Center for the Study
of Popular Culture
PROFESSOR SURVEY
N = 151
MARGIN OF ERROR +/- 8%
1. First, some people think the government in Washington is trying to do things that
should be left to individuals, communities and private enterprise. Others think the
federal government should do more to solve our country’s problems. Which comes
closer to your view?
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 61%
INDIVIDUALS, COMMUNTIES, AND PRIVATE ENTERPRISE 11%
NEITHER 15%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 13%
2. Now think for a moment. What specific national event in your lifetime made you
least proud to be an American?
VIETNAM 25%
VARIOUS MILITARY BOMBINGS/INVASIONS 9%
GULF WAR 5%
2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 5%
WATERGATE 4%
BILL CLINTON 3%
CURRENT AFGHANISTAN SITUATION 3%
WORLD WAR 2 2%
NOTHING 3%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 30%
OTHER 11%
3. TAX CUT
Ivy League Professors
If the federal budget has a surplus in any given year, this money should be returned to tax payers in the form of a tax cut. Do you …?
AGREE 13%
STRONGLY AGREE 3%
SOMEWHAT AGREE 10%
DISAGREE 80%
SOMEWHAT DISAGREE 26%
STRONGLY DISAGREE 54%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 7%
All Americans
Based on what you have heard or read, do you favor or oppose Congress including a substantial tax cut in this year’s federal budget?
FAVOR 67%
OPPOSE 27%
NO OPINION 6%
Source: Gallup. May, 2001
4. MERIT-BASED TEACHER PAY
Ivy League Professors
Teachers’ salaries should be adjusted to reward higher levels of performance.
Do you …?
AGREE 78%
STRONGLY AGREE 41%
SOMEWHAT AGREE 37%
DISAGREE 13%
SOMEWHAT DISAGREE 8%
STRONGY DISAGREE 5%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 9%
All Americans
Paying teachers not based on seniority, but based on the value that they bring to the classrooms, as measured by improvements in their students’ test scores. Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose this proposal?
SUPPORT 84%
STRONGLY SUPPORT 66%
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT 18%
OPPOSE 14%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE 8%
STRONGY OPPOSE 6%
DON’T KNOW 2%
Democratic Leadership Council Blueprint Poll conducted by Penn Schoen & Berland Associates. June, 1999
5. SCHOOL CHOICE
Ivy League Professors
The government should give parents the option of using government-funded school vouchers to pay for tuition at a public, private or religious school of their choice. Do you …?
AGREE 26%
STRONGLY AGREE 13%
SOMEWHAT AGREE 13%
DISAGREE 67%
SOMEWHAT DISAGREE 15%
STRONGLY DISAGREE 52%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 7%
All Americans
Would you vote for or against a system giving parents the option of using government-funded school vouchers to pay for tuition at the public, private or religious school of their choice?
FOR 62%
AGAINST 36%
DON’T KNOW 2%
Source: Gallup. January, 2001
6. SLAVERY REPARATIONS
Ivy League Professors
The federal government owes American blacks some form of reparations for the harms caused by slavery and discrimination. Do you …?
AGREE 40%
STRONGLY AGREE 15%
SOMEWHAT AGREE 25%
DISAGREE 47%
SOMEWHAT DISAGREE 21%
STRONGLY DISAGREE 26%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 13%
National Sample
Do you think the United States should pay reparations for slavery, that is, pay money to African-Americans who are descendants of slaves??
YES 11%
NO 81%
NOT SURE 8%
Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. March, 2001.
7. News coverage of political and social issues reflects a liberal bias in the news media.
Do you …?
AGREE 21%
STRONGLY AGREE 7%
SOMEWHAT AGREE 14%
DISAGREE 71%
SOMEWHAT DISAGREE 25%
STRONGLY DISAGREE 46%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 8%
8. Politically, do you think most journalists are … than you are?
CONSERVATIVE 32%
MUCH MORE CONSERVATIVE 8%
SOMEWHAT MORE CONSERVATIVE 24%
ABOUT THE SAME 29%
MORE LIBERAL 22%
SOMEWHAT MORE LIBERAL 18%
MUCH MORE LIBERAL 4%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 17%
9. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
In general, do you think we need to increase or decrease affirmative action programs in this country?
Ivy League Professors
INCREASE 34%
KEEP THE SAME 40%
DECREASE 15%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 10%
All Americans
INCREASE 24%
KEEP THE SAME 34%
DECREASE 35%
NO OPINION 7%
Source: Gallup. August, 2001
10. ABORTION
Do you think abortions should be legal under any circumstances, legal only under certain circumstances, or illegal in all circumstances?
Ivy League Professors
LEGAL UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES 37%
LEGAL ONLY UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES 59%
ILLEGAL IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES 1%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 3%
All Americans
LEGAL UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES 26%
LEGAL ONLY UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES 56%
ILLEGAL IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES 17%
NO OPINION 1%
Source: Gallup. August, 2001
11. FAITH-BASED INITIATIVES
Do you approve or disapprove of an initiative which will use government funds to help
religious organizations provide social services?
Ivy League Professors
APPROVE 27%
STRONGLY APPROVE 5%
SOMEWHAT APPROVE 22%
DISAPPROVE 62%
SOMEWHAT DISAPPROVE 22%
STRONGLY DISAPPROVE 40%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 11%
All Americans
APPROVE 48%
DISAPPROVE 44%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED/NO OPINION 8%
Source: Gallup. February, 2001.
