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    Military Again Tops "Confidence in Institutions" List

    Military Again Tops "Confidence in Institutions" List

    GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

    PRINCETON, NJ -- Gallup's 2005 reading of public confidence in major institutions operating in U.S. society finds little change, compared with a year ago, in Americans' ratings at the top of the list. These include the military, ranked No. 1, as well as the police, organized religion, and banks.

    However, several institutions that typically appear toward the bottom of this list -- organized labor, the criminal justice system, and Congress -- have experienced declines in public confidence since last year. Confidence in the presidency, which ranks No. 5 on this year's list, and confidence in the Supreme Court, ranked No. 7, also declined.

    Gallup's annual measure of public confidence in institutions is based on the question, "Now I am going to read you a list of institutions in American society. Please tell me how much confidence you, yourself, have in each one -- a great deal, quite a lot, some, or very little?" ("None" is allowed as a volunteered response.) The rank order of institutions is based on the combined "a great deal" plus "quite a lot" figures.

    The Basic Ranking

    Only 3 U.S. institutions out of the 15 included in the May 23-26 poll command a high degree of confidence from at least half of Americans: the military, the police, and the church or organized religion. (In previous years, banks, the presidency, the Supreme Court, newspapers, and public schools have each crossed the 50% threshold.) The 74% rating given to the military continues to make it the institution engendering the most confidence of any of those tested -- and by a healthy margin.

    Several organizations are rated highly by between 40% and 50% of Americans. These are banks, the presidency, the medical system, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

    Close to 4 in 10 Americans (37%) say they have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the public schools.

    Roughly one in four have high confidence in television news, newspapers, the criminal justice system, organized labor, Congress, and big business.

    Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) are rated highly by only 17% of Americans.

    Trends Are Down

    There are no major shifts in public confidence this year -- at least none on par with the 15-point decline in confidence in organized religion that occurred between 2001 and 2002 over the Catholic church's sexual abuse scandal, or the 13-point increase in confidence in the military that occurred in the same period (following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks).

    The only significant changes recorded this year are all declines in confidence. These occur in relation to five institutions, and range from five to eight percentage points.

    May 2004

    May 2005

    Change

    %

    %

    pct. pts.

    The presidency

    52

    44

    -8

    The criminal justice system

    34

    26

    -8

    Congress

    30

    22

    -8

    Organized labor

    31

    24

    -7

    The U.S. Supreme Court

    46

    41

    -5

    Confidence in the presidency ratings are generally linked with job approval ratings of the sitting president. However, the eight-point decline in confidence in the presidency this year is not reflected in President Bush's approval rating spanning the same period. Bush's approval rating today is 48%, versus 47% in May 2004. Whatever the reason, the decline in confidence in the presidency is most pronounced among Democrats nationally, although Republicans are also slightly less positive on this measure than they were a year ago.

    Confidence in the Presidency
    by partisanship
    (% Great deal/Quite a lot of confidence)

    Republicans

    Independents

    Democrats

    %

    %

    %

    May 2004

    85

    40

    33

    May 2005

    79

    35

    18

    Change

    -6 pct. pts.

    -5 pct. pts

    -15 pct. pts.

    The eight-point overall decline in confidence in Congress is seen to a similar degree among Republicans (-7 points) and Democrats (-12 points). The exact cause for this bipartisan decline is unclear, although Congress has been the source of much controversy this year, including its involvement in the Terri Schiavo feeding tube case, partisan battles over federal court nominees, and ethical clouds over House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

    Whatever the cause, the 22% confidence rating for Congress today is the lowest it has been in eight years.

    Confidence in Congress
    by partisanship
    (% Great deal/Quite a lot of confidence)

    Republicans

    Independents

    Democrats

    %

    %

    %

    May 2004

    35

    22

    31

    May 2005

    28

    20

    19

    Change

    -7 pct. pts.

    -2 pct. pts.

    -12 pct. pts.

    Similarly, the five-point decline seen in confidence in the Supreme Court occurred about equally among Republicans and Democrats.

    Confidence in the Supreme Court
    by partisanship
    (% Great deal/Quite a lot of confidence)

    Republicans

    Independents

    Democrats

    %

    %

    %

    May 2004

    53

    41

    47

    May 2005

    47

    36

    42

    Change

    -6 pct. pts.

    -5 pct. pts.

    -5 pct. pts.

