age 18 and older
Dates of interviewing: October 29-November 30, 1999

INTRODUCTION: Hello, my name is _______ calling for Princeton Survey Research of Princeton, New Jersey. We are conducting an opinion survey about life in your community and around the country. I’d like to ask a few questions of the youngest male, 18 years of age or older, who is now at home. (IF NO MALE, ASK: May I speak with the oldest female, 18 years of age or older, who is now at home?)

D1. RECORD RESPONDENT’S SEX:

National

  

Tampa

Philadelphia

Denver

San Francisco

47

Male

47

48

48

49

53

Female

53

52

52

51

1. Overall, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in this country today?

National

  

Tampa

Philadelphia

Denver

San Francisco

48

Satisfied

47

54

59

57

44

Dissatisfied

47

39

34

36

8

Don’t know/Refused

6

7

7

7

2. What about your local community? Overall, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in your community? (Modified PRC 1994)

National

  

Tampa

Philadelphia

Denver

San Francisco

74

Satisfied

65

53

66

62

22

Dissatisfied

26

38

28

33

4

Don’t know/Refused

9

9

6

5

3. Now, what do you think is the most important problem facing the country today? (Up to two responses accepted.)

National

 

Tampa

Philadelphia

Denver

San Francisco

15

Crime/violence 

18

25

16

19

14

Moral decline

11

10

14

10

10

Economic issues/The economy

8

11

6

10

8

Education

8

10

9

10

8

Child and teen issues

12

6

9

5

8

Politics/Politicians

11

7

7

6

4

Poverty/Hunger/Homelessness

2

5

7

8

4

Health/Medicine

6

5

3

4

3

Racism/Discrimination/Intolerance

2

4

3

2

3

Foreign policy/ Foreign relations 

2

1

3

3

2

Law enforcement/Justice/Court system

2

1

1

1

1

Senior citizen issues/Care of the elderly

2

1

1

1

1

Problems with Immigrants

*

1

2

*

1

National security/Terrorism 

1

1

1

1

1

Welfare abuse/Fraud

1

1

*

*

1

Sex/Violence in the media

*

1

*

1

1

Abortion

*

1

0

0

1

Environmental issues/Pollution

*

1

2

1

1

Everything/So many things

1

*

1

*

1

Nothing/no problems/None

*

0

*

2

5

Other

4

6

8

9

6

Don’t know/Can’t think of anything

5

5

8

6

1

Refused/No comment

1

1

*

1

NOTE: An asterisk (*) means less than .5 percent gave this answer.

4. What national problems, if any, don’t get enough attention from government officials in Washington? (Up to two responses accepted.)

National

  

Tampa

Philadelphia

Denver

San Francisco

9

Education

9

10

12

11

8

Politics/Politicians

7

5

10

7

7

Economic issues/The economy

6

9

7

8

6

Poverty/Hunger/Homelessness

6

9

7

12

6

Foreign policy/ Foreign relations

3

5

3

5

5

Health/Medicine

7

8

5

7

5

Crime/Violence 

5

8

6

6

5

Senior citizen issues/Care of the elderly

7

5

2

2

3

Child and teen issues

5

3

3

3

3

Don’t pay attention to Washington politics

3

1

1

1

2

Moral decline

3

1

2

2

2

Environmental issues/Pollution

2

1

2

3

2

They are doing a good job/I’m satisfied

1

1

1

1

2

Racism/Discrimination/Intolerance

1

2

2

2

1

Law enforcement/Justice/Court system

1

1

*

1

1

National security/Terrorism

1

1

1

1

1

Welfare abuse/Fraud

1

1

1

*

1

Problems with Immigrants

*

*

1

2

*

Abortion

*

1

*

0

*

Sex/Violence in the media

*

*

0

*

1

Everything/So many things

1

1

2

1

2

Nothing/No problems/None

3

2

2

5

6

Other

6

6

7

5

19

Don’t know/Can’t think of anything

20

18

20

13

4

Refused/No comment

2

2

2

3

5. What about from the national news media…What national problems, if any, don’t get enough attention from the national news media? (Up to two responses accepted.)

National

  

Tampa

Philadelphia

Denver

San Francisco

23

Criticism of the media

21

18

16

19

7

Don’t watch the national news/Read newspapers

4

3

3

3

7

They are doing a good job/I’m satisfied

10

6

9

6

6

Good/Inspirational things that are happening/Achievements

3

5

6

4

3

Poverty/Hunger/Homelessness

3

5

5

5

3

Politics/Politicians

3

3

2

2

2

Education

2

5

3

4

2

Crime/Violence 

2

5

2

3

2

Economic issues/The economy

3

1

2

3

1

Child and teen issues

2

3

1

1

1

Health/Medicine

3

1

1

2

1

Moral decline

2

1

2

1

1

Foreign policy/ Foreign relations

2

2

2

1

1

Senior citizen issues/Care of the elderly

1

1

*

1

1

Racism/Discrimination/Intolerance

1

1

1

1

1

Sex/Violence in the media

0

*

0

0

*

Welfare abuse/Fraud

0

*

0

0

*

Abortion

*

*

*

0

*

Law enforcement/Justice/Court system

2

*

*

*

*

National security/Terrorism

0

*

*

1

*

Environmental issues/Pollution

1

1

2

1

*

Problems with Immigrants

1

*

*

1

*

Everything/So many things

*

1

1

1

4

Nothing/No problems/None

7

7

6

12

4

Other

3

5

5

4

25

Don’t know/Can’t think of anything

23

21

25

19

4

Refused/No comment

1

4

3

4

6. Which of the following BEST describes the place where you now live?… (READ)

National

  

Tampa

Philadelphia

Denver

San Francisco

21

A large city

30

29

32

37

21

A suburb near a large city

32

39

48

32

40

A small city or town

30

19

14

27

18

A rural area

9

13

5

3

*

Don’t know/Refused

*

0

0

0

7. Overall, how would you rate your (response from Q.6) as a place to live? Would you say it is… (READ)

National

 

Tampa

Philadelphia

Denver

San Francisco

32

Excellent

24

14

34

37

51

Good

51

46

51

40

13

Only fair, OR

17

27

12

16

3

Poor?

