U.S. Public Opinion Survey Results on the Environment, Trade, and Campaign Finance Reform

 

This page lists quotes and U.S. public opinion poll results on the environment, trade, and campaign finance reform.

 

Quotes

 

Public opinion [is the] lord of the universe. Thomas Jefferson

Our government in Washington has lost its basic integrity. There is no representation in our federal government now of what the American people either are or would like to be, and I don't think this is an inherent characteristic of our nation or its government. Jimmy Carter, A Government as Good as Its People

 

Survey Results

 

Concerns About the Health of Our Environment

1. 86% are concerned about the quality of our environment, with 57% "very concerned."
2. 66% believe that environmental problems are a major threat to the country's well-being.
3. 68% find the "problems of the global environment: global warming, destruction of rainforests, destruction of species, loss of ozone layer" to be very or extremely important to their life.
4. 87% worry about the "pollution of rivers, lakes and reservoirs."
5. 82% worry about "air pollution."
6. 81% worry about "the loss of natural habitat for wildlife."
7. 76% worry about "the loss of tropical rain forests."
8. 77% worry about "ocean and beach pollution."
9. 73% worry about "extinction of plant and animal species."
10. 69% worry about "urban sprawl and loss of open spaces."
11. 81% agree that "chemicals produced and used in our society pose a serious public health risk."
12. 85% worry about the "contamination of soil and water by toxic waste."

Concerns About the Impact of Pollution on Our Health

13. 66% find that "pollution that may affect [their] health" to be a very or extremely important issue.
14. 88% worry about the "pollution of drinking water."
15. 78% agree -- 61% strongly -- that "when it comes to environmental pollution, any amount of potential health risk should not be tolerated."

Global Warming

16. 69% worry "somewhat" or "a lot" about global warming.
17. 74% believe "the theory that increased carbon dioxide and other gases released into the atmosphere will, if unchecked, lead to global warming and an increase in average temperatures"
18. 85% believe the possibility of global warming should be treated as a serious problem.
19. 73% approve of "the international agreements in Kyoto and Bonn which would require countries to limit their emissions of carbon monoxide and other greenhouse gases"

Energy Crisis

20. 63% believe we will face a major energy crisis in the next 50 years.

Population Growth

21. 78% believe "the world's population is growing too fast."
22. 88% believe that population growth internationally is either a major problem now or will be a problem in the future.

Animal Suffering

23. 93% oppose the suffering of animals raised for food; nine out of 10 specifically disapprove of the extreme confinement endured by chickens, pigs, and other animals on today's "factory farms."

Concerns About Our Way of Life

24. 88% believe "protecting the environment will require most of us to make major changes in the way we live"
25. 93% agree -- 40% strongly -- that an underlying cause of environmental problems is that "the way we live produces too much waste"
26. 67% believe "Americans cause many of the world's environmental problems because we consume more resources and produce more waste than anyone else in the world."
27. 91% believe "we focus too much on getting what we want now and not enough on future generations."
28. 87% believe that "we need to treat the earth as a living system."
29. 83% believe that "Americans should have more respect and reverence for Nature."
30. 75% believe that "humans are part of nature, not its ruler."

Growth and Environmental Protection

31. 90% believe that economic growth and protecting the environment are fully compatible (by using technology well, doing business differently, and changing lifestyles).

Government's Role in Protecting the Environment

32. 74% agree that "protecting the environment is so important that requirements and standards cannot be too high, and continuing environmental improvements must be made regardless of cost."
33. 79% favor "spending more government money on developing solar and wind power."
34. 77% favor "more strongly enforcing federal environmental regulations."
35. 90% said foods created through genetic engineering processes should have special labels on them.
36. 77% believe the country should do 'whatever it takes' to protect the environment.
37. 81% favor "setting higher emissions and pollution standards for business and industry."

Trade Agreements

38. 50% say that U.S. trade should be 'fair' (trade with some standards for labor and the environment). Another 36% felt that U.S. trade should be 'protectionist' (there should be rules to protect U.S. markets and workers from imports). Only 9% supported 'free trade' (trade without any restrictions).
39. 80% say that protecting the environment should be a major priority in U.S. trade agreements.
40. 78% say the World Trade Organization, or WTO, should consider issues like labor standards and the environment when it makes decisions on trade.
41. 74% say "that if people in other countries are making products that we use, this creates a moral obligation for us to make efforts to ensure that they do not have to work in harsh or unsafe conditions."
42. 74% believe that "preventing unfair competition by countries that violate workers' rights" should be a major priority of U.S. trade agreements.
43. 92% believe that "countries that are part of international trade agreements should be required to maintain minimum standards for working conditions."
44. 83% believe that "promoting and defending human rights in other countries" should be a priority in deciding U.S. policies about trading with other countries.
45. 85% believe that "helping improve the living standards in developing nations" should be a priority in deciding U.S. policies about trading with other countries.
46. 78% prefer to shop at retail stores committed to ending garment worker abuse.