    Gallup also recorded an eight-point decline in confidence in the criminal justice system (now 26%, down from 34%), and a seven-point decline in confidence in organized labor (now 24%, down from 31%). The drop in confidence in the criminal justice system is about even by party.

    Confidence in the Criminal Justice System
    by partisanship
    (% Great deal/Quite a lot of confidence)

    Republicans

    Independents

    Democrats

    %

    %

    %

    May 2004

    39

    30

    34

    May 2005

    31

    19

    28

    Change

    -8 pct. pts.

    -11 pct. pts.

    -6 pct. pts.

    The drop in confidence in organized labor is more pronounced among Democrats than among Republicans.

    Confidence in Organized Labor
    by partisanship
    (% Great deal/Quite a lot of confidence)

    Republicans

    Independents

    Democrats

    %

    %

    %

    May 2004

    22

    30

    43

    May 2005

    19

    22

    34

    Change

    -3 pct. pts.

    -8 pct. pts.

    -9 pct. pts.

    Other Notables

    • The last five years have been bad for journalism. Since 2000, trust in television news has declined from 36% to 28%, and trust in newspapers has declined from 37% to 28%. The current ratings represent the lowest trust levels for both of these institutions, although trust in newspapers has been as low as 29% (in 1994).


    • Trust in organized religion remains where it was last year, at 53%. This represents a partial recovery from 2002, when the Catholic church's sexual abuse scandal drove this confidence level down to 45%, but it is still below the 56% to 60% level maintained before the scandal.

    Survey Methods

    These results are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of 1,004 adults, aged 18 and older, conducted May 23-26, 2005. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is ±3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

    2-1. Now I am going to read you a list of institutions in American society. Please tell me how much confidence you, yourself, have in each one -- a great deal, quite a lot, some, or very little? First, … Next, [RANDOM ORDER]

    2005 May 23-26
    (sorted by "Great deal/Quite a lot")

    Great
    deal

    Quite
    a lot

    Some

    Very
    little

    NONE (vol.)

    No
    opinion

    Great deal/ Quite
    a lot

    %

    %

    %

    %

    %

    %

    %

    The military

    42

    32

    18

    7

    1

    *

    74

    The police

    28

    35

    29

    7

    1

    --

    63

    The church or organized religion

    31

    22

    28

    16

    2

    1

    53

    Banks

    22

    27

    39

    11

    1

    *

    49

    The presidency

    21

    23

    27

    25

    3

    1

    44

    The medical system

    19

    23

    33

    23

    1

    1

    42

    The U.S. Supreme Court

    16

    25

    38

    18

    1

    2

    41

    The public schools

    16

    21

    39

    22

    1

    1

    37

    Television news

    12

    16

    45

    24

    2

    1

    28

    Newspapers

    11

    17

    46

    24

    1

    1

    28

    The Criminal justice system

    9

    17

    45

    26

    2

    1

    26

    Organized labor

    12

    12

    47

    23

    2

    4

    24

    Congress

    8

    14

    51

    25

    1

    1

    22

    Big business

    8

    14

    45

    29

    2

    2

    22

    Health Maintenance Organizations, HMOs

    7

    10

    43

    35

    2

    3

    17

    (vol.) Volunteered response

    * Less than 0.5%

    TRENDS (% "a great deal" + % "quite a lot")