6

11

3

6

*

Don’t know/Refused

3

1

*

2

8. What do you think is the most important problem today facing the community where you live? (Up to two responses accepted.)

National

  

Tampa

Philadelphia

Denver

San Francisco

18

Development/Sprawl/Traffic

33

18

60

47

18

Crime/Violence

22

29

9

10

13

Economic issues/The economy

4

11

3

9

10

Education

6

12

6

5

6

Child and teen issues

4

4

4

1

3

Moral decline

2

2

1

1

3

Things are good here

1

1

*

*

3

Politics/Politicians

2

5

1

1

2

Racism/Discrimination/Intolerance

1

2

2

*

2

Problems with Immigrants

1

0

*

1

2

Environmental issues

3

0

4

2

2

Law enforcement/Justice/Court system

1

*

*

0

1

New to the area/Just moved here

2

*

*

*

1

Health/Medicine

1

1

0

*

1

Poverty/Hunger/Homelessness

*

4

2

14

1

Natural disasters/Hurricanes/Floods

1

0

0

*

1

Senior citizen issues/Care of the elderly

0

*

0

0

*

Welfare abuse/Fraud

*

*

0

0

0

Everything/So many things

1

1

0

0

6

Nothing/No problems/None

1

1

1

2

4

Other

2

3

2

3

5

Don’t know/Can’t think of anything

11

7

4

4

1

Refused/No comment

*

1

*

*

9. What problems in your local community, if any, don’t get enough attention from local government officials? (Up to two responses accepted.)

National

  

Tampa

Philadelphia

Denver

San Francisco

14

Development/Sprawl/Traffic

18

13

27

22

10

They are doing a good job/All they can

6

2

6

2

9

Crime/Violence 

9

14

7

4

6

Education

8

14

10

11

5

Economic issues/The economy

2

6

2

4

4

Politics/Politicians

5

3

2

5

4

Child and teen issues

4

4

3

2

3

Law enforcement/Justice/Court system

2

2

1

1

2

Don’t follow local politics

3

1

1

1

2

Poverty/Hunger/Homelessness

3

7

5

17

2

New to the area/Just moved here

2

*

1

1

1

Health/Medicine

1

*

1

2

1

Senior citizen issues/Care of the elderly

*

1

1

*

1

Welfare abuse/Fraud

*

1

0

*

1

Racism/Discrimination/Intolerance

1

1

1

1

1

Moral decline

1

1

1

*

*

Environmental issues/Pollution

1

*

2

1

*

Problems with Immigrants

*

0

1

1

*

Natural disasters/Hurricanes/Floods

0

0

0

1

*

Everything/So many things

0

1

1

1

12

Nothing/No problems/None

7

4

4

5

3

Other

3

5

3

3

18

Don’t know/Can’t think of anything

21

19

21

16

2

Refused/No comment

3

2

1

1

10. What about attention from the local news media… What local problems, if any, don’t get enough attention from the local news media? (Up to two responses accepted.)

National

  

Tampa

Philadelphia

Denver

San Francisco

18

Things are good here/They are doing a good job/I’m satisfied

26

16

16

17

10

Criticism of the media

11

11

11

8

6

Don’t watch the local news/Read local papers

3

3

2

3

5

Crime/Violence 

3

8

3

5

4

Good/Inspirational things that are happening/Achievements

6

7

6

4

3

Education

4

4

5

5

3

Development/Sprawl/Traffic

2

5

4

7

2

Politics/Politicians

1

3

1

2

2

Economic issues/The economy

1

2

1

1

2

Poverty/Hunger/Homelessness

1

3

4

8

2

Child and teen issues

4

3

2

*

1

Do not have local media

*

*

1

*

1

Law enforcement/Justice/Court system

1

1

*

1

1

New to the area/Just moved here

1

*

*

*

*

Racism/Discrimination/Intolerance

1

1

*

*

*

Senior citizen issues/Care of the elderly

1

1

1

1

*

Problems with Immigrants

*

0

0

*

*

Environmental issues/Pollution

*

*

2

1

*

Moral decline

1

*

1

*

*

Health/Medicine

*

*

1

1

*

Welfare abuse/Fraud

*

0

0

0

0

Natural disasters/Hurricanes/Floods

*

*

0

0

0

Sex/violence in the media

*

*

0

0

2

Everything/So many things

*

1

*

*

13

Nothing/No problems/None

9

8

9

14

2

Other

3

2

3

3

18

Don’t know/Can’t think of anything

19

16

23

15

3

Refused/No comment

2

3

3

3

11. Thinking about how people like you can have an impact making your community a better place to live, what do you think is the most effective way people can have an impact? Is it to… (READ AND ROTATE CATEGORIES)

National

  

Tampa

Philadelphia

Denver

San Francisco

3

Give money

2

4

4

6

41

Volunteer time

40

40

47

39

35

Get other people involved

37

32

28

31

8

Complain to authorities

7

12

7

10

10

(ALWAYS ASK LAST) Or some other way?

11

10

9

12

2

(DO NOT READ)Don’t know/Refused

3

2

5

2

Report continued in Topline Part Two…

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