GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- According to a recent Gallup poll, 56% of all Americans are satisfied "in general" with the way things are going in the United States, and 41% are not. While these figures suggest a mostly contented public, a battery of satisfaction questions asked in the poll reveals a more varied picture of Americans, with areas of substantial discontent as well as areas of great satisfaction. Overall, Americans tend to be most satisfied with the general living conditions in the country -- such as the quality of life, the opportunities for people to get ahead, and the nation's economy. Americans are also quite satisfied with the general political position of the country, such as the system of government and how well it works, the role America plays in world affairs, and the country's military strength and preparedness.
At the other end of the spectrum, Americans are quite dissatisfied with the moral climate in the country, with the amount of taxes they have to pay, with the country's efforts to deal with poverty and homelessness, and with the availability of affordable health care. And in several areas, Americans are almost equally divided, with only slight differences between the number who are satisfied and the number who are dissatisfied -- such as the state of race relations in the country, the nation's policies on abortion, the quality of medical care, the size and power of the federal government, and the size and influence of major corporations.
Most Satisfied Areas
About nine in ten Americans say they are either "very" or
"somewhat" satisfied with the quality of life in the country, while
just 10% say they are "very" or "somewhat" dissatisfied -- the most
positive response to any of the 27 items measured in the survey.
More than three-quarters of Americans are also satisfied with the
opportunity for a person to get ahead by working hard, while at
least six in ten Americans are satisfied with the country's system
of government, the influence of organized religion in the country,
the nation's economy, the position of women in the nation, the role
America plays in world affairs, and the nation's military strength.
Slight majorities are also satisfied with the quality of the
environment in the nation and with the position of blacks and other
racial minorities in the country.
Most Dissatisfied Areas
The highest level of dissatisfaction is found in Americans' views
about the amount of taxes they pay, with 71% saying they are
dissatisfied, while just 26% are satisfied. In addition, about
two-thirds of Americans are dissatisfied with the availability of
affordable health care in the country, and with the nation's
efforts to deal with poverty and homelessness. These latter two
items do not necessarily suggest, however, that Americans feel they
should be paying higher taxes to address these problems. Previous
Gallup polls have shown that virtually all of the dissatisfaction
Americans express about their taxes is that they pay too much, not
too little.
Substantial majorities of Americans also express dissatisfaction with the moral and ethical climate in the country, the nation's campaign finance laws, the level of immigration into the country today, the acceptance of homosexuality in the country, the Social Security and Medicare systems, the nation's laws on guns, and the quality of public education in the country.
Overall Satisfaction With Country Most Strongly Related to
Satisfaction With Living Conditions, System of Government, and
Moral Climate
A special statistical analysis of the poll results suggests that
there are five separate clusters of satisfaction attitudes: living
conditions, the federal government, the moral climate, social
policy issues, and the positions of women and minorities in
society. Among these five clusters, Americans' satisfaction with
living conditions is the one that relates most strongly to the
public's overall satisfaction with the way things are going in the
country. To a lesser though still significant extent, Americans'
feelings about the size and power of the federal government and
about the moral climate in the country are also related to their