    The military

    The police

    The
    church/
    organized
    religion

    Banks

    The presidency

    %

    %

    %

    %

    %

    2005 May

    74

    63

    53

    49

    44

    2004 May

    75

    64

    53

    53

    52

    2003 Jun

    82

    61

    50

    50

    55

    2002 Jun

    79

    59

    45

    47

    58

    2001 Jun

    66

    57

    60

    44

    48

    2000 Jun

    64

    54

    56

    46

    42

    1999 Jun

    68

    57

    58

    43

    49

    1998 Jun

    64

    58

    59

    40

    53

    1997 Jul

    60

    59

    56

    41

    49

    1996 May

    66

    60

    57

    44

    39

    1995 Apr

    64

    58

    57

    43

    45

    1994 Mar

    64

    54

    54

    35

    38

    1993 Mar

    68

    52

    53

    37

    43

    1991 Oct

    69

    --

    56

    30

    50

    1991 Mar

    85

    --

    59

    32

    72

    1990 Aug

    68

    --

    56

    36

    --

    1989 Sep

    63

    --

    52

    42

    --

    1988 Sep

    68

    --

    59

    49

    --

    1987 Jul

    61

    --

    61

    51

    --

    1986 Jul

    63

    --

    57

    49

    --

    1985 May

    61

    --

    66

    51

    --

    1984 Oct

    58

    --

    64

    51

    --

    1983 Aug

    53

    --

    62

    51

    --

    1981 Nov

    50

    --

    64

    46

    --

    1979 Apr

    54

    --

    65

    60

    --

    1977 Jan

    57

    --

    64

    --

    --

    1975 May

    58

    --

    68

    --

    --

    1973 May

    --

    --

    66

    --

    --

    The
    medical
    system

    The U.S.
    Supreme
    Court

    The
    public
    schools

    Television
    news

    Newspapers

    %

    %

    %

    %

    %

    2005 May

    42

    41

    37

    28

    28

    2004 May

    44

    46

    41

    30

    30

    2003 Jun

    44

    47

    40

    35

    33

    2002 Jun

    38

    50

    38

    35

    35

    2001 Jun

    40

    50

    38

    34

    36

    2000 Jun

    40

    47

    37

    36

    37

    1999 Jun

    40

    49

    36

    34

    33

    1998 Jun

    40

    50

    37

    34

    33

    1997 Jul

    38

    50

    40

    34

    35

    1996 May

    42

    45

    38

    36

    32

    1995 Apr

    41

    44

    40

    33

    30

    1994 Mar

    36

    42

    34

    35

    29

    1993 Mar

    34

    44

    39

    46

    31

    1991 Oct

    --

    39

    35

    --

    32

    1991 Mar

    --

    48

    44

    --

    32

    1990 Aug

    --

    47

    45

    --

    39

    1989 Sep

    --

    46

    43

    --

    --

    1988 Sep

    --

    56

    49

    --

    36

    1987 Jul

    --

    52

    50

    --

    31

    1986 Jul

    --

    54

    49

    --

    37

    1985 May

    --

    56

    48

    --

    35

    1984 Oct

    --

    51

    47

    --

    34

    1983 Aug

    --

    42

    39

    --

    38

    1981 Nov

    --

    46

    42

    --

    35

    1979 Apr

    --

    45

    53

    --

    51

    1977 Jan

    --

    46

    54

    --

    --

    1975 May

    --

    49

    --

    --

    --

    1973 May

    --

    44

    58

    --

    39

    The
    criminal
    justice
    system

    Organized
    labor

    Congress

    Big
    business

    Health
    mainten-
    ance
    organi-
    zations

    %

    %

    %

    %

    %

    2005 May

    26

    24

    22

    22

    17

    2004 May

    34

    31

    30

    24

    18

    2003 Jun

    29

    28

    29

    22

    17

    2002 Jun

    27

    26

    29

    20

    13

    2001 Jun

    --

    26

    26

    28

    15

    2000 Jun

    24

    25

    24

    29

    16

    1999 Jun

    23

    28

    26

    30

    17

    1998 Jun

    24

    26

    28

    30

    --

    1997 Jul

    19

    23

    22

    28

    --

    1996 May

    19

    25

    20

    24

    --

    1995 Apr

    20

    26

    21

    21

    --

    1994 Mar

    15

    26

    18

    26

    --

    1993 Mar

    17

    26

    18

    22

    --

    1991 Oct

    --

    22

    18

    22

    --

    1991 Mar

    --

    25

    30

    26

    --

    1990 Aug

    --

    27

    24

    25

    --

    1989 Sep

    --

    --

    32

    --

    --

    1988 Sep

    --

    26

    35

    25

    --

    1987 Jul

    --

    26

    --

    --

    --

    1986 Jul

    --

    29

    41

    28

    --

    1985 May

    --

    28

    39

    31

    --

    1984 Oct

    --

    30

    29

    29

    --

    1983 Aug

    --

    26

    28

    28

    --

    1981 Nov

    --

    28

    29

    20

    --

    1979 Apr

    --

    36

    34

    32

    --

    1977 Jan

    --

    39

    40

    33

    --

    1975 May

    --

    38

    40

    34

    --

    1973 May

    --

    30

    42

    26

    --


    Gallup https://news.gallup.com/poll/16555/military-again-tops-confidence-institutions-list.aspx
    Gallup World Headquarters, 901 F Street, Washington, D.C., 20001, U.S.A
    +1 202.715.3030