12. MISSILE DEFENSE
Ivy League Professors
Recently there has been some discussion about the possibility of the United States building a defense system against nuclear missiles. Do you think the government should or should not spend the money that would be required for research and possible development of such a system?
SHOULD SPEND MONEY 14%
SHOULD NOT SPEND MONEY 74%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 12%
All Americans
Recently there has been some discussion about the possibility of the United States building a defense system against nuclear missiles. Do you think the government should or should not spend the money that would be necessary to build such a system?
SHOULD SPEND MONEY 70%
SHOULD NOT SPEND MONEY 26%
NO OPINION 4%
Source: Gallup. October, 2001.
13. If you had to choose, which of the following do you think would have a greater impact on reducing gun violence in our schools …
MORE GUN CONTROL LEGISLATION 42%
GREATER INVOLVEMENT BY PARENTS IN LIVES OF 37%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 21%
14. All things considered, who do you think has been the best president in the past 40 years?
CLINTON 26%
KENNEDY 17%
JOHNSON 15%
CARTER 13%
REAGAN 4%
GEORGE H. BUSH 2%
NIXON 1%
FORD 1%
GEORGE W. BUSH 0%
OTHER 3%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 18%
15. Overall, if you had to choose, which do you agree with more, the editorial page of the…?
NEW YORK TIMES 72%
WALL STREET JOURNAL 5%
BOTH 4%
NEITHER 9%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 10%
16. Now I am going to read you a list of nationally known organizations and I’d like you to tell me which one you most identify with.
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION 44%
COMMON CAUSE 15%
PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY 6%
NATIONAL TAX PAYERS UNION 1%
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION 1%
CHRISTIAN COALITION 0%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 33%
17. Do you think George W. Bush’s political views are too conservative, too liberal, or about right?
Ivy League Professors
TOO CONSERVATIVE 79%
TOO LIBERAL 0%
ABOUT RIGHT 13%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 8%
National Sample
TOO CONSERVATIVE 38%
TOO LIBERAL 16%
ABOUT RIGHT 40%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 6%
Source: Gallup. August, 2001
And now a few final demographic questions for statistical purposes only…
18. How often do you attend religious services?
MORE THAN ONCE PER WEEK 3%
ONCE PER WEEK 17%
ONCE A MONTH OR SO 11%
FEW TIME A YEAR 15%
RARELY 19%
NEVER 29%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 5%
19. 2000 ELECTION
Who did you vote for in the 2000 presidential election? If you did not vote, just say so.
GEORGE W. BUSH 6%
AL GORE 61%
RALPH NADER 5%
PAT BUCHANAN 0%
DID NOT VOTE 19%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 9%
19(A). Voters only: Who did you vote for in the 200 Presidential election?
Ivy League Professors who voted for
Bush, Gore, Nader or Buchanan.
GEORGE W. BUSH 9%
AL GORE 84%
RALPH NADER 6%
PAT BUCHANAN 0%
Official Election Results
GEORGE W. BUSH 48%
AL GORE 48%
RALPH NADER 3%
PAT BUCHANAN 0%
20. And do you consider yourself to be a….?
Ivy League Professors
REPUBLICAN 3%
STRONG REPUBLICAN 0%
WEAK REPUBLICAN 3%
INDEPENDENT 20%
DEMOCRAT 57%
WEAK DEMOCRAT 23%
STRONG DEMOCRAT 34%
GREEN PARTY 1%
OTHER 5%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 14%
All Americans
REPUBLICAN 37%
STRONG REPUBLICAN 27%
WEAK REPUBLICAN 10%
INDEPENDENT 18%
DEMOCRAT 34%
WEAK DEMOCRAT 13%
STRONG DEMOCRAT 21%
OTHER 3%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 8%
SOURCE: Luntz Research, November, 2001.
21. Thinking of your general outlook politically, would you describe yourself as conservative, somewhat conservative, moderate, somewhat liberal, or liberal?
CONSERVATIVE 0%
SOMEWHAT CONSERVATIVE 6%
MODERATE 23%
SOMEWHAT LIBERAL 30%
LIBERAL 34%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 7%
22. In what department do you work?
DEAN/ADMINISTRATION 4%
COMMUNICATIONS/JOURNALISM 6%
ENGLISH/LITERATURE 6%
GOVERNMENT 5%
AMERICAN HISTORY 3%
OTHER HISTORY 9%
LAW/LEGAL STUDIES/ETHICS 2%
PHILOSOPHY 11%
POLITICAL SCIENCE 5%
SOCIAL SCIENCES 16%
SOCIOLOGY/ANTHROPOLOGY 13%
ECONOMICS/BUSINESS MANAGEMENT 12%
OTHER 8%
23 What is your gender?
MALE 74%
FEMALE 26%
24. Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose or strongly oppose allowing spy agencies like the CIA to recruit on college campuses like yours?
SUPPORT 68%
STRONGLY SUPPORT 28%
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT 40%
OPPOSE 14%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE 7%
STRONGLY OPPOSE 7%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 18%
25. Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose or strongly oppose officer training programs for undergraduates on college campuses like yours?
SUPPORT 71%
STRONGLY SUPPORT 33%
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT 38%
OPPOSE 16%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE 9%
STRONGLY OPPOSE 7%
DON’T KNOW/REFUSED 13%
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