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December 28, 2005 | By Nathaniel Ward
2005 member survey
This past fall, The Heritage Foundation conducted a survey of its 275,000 members to gauge their opinions on the important issues of our day. These views help shape Heritage's policy goals, and they are presented to Capitol Hill and the White House so our elected leaders know what the American people think.
A. Please rate how important the following issues are to you
| |
Very Important |
Somewhat Important |
Somewhat Unimportant |
Very Unimportant |
| Cutting government spending |
71% |
13% |
1% |
13% |
| Terrorism |
71% |
13% |
2% |
13% |
| Homeland Security |
70% |
13% |
3% |
12% |
| Immigration |
69% |
14% |
4% |
11% |
| Upholding traditional values |
67% |
17% |
2% |
11% |
| Reducing the size & power of government |
64% |
17% |
2% |
13% |
| The war in Iraq |
62% |
18% |
3% |
12% |
| Reform of the tax system |
60% |
23% |
3% |
11% |
| Parental rights |
53% |
25% |
8% |
12% |
| Cutting Taxes |
50% |
29% |
7% |
10% |
| Energy policy |
50% |
29% |
7% |
9% |
| Social Security reform |
49% |
28% |
7% |
11% |
| Economic growth |
48% |
34% |
7% |
7% |
| Gun Rights |
47% |
27% |
10% |
14% |
| Abortion |
44% |
24% |
14% |
15% |
| Education |
42% |
38% |
6% |
9% |
| Curbing the power of labor unions |
41% |
29% |
14% |
13% |
| Same-sex marriage |
41% |
16% |
14% |
22% |
| Health care reform |
31% |
38% |
15% |
10% |
| Stem cell research |
16% |
38% |
25% |
14% |
B. Please check the 3 issues that are most important to you
| |
Checked |
| Terrorism |
31% |
| Reducing the size and power of government |
30% |
| The war in Iraq |
30% |
| Immigration |
28% |
| Cutting government spending |
28% |
| Reform of the tax system |
26% |
| Homeland Security |
24% |
| Upholding traditional values |
17% |
| Gun Rights |
17% |
| Social Security reform |
12% |
| Same-sex marriage |
10% |
| Energy policy |
10% |
| Aboration |
10% |
| Health Care reform |
9% |
| Cutting Taxes |
9% |
| Curbing the power of labor unions |
8% |
| Economic Growth |
5% |
| Parental Rights |
4% |
| Education |
3% |
| Stem cell Research |
2% |
| Education |
2% |
1. War on terrorism
| |
Excellent |
Good |
Fair |
Poor |
| a. How do you rate President Bush's leadership in the war on terrorism so far? |
29% |
50% |
13% |
2% |
| |
Yes |
No |
Undecided |
|
| b. Do you think the United States should spend whatever it takes to defeat the terrorist threat against us? |
80% |
6% |
8% |
|
| c. Do you think we should stay in Iraq until we have stabilized the country and defeated our enemies there? |
77% |
7% |
12% |
|
2. Homeland security
| |
Yes |
No |
Undecided |
| a. Do you think enough is being done to protect Americans from attack here at home? |
23% |
50% |
22% |
b. Which Statement best reflects your view of the Patriot Act?
|
| It violates our civil liberties without making us any safer. |
17% |
| It is worth sacrificing some privacy to give the government the powers it needs to fight the war on terrorism here at home. |
49% |
| It gives government needed powers without sacrificing civil liberties. |
24% |
| No Response |
10% |
3. Foreign policy
| |
Yes |
No |
Undecided |
| a. Do you think the United States should make more of an effort to get the cooperation of other countries in our actions fighting the terrorist threat? |
66% |
13% |
15% |
| b. Do you think the United States should work more through the United Nations in firghting the war on terrorism? |
8% |
77% |
11% |
4. Immigration
| |
Yes |
No |
Undecided |
| a. Do you think the federal government is making enough of an effort to stop illegal immigration and to deal with illegal immigrants? |
1% |
89% |
5% |
b. Which statement comes closest to your view on immigration?
|
| |
Number of Responses |
| Immigrants take jobs away from Americans and we should severely limit immigration. |
20% |
| Immigrants add valuable talent and energy to America and we should keep a high rate of immigration. |
4% |
| Immigrants vary in their value to America and we should be more selective in whom we admit. |
71% |
| No Response |
5% |
5. Taxes
| |
Yes |
No |
Undecided |
| a. Do you think you pay too much in taxes, even after the recent federal tax cuts? |
66% |
17% |
11% |
| b. Would you prefer a flat tax on income to our current income tax system? |
65% |
15% |
20% |
| c. Would you prefer a national sales tax to our current income tax system? |
38% |
31% |
31% |
6. Social Security reform
| |
Yes |
No |
Undecided |
| a. Do you think the Social Security system needs to be reformed in order to have the resources to continue paying benefits to retirees over the next few decades? |
87% |
4% |
4% |
| b. Do yo think younger workers should be able to put some of their Social Security payments into personal investment accounts? |
74% |
12% |
10% |
| c. Do you think personal Social Security accounts would bring a higher income to retirees than the current system? |
63% |
12% |
20% |
7. Health care reform
| |
Yes |
No |
Undecided |
| a. Do you think America's health care system needs reform? |
67% |
9% |
17% |
| b. Do you think Medicare is in danger of going broke if it is not reformed soon? |
67% |
6% |
21% |
| c. Are you in favor of The Heritage Foundation's model of health care reform, based on the health care plan enjoyed by members of Congress, which gives wide freedom of choice and a reduction of red tape? |
81% |
0% |
13% |
8. Values and the family
| |
Yes |
No |
Undecided |
| a. Do you think we need a constitutional amendment to stop the imposition of same-sex marriage by the courts? |
68% |
15% |
12% |
| b. Do you think children would get a better education if their parents could choose which school they attend? |
71% |
10% |
14% |
| c. Do you think we need stricter standards and more accountability in education? |
86% |
5% |
5% |
| d. Do you think private organizations such as the Boy Scouts should have the right to adhere to traditional values? |
93% |
2% |
1% |
| e. Do you think the traditional family is under assault from the media and the general culture? |
89% |
3% |
4% |
| f. Do you think parents should have the right to raise their children with minimal interference from government? |
94% |
0% |
2% |
9. Which individuals or groups do you believe are the top 3 leaders of the conservative movement in America Today?
| |
Percent of Total |
| The Heritage Foundation |
20% |
| President George W. Bush |
15% |
| Rush Limbaugh |
15% |
| Sean Hannity |
8% |
| Focus on the Family |
8% |
| The NRA |
6% |
| The Republican Party |
6% |
| Newt Gingrich |
4% |
| Steve Forbes |
3% |
| Vice President Dick Cheney |
3% |
| Concerned Women for America |
2% |
| Other |
2% |
| Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist |
2% |
| Phyllis Schlafly |
2% |
| Senator Zell Miller |
2% |
| David Horowitz |
1% |
| Senator Rick Santorum |
1% |
| Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert |
1% |
| Arnold Schwartzenegger |
1% |
| Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney |
0% |
Nathaniel Ward is the Editor of MyHeritage.org—a website for members and supporters of The Heritage Foundation.
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