overall satisfaction. The level of satisfaction that Americans
express in specific policy areas does not seem to predict their
overall satisfaction with the way things are going.
Survey Methods
Results are based on telephone interviews with -- 1,003 -- national adults, aged 18+, conducted January 10-14, 2001. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error 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.
In general, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States at this time?
|
|
Dis- |
No |
|
Dis- |
No |
|||
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|||
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
56 |
41 |
3 |
1994 Mar 25-27 |
35 |
62 |
3 |
|
|
1994 Feb 26-28 |
36 |
61 |
3 |
|||||
|
2000 Dec 2-4 |
51 |
46 |
3 |
1994 Jan 15-17 |
35 |
62 |
3 |
|
|
2000 Nov 13-15 |
58 |
41 |
1 |
1993 Dec 4-6 |
34 |
63 |
3 |
|
|
2000 Oct 6-9 |
62 |
36 |
2 |
1993 Nov 2-4 |
27 |
70 |
3 |
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
59 |
38 |
3 |
1993 May 21-23 |
24 |
73 |
3 |
|
|
2000 Aug 18-19 |
63 |
33 |
4 |
1993 Feb 12-14 |
25 |
71 |
4 |
|
|
2000 Jul 14-16 |
61 |
35 |
4 |
1993 Jan 8-11 |
29 |
68 |
3 |
|
|
2000 Jun 22-25 |
56 |
39 |
5 |
1992 Nov 10-11 |
26 |
68 |
6 |
|
|
2000 May 18-21 |
55 |
42 |
3 |
1992 Aug 28-Sep 2 ‡ |
22 |
73 |
5 |
|
|
2000 Apr 3-9 |
59 |
37 |
4 |
1992 June 12-14 |
14 |
84 |
2 |
|
|
2000 Feb 25-27 |
65 |
32 |
3 |
1992 May 7-10 |
20 |
77 |
3 |
|
|
2000 Jan 7-10 |
69 |
28 |
3 |
1992 Apr 20-22 ^ |
19 |
80 |
1 |
|
|
1999 Sep 23-26 |
52 |
45 |
3 |
1992 Feb 28-Mar 1 |
21 |
78 |
1 |
|
|
1999 Aug 24-26 |
62 |
35 |
3 |
1992 Jan 31-Feb 2 ^ |
24 |
75 |
1 |
|
|
1999 Jun 11-13 |
55 |
42 |
3 |
1992 Jan 3-6 ^ |
24 |
74 |
2 |
|
|
1999 May 23-24 |
51 |
46 |
3 |
1991 Dec |
37 |
60 |
3 |
|
|
1999 Apr 26-27 |
51 |
45 |
4 |
1991 Nov |
35 |
62 |
3 |
|
|
1999 Apr 13-14 |
58 |
39 |
3 |
1991 Oct |
39 |
57 |
4 |
|
|
1999 Feb 12-13 |
71 |
26 |
3 |
1991 Aug |
49 |
45 |
5 |
|
|
1999 Jan 15-17 |
70 |
28 |
2 |
1991 Mar 21-24 |
52 |
43 |
5 |
|
|
1998 Dec 28-29 |
50 |
48 |
2 |
1991 Feb 28-Mar 3 |
66 |
31 |
3 |
|
|
1998 Oct 29-Nov 1 |
60 |
34 |
6 |
1991 Feb |
54 |
40 |
6 |
|
|
1998 Aug 21-23 |
63 |
34 |
3 |
1991 Jan 17-20 |
62 |
33 |
5 |
|
|
1998 Aug 10-12 |
60 |
36 |
4 |
1991 Jan 3-6 |
32 |
61 |
7 |
|
|
1998 May 8-10 |
59 |
36 |
5 |
1990 Oct 25-28 |
31 |
66 |
3 |
|
|
1998 Apr 17-19 |
58 |
38 |
4 |
1990 Oct 11-14 |
29 |
67 |
4 |
|
|
1998 Feb 20-22 |
64 |
32 |
4 |
1990 Sep |
37 |
58 |
5 |
|
|
1998 Feb 13-15 |
59 |
37 |
4 |
1990 Aug-Sep |
51 |
44 |
5 |
|
|
1998 Jan 30-Feb 1 |
63 |
35 |
2 |
1990 Aug |
43 |
51 |
6 |
|
|
1997 Dec 18-21 |
50 |
46 |
4 |
1990 Jul |
45 |
51 |
4 |
|
|
1997 Aug 22-25 |
50 |
48 |
2 |
1990 Feb |
55 |
39 |
6 |
|
|
1997 May 6-7 |
46 |
51 |
3 |
1989 Feb |
45 |
50 |
5 |
|
|
1997 Jan 10-13 |
50 |
47 |
3 |
1988 Sep |
56 |
40 |
4 |
|
|
1996 Dec 9-11 |
43 |
55 |
2 |
1988 May |
41 |
54 |
5 |
|
|
1996 Nov 21-24 |
47 |
47 |
6 |
1987 Aug |
45 |
49 |
6 |
|
|
1996 Oct 26-29 |
39 |
56 |
5 |
1986 Dec † |
47 |
49 |
4 |
|
|
1996 Aug 30-Sep 1 |
45 |
50 |
5 |
1986 Sep |
58 |
38 |
4 |
|
|
1996 Aug 16-18 |
38 |
57 |
5 |
1986 Mar |
66 |
30 |
4 |
|
|
1996 May 9-12 |
37 |
60 |
3 |
1985 Nov |
51 |
46 |
3 |
|
|
1996 Mar 15-17 |
36 |
61 |
3 |
1984 Dec |
52 |
40 |
8 |
|
|
1996 Mar 8-10 |
41 |
56 |
3 |
1984 Sep |
48 |
45 |
7 |
|
|
1996 Jan 5-7 |
24 |
72 |
4 |
1984 Feb |
50 |
46 |
4 |
|
|
1995 Aug 11-14 |
33 |
64 |
3 |
1983 Aug |
35 |
59 |
6 |
|
|
1995 Jul 7-9 |
32 |
65 |
3 |
1982 Nov |
24 |
72 |
4 |
|
|
1995 Mar 27-29 |
30 |
66 |
4 |
1982 Apr |
25 |
71 |
4 |
|
|
1994 Nov 28-29 |
29 |
67 |
4 |
1981 Dec |
27 |
67 |
6 |
|
|
1994 Nov 2-6 |
30 |
66 |
4 |
1981 Jun |
33 |
61 |
6 |
|
|
1994 Oct 22- 25 |
31 |
66 |
3 |
1981 Jan |
17 |
78 |
5 |
|
|
1994 Jul 15-17 |
33 |
65 |
2 |
1979 Nov |
19 |
77 |
4 |
|
|
1994 May 20-22 |
33 |
64 |
3 |
1979 Jul |
12 |
84 |
4 |
|
|
1994 Apr 22-24 |
32 |
65 |
3 |
1979 Feb |
26 |
69 |
5 |
|
|
^ registered voters † Gallup/Newsweek ‡ Gallup/CNN/Knight-Ridder |
||||||||
Next, I'm going to read some aspects of life in America
today. For each one, please say whether you
are -- very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied,
or very dissatisfied.How about -- [ROTATED]?
