U.S. Constitution

USConstitution.net 2009 Survey Results

This site has conducted an unscientific survey on various issues since July of 1998. The results, while interesting in most cases, are to be taken with a grain of salt - the results can easily be skewed by an individual or group of individuals; the sample is, by nature, not representative (because it consists only of Web users who visit my site and bother to view the survey page and submit an opinion).

This page includes results from 2009. For results from other years, please go to the Main Results Page.


Question 136, December 2009 President Barack Obama's new plan for Afghanistan calls for an additional 30,000 troops in-country. His plan also calls for the first withdrawals of troops to happen in July, 2011. What are your thoughts on Obama's timetable?

Response
Count
Percentage
18 months is too long; we should begin pulling out now
152
18.86
We should be able to be at a point where we can begin withdrawing in 18 months
50
6.20
An 18 month timetable is fine, but we never should have announced that to the world
102
12.66
The setting of any timetable is bad military strategy; we should scrap the timetable
502
62.28
Total
806
100.00

Question 135, November 2009 The presidential election was held one year ago — would you have voted the same then if you knew what you know now?

Response
Count
Percentage
I voted for Obama and would again
395
26.56
I voted for Obama and would have voted for someone else
124
8.34
I voted for McCain and would again
642
43.17
I voted for McCain and would have voted for someone else
175
11.77
I voted for someone other than Obama or McCain and would vote the same again
115
7.73
I voted for someone other than Obama or McCain and would have voted for someone else
36
2.42
Total
1487
100.00

Combined percentages

Category
Count
Percentage
Voted for Obama
519
34.90
Voted for McCain
817
54.94
Voted for Someone else
151
10.15
Would vote the same
1152
77.47
Would vote differently
335
22.53

Question 134, October 2009 President Barack Obama has been in office for only eight months, but much has happened in that time. What is your opinion of his job performance so far?

Response
Count
Percentage
Strongly Approve
502
13.25
Approve
293
7.73
Neutral
140
3.69
Disapprove
358
9.45
Strongly Disapprove
2496
65.87
Total
3789
100.00

Question 133, September 2009 The United States has had troops in Afghanistan since October, 2001. Though the United States and its allies were able to quickly remove the Taliban from power, the Taliban continues to wage an insurgency that keeps U.S. troops in danger and puts the lives of Afghan civilians, government officials, police, and soldiers at risk. What is your opinion of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan?

Response
Count
Percentage
We need to persevere and finish the job of driving the Taliban out of Afghanistan.
864
56.21
We need to put a time limit on our involvement in Afghanistan.
205
13.34
The U.S. needs to pull out of Afghanistan as soon as possible.
468
30.45
Total
1537
100.00

Question 132, August 2009 The so-called "public option" in the current health care debate refers to a government-run health care benefit that would allow anyone to buy into something akin to Medicare, the health care option available for American seniors. Liberals see it as a way to ensure that all Americans have access to health care; conservatives see it as an unfair alternative to for-profit insurance. Do you support the public option?

Response
Count
Percentage
Yes, I support the public option.
721
28.53
No, I absolutely oppose the public option.
1668
66.01
I need to learn more about the public option before I can decide.
138
5.46
Total
2527
100.00

Question 131 (July 2009) Each July, this survey will be offered, allowing us to track, over time, the political persuasion of our visitors. Questions are asked about party affiliation as well as economic and social ranking on a scale of 1 to 9 (1 being very conservative and 9 being very liberal).