    Campaign Finance Reform

47. 65% favor campaign finance reform to ban "soft money" contributions to political campaigns (with 12% opposing and 22% answering "don't know").
48. 78% believe that large political donors have too much influence on "which candidates become presidential nominees."
49. 80% believe that big companies have too much power in influencing government policy, politicians, and policy makers in Washington. 69% believe that public opinion has too little power in Washington.
50. 68% believe that donors make campaign contributions because they "hope to have more access and influence over these candidates."
51. 61% agree that "contributors to Congressional campaigns get more than their money back in terms of favors and special interest legislation" (with 20% disagreeing and 19% not sure).

Citizens of the World

52. 73% agree with the statement: "I regard myself as a citizen of the world as well as a citizen of the United States."

Sources

1. http://www.newdream.org/yearning/index.html
2. http://www.people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=51
3. http://www.culturalcreatives.org/Library/
   docs/NewPoliticalCompassV73.pdf
4. http://www.pollingreport.com/enviro.htm
5. http://www.pollingreport.com/enviro.htm
6. http://www.pollingreport.com/enviro.htm
7. http://www.pollingreport.com/enviro.htm
8. http://www.pollingreport.com/enviro.htm
9. http://www.pollingreport.com/enviro.htm
10. http://www.pollingreport.com/enviro.htm
11. http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/pcc_detail.cfm?
    issue_type=environment&list=12
12. http://www.pollingreport.com/enviro.htm
13. http://www.culturalcreatives.org/Library/
    docs/NewPoliticalCompassV73.pdf
14. http://www.pollingreport.com/enviro.htm
15. http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/pcc_detail.cfm?
    issue_type=environment&list=9
16. http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/pcc_detail.cfm?
    issue_type=environment&list=12
17. http://www.harrisinteractive.com/
    harris_poll/index.asp?PID=335
18. http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/pcc_detail.cfm?
    issue_type=environment&list=8
19. http://www.harrisinteractive.com/
    harris_poll/index.asp?PID=335
20. http://www.people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=51
21. http://www.globallearningnj.org/global_ata/
    Yearing_for_balance.htm
22. http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/pcc_detail.cfm?
    issue_type=environment&list=10
23. http://www.peta-online.org/mc/facts/fsveg10.html
24. http://www.newdream.org/yearning/index.html
25. http://www.newdream.org/yearning/index.html
26. http://www.newdream.org/yearning/index.html
27. http://www.newdream.org/yearning/index.html
28. http://www.culturalcreatives.org/Library/docs/
    NewPoliticalCompassV73.pdf
29. http://www.culturalcreatives.org/Library/docs/
    NewPoliticalCompassV73.pdf
30. http://www.culturalcreatives.org/Library/docs/
    NewPoliticalCompassV73.pdf
31. The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People are Changing the World by Paul H. Ray, Ph.D., and Sherry Ruth Anderson, Ph.D.; New York, Harmony Books, page 159
32. http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=607
33. http://www.pollingreport.com/enviro.htm
34. http://www.pollingreport.com/enviro.htm
35. http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/facts&issues/polls.html
36. http://208.240.91.18/democ96.htm
37. http://www.pollingreport.com/enviro.htm
38. http://www.irss.unc.edu/tempdocs/12:40:45:15.htm
39. http://www.irss.unc.edu/tempdocs/12:40:45:14.htm
40. http://www.pollingreport.com/trade.htm
41. http://www.americans-world.org/digest/global_issues/
    intertrade/laborstandards.cfm
42. http://www.americans-world.org/digest/global_issues/
    intertrade/laborstandards.cfm
43. http://www.americans-world.org/digest/global_issues/
    intertrade/laborstandards.cfm
44. http://www.pollingreport.com/trade.htm
45. http://www.pollingreport.com/trade.htm
46. In Our Own Best Interest, How Defending Human Rights Benefits Us All by William F. Schulz; Beacon Press, Boston
47. http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=289
48. http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/pcc_detail.cfm?
    issue_type=campaign_finance&list=3
49. http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=364
50. http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/pcc_detail.cfm?
    issue_type=campaign_finance&list=4
51. http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/pcc_detail.cfm?
    issue_type=campaign_finance&list=4
52. http://www.pollingreport.com/defense.htm

digits.com (added 02/26/04)