A. The overall quality of life
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
33% |
56 |
8 |
2 |
1 |
B. Our system of government and how well it works
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
16% |
52 |
21 |
9 |
2 |
C. The size and power of the federal government
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
8% |
42 |
29 |
18 |
3 |
D. The moral and ethical climate
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
5% |
31 |
32 |
30 |
2 |
E. The opportunity for a person in this nation to get ahead by working hard
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
36% |
40 |
14 |
8 |
2 |
F. The size and influence of major corporations
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
7% |
41 |
31 |
17 |
4 |
G. The influence of organized religion
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
17% |
47 |
21 |
11 |
4 |
SATISFACTION SUMMARY TABLE
|
Very satisfied |
Total satisfied |
Total dissatisfied |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
The overall quality of life |
33 |
89 |
10 |
|
The opportunity for a person in this nation to get ahead by working hard |
36 |
76 |
22 |
|
Our system of government and how well it works |
16 |
68 |
30 |
|
The influence of organized religion |
17 |
64 |
32 |
|
The size and power of the federal government |
8 |
50 |
47 |
|
The size and influence of major corporations |
7 |
48 |
48 |
|
The moral and ethical climate |
5 |
36 |
62 |
Next, we'd like to know how you feel about the state of the
nation in each of the following areas. For each one, please say
whether you are -- very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat
dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied. If you don't have enough
information about a particular subject to rate it, just say so.
How
about -- [ROTATED]?
A. The nation's policies regarding the abortion issue
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
11% |
32 |
21 |
26 |
10 |
B. The nation's campaign finance laws
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
4% |
19 |
27 |
29 |
21 |
C. The nation's policies to reduce or control crime
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
6% |
39 |
32 |
20 |
3 |
D. The state of the nation's economy
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
12% |
56 |
19 |
8 |
5 |
E. The quality of public education in the nation
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
10% |
30 |
32 |
25 |
3 |
F. The nation's energy policies
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
5% |
27 |
28 |
21 |
19 |
G. The quality of the environment in the nation
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
8% |
48 |
27 |
13 |
4 |
H. The role America plays in world affairs
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
13% |
48 |
23 |
11 |
5 |
I. The nation's laws or policies on guns
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
10% |
28 |
28 |
29 |
5 |
J. The acceptance of homosexuality in the nation
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
5% |
30 |
28 |
29 |
8 |
K. The availability of affordable health care
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
6% |
23 |
31 |
37 |
3 |
L. The quality of medical care in the nation
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
15% |
33 |
27 |
22 |
3 |
M. The level of immigration into the country today
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
6% |
26 |
28 |
27 |
13 |
N. The nation's military strength and preparedness
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
24% |
37 |
19 |
13 |
7 |
O. The nation's efforts to deal with poverty and homelessness
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
4% |
26 |
38 |
28 |
4 |
P. The position of blacks and other racial minorities in the nation
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
10% |
43 |
27 |
13 |
7 |
Q. The state of race relations
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
5% |
39 |
34 |
14 |
8 |
R. The amount Americans pay in federal taxes
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
4% |
22 |
35 |
36 |
3 |
S. The Social Security and Medicare systems
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
6% |
32 |
32 |
25 |
5 |
T. The position of women in the nation
|
Very satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Jan 10-14 |
19% |
48 |
21 |
10 |
2 |
SATISFACTION SUMMARY TABLE
|
Very satisfied |
Total satisfied |
Total dissatisfied |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
The state of the nation's economy |
12 |
68 |
27 |
|
The position of women in the nation |
19 |
67 |
31 |
|
The role America plays in world affairs |
13 |
61 |
34 |
|
The nation's military strength and preparedness |
24 |
61 |
32 |
|
The quality of the environment in the nation |
8 |
56 |
40 |
|
The position of blacks and other racial minorities in the nation |
10 |
53 |
40 |
|
The quality of medical care in the nation |
15 |
48 |
49 |
|
The nation's policies to reduce or control crime |
6 |
45 |
52 |
|
The state of race relations |
5 |
44 |
48 |
|
The nation's policies regarding the abortion issue |
11 |
43 |
47 |
|
The quality of public education in the nation |
10 |
40 |
57 |
|
The nation's laws or policies on guns |
10 |
38 |
57 |
|
The Social Security and Medicare systems |
6 |
38 |
57 |
|
The acceptance of homosexuality in the nation |
5 |
35 |
57 |
|
The nation's energy policies |
5 |
32 |
49 |
|
The level of immigration into the country today |
6 |
32 |
55 |
|
The nation's efforts to deal with poverty and homelessness |
4 |
30 |
66 |
|
The availability of affordable health care |
6 |
29 |
68 |
|
The amount Americans pay in federal taxes |
4 |
26 |
71 |
|
The nation's campaign finance laws |
4 |
23 |
56 |