Response
Count
Percentage
Avg Econ
Avg Soc
Other Parties
14
0.10
Communist Party
3
0.26
1.86
7.67
Constitution Party
76
6.52
1.86
2.11
Democratic Party
152
13.05
6.38
7.56
Green Party
14
1.20
6.64
7.50
Independent
330
28.33
3.04
3.48
Libertarian
165
14.16
2.33
4.72
Liberty Union
1
0.09
1.00
1.00
Natural Law
4
0.34
1.25
2.75
Reform Party
3
0.26
2.33
2.33
Republican Party
395
33.91
2.06
2.36
Socialist Party
7
0.60
8.29
8.43
Total
1165
100.00
3.02
3.78

Notable "Other" parties: Conservative, Nationalist, United

Economics ranking:

Response Count Percentage Grouped
1 = Very Conservative 404 34.68 69.70
2 218 18.71
3 190 16.31
4 66 5.67 18.72
5 = Moderate 114 9.79
6 38 3.26
7 64 5.49 11.58
8 35 3.00
9 = Very Liberal 36 3.09

Social ranking:

Response Count Percentage Grouped
1 = Very Conservative 374 32.10 58.79
2 165 14.16
3 146 12.53
4 50 4.29 17.93
5 = Moderate 131 11.24
6 28 2.40
7 69 5.92 23.26
8 67 5.75
9 = Very Liberal 135 11.59

Question 130, June 2009 Former Vice President Richard Cheney has said, and continues to say, that the United States is at greater risk from terrorist attack because of President Barack Obama's policies. What do you think?

Response
Count
Percentage
Vice President Cheney is absolutely right, we are at greater risk.
2001
74.03
There is no more or less risk now, under President Obama, than under President Bush.
267
9.88
Cheney is exactly wrong - we are much safer under Obama than we were under Bush.
435
16.09
Total
2703
100.00

Question 129, May 2009 Supreme Court Justice David Souter announced his retirement from the bench after the end of the current term. Souter's seat will be the first seat President Barack Obama will fill. What is your guess for the number of other seats Obama will have a chance to fill in his term?

Response
Count
Percentage
0
71
11.56
1
122
19.87
2
230
37.46
3 or more
191
31.11
Total
614
100.00

Question 128, April 2009 Since 1991, there has been no press coverage of the bodies of U.S. soldiers being repatriated for burial. That policy was reversed by President Barack Obama, who said that at the request of the deceased's loved ones, the press can cover the return. The first press coverage of one of our returning fallen took place on April 6, 2009. What are your thoughts?

Response
Count
Percentage
I support the lifting of the ban — the public has to be reminded of the human cost of our wars.
145
32.22
Coverage, or no coverage, should be left up to the family of the soldier.
178
39.56
I think that covering the return of a flag-draped coffin can only be for political purposes and should be banned.
53
11.78
I think it is disrespectful to show, and out of respect for our soldiers, the ban should continue.
74
16.44
Total
450
100.00

Question 127, March 2009 Looking ahead, what are your prospects for your current job in 2009?

Response
Count
Percentage
I am confident that my current job is safe in 2009.
158
25.61
I think my job is safe in 2009.
108
17.50
I am unsure about my job in 2009.
142
23.01
I think I will lose my job in 2009.
36
5.83
I am confident I will lose my job in 2009.
64
10.37
I lost my job before 2009 even started.
109
17.67
Total
617
100.00

Question 126, February 2009 Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said that one of the main focuses of her department in the near future will be on employers who hire illegal workers, rather than on the illegal workers themselves. Has she got it right?

Response
Count
Percentage
Yes, she does - if the employers are too scared to hire the workers, the workers will eventually see no reason to come here.
270
46.88
No, we need to flush out the illegal immigrants so that they can be rounded up and deported.
209
36.28
No, we must accept that our nation is a destination for too many people, and nothing we do will stop that. Instead, we should figure out how to make it easier to come here.
97
16.84
Total
576
100.00

Question 125, January 2009 Roland Burris, the nominee to take Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat, was appointed by embattled Governor Rob Blagojevich (D-Ill). Because of the cloud of controversy and scandal surrounding Blagojevich, the Senate has refused to seat Burris. Fair, or not?

Response
Count
Percentage
Despite Blagojevich's problems, Burris is the rightful nominee and should be seated.
198
47.48
No nominee of Blagojevich can be taken seriously, and the Senate is right to block Burris from taking his seat.
138
33.09
Although Blagojevich's nominee is suspect, and the Senate was right to symbolically block Burris, eventually they will have to seat him.
81
19.42
Total
417
100.00