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    Life

       See also: Confidence/Trust in Institutions

Polls listed chronologically. Data are from nationwide surveys of Americans 18 & older.

.
 

Gallup Poll. April 6-9, 2008. N=1,021 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

.

"Do you feel that the distribution of money and wealth in this country today is fair, or do you feel that the money and wealth in this country should be more evenly distributed among a larger percentage of the people?"

.
Distribution
Is Fair		 Should Be
More Evenly
Distributed		 Unsure    
% % %    

4/6-9/08

 27 68 5    

4/2-5/07

 29 66 5    

1/10-12/03

 31 63 6    

9/11-13/00

 38 56 6    

4/23 - 5/31/98

 31 63 6    

.

"People feel differently about how far a government should go. Here is a phrase which some people believe in and some don't. Do you think our government should or should not redistribute wealth by heavy taxes on the rich?"

.
Should Should Not Unsure    
% % %    

4/6-9/08

 51 43 5    

4/2-5/07

 49 47 4    

4/23 - 5/31/98

 45 51 4    

 

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Bill McInturff (R). March 7-10, 2008. N=approx. 500 registered voters nationwide.

.

"Would you say that you and your family are better off or worse off than you were four years ago?"

.
Better Off Worse Off About the
Same (vol.)		 Unsure  
% % % %  

3/7-10/08

 34 43 21 2  

5/04

 42 33 23 2  

10/00

 63 11 24 2  

9/00

 62 12 25 1  

9/96

 52 22 24 2  

9/92 Adults

 37 40 21 2  

 

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Bill McInturff (R). Dec. 14-17, 2007. N=approx. 500 adults nationwide. MoE ± 4.4.

.

"Do you feel confident or not confident that life for our children's generation will be better than it has been for us?"

.
Confident Not
Confident		 Unsure    
% % %    

12/14-17/07

 30 64 6    

1/07

 33 60 7    

7/06

 27 65 8    

12/01

 49 42 9    

9/93

 25 68 7    

12/92

 41 52 7    

 

Gallup Poll. Dec. 6-9, 2007. N=1,027 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

.

"In general, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in your personal life at this time?"

.
Satisfied Dissatisfied Unsure    
% % %    

12/6-9/07

 84 14 2    

12/11-14/06

 84 15 1    

12/5-8/05

 85 13 2    

12/5-8/04

 84 14 2    

12/11-14/03

 88 11 1    

1/13-16/03

 85 14 1    

12/5-8/02

 83 16 1    

1/7-9/02

 85 14 1    

12/6-9/01

 84 15 1    

1/10-14/01

 85 14 1    

10/6-9/00

 87 12 1    

.

"Generally speaking, how happy would you say you are: very happy, fairly happy, or not too happy?"

.
Very Happy Fairly Happy Not Too
Happy		 Unsure  
% % % %  

12/6-9/07

 52 40 6 1  

12/11-14/06

 49 47 4 -  

12/5-8/05

 53 39 8 -  

 

Gallup Poll. July 12-15, 2007. N=1,001 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults).

.

"Do you have occasion to use alcoholic beverages such as liquor, wine or beer, or are you a total abstainer?"

.
Yes, Drink No, Total
Abstainer		      
% %      

7/12-15/07

 64 36      

.

.

"Has drinking ever been a cause of trouble in your family?"

.
Yes No      
% %      

7/12-15/07

 35 65      

.

.

"Do you, personally, think drinking in moderation -- that is, one or two drinks a day -- is good for your health, makes no difference, or is bad for your health?" Options rotated

.
Good Makes No
Difference		 Bad Unsure  
% % % %  

7/12-15/07

 22 49 25 4  

.

.

"Would you favor or oppose a federal law that would lower the drinking age in all states to 18?" N=464, MoE ± 5 (Form A)

.
Favor Oppose Unsure    
% % %    

7/12-15/07

 22 77 1    

.

.

"Do you think the penalties for underage drinking should be made more strict, less strict, or remain as they are now?" N=537, MoE ± 5 (Form B)

.
More Strict Less Strict Remain As
They Are		 Unsure  
% % % %  

7/12-15/07

 60 6 31 3  

 

CBS News. June 26-28, 2007. N=836 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

.

"In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in your own life these days? Would you say you are completely satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or would you say you are completely dissatisfied with the way things are going these days?"

.
Completely
Satisfied		 Somewhat
Satisfied		 Somewhat
Dissatisfied		 Completely
Dissatisfied		 Unsure

%

%

%

%

%

6/26-28/07

27

49

15

8

1

6/93

21

52

19

7

1

.

"Compared to your parents' generation, do you think in general your opportunities to succeed in life are better than theirs, about the same as theirs, or worse than theirs?"

.
Better Same Worse Unsure

%

%

%

%

6/26-28/07

62

18

18

2

2/00

72

22

5

1

.

"Do you think the future of the next generation of Americans will be better, worse, or about the same as life today?"

.
Better Worse Same Unsure

%

%

%

%

6/26-28/07

25

48

24

3

9/15-19/06

30

38

28

4

.

"Suppose America's Founding Fathers came back to the present day. Do you think the Founding Fathers would generally be pleased about the way America has turned out, or would they be disappointed?"

.
Pleased Disappointed Mixed (vol.) Unsure

%

%

%

%

6/26-28/07

20

72

3

5

.

"Do you think it's still possible to start out poor in this country, work hard, and become rich?"

.
Yes No Unsure

%

%

%

6/26-28/07

81

18

1

7/03

70

27

3

 

CNN Poll conducted by Opinion Research Corporation. Oct. 13-15, 2006. N=approx. 500 adults nationwide. MoE ± 4.5.

.

"Do you agree or disagree? The American dream has become impossible for most people to achieve."

.
Agree Disagree Unsure    
% % %    

10/13-15/06

 54 45 2    

.

"Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the opportunity for the next generation of Americans to live better than their parents?"

.
Agree Disagree Unsure    
% % %    

10/13-15/06

 44 55 2    

 

Pew Research Center for the People & the Press survey conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Oct. 6-10, 2005. N=1,500 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults).

.

"Some people think of American society as divided into two groups, the 'haves' and the 'have-nots,' while others think it's incorrect to think of America that way. Do you, yourself, think of America as divided into haves and have-nots, or don't you think of America that way?"

.
Yes, Divided Not Divided Unsure
% % %
10/6-10/05 48 50 2
3/17-27/05 38 59 3

.

"If you had to choose, which of these groups are you in: the haves or the have-nots?"

.
Haves Have-nots Neither (vol.) Unsure
% % % %
ALL adults 47 38 11 4
  Republicans 60 22 12 6
  Democrats 36 53 9 2
  Independents 50 34 12 4

.

Trend:
3/17-27/05 48 34 8 10

 

Associated Press/Ipsos poll conducted by Ipsos-Public Affairs. March 21-23, 2005. N=1,000 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.1.

.

"How often do you worry about the following things: frequently, occasionally, rarely, or never? . . ."

.
  Frequently Occasionally Rarely Never
  % % % %
"Not being able to pay your bills" 30 21 24 25

.

"Getting hurt in a car accident"

 20 34 30 16

.
"A terrorist attack using nuclear weapons" 13 31 32 23

.
"Becoming a victim of terrorism" 12 28 35 25

.
"A nuclear attack by one country on another" 11 28 34 27

 

The Harris Poll. Oct. 14-19, 2003. N=1,017 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

.

"What are your two or three most favorite leisure-time activities?" Unprompted replies

.

Top Mentions

2003

2002

2001

2000

%

%

%

%
Reading 24 26 28 31
Spending time with family, kids 17 11 12 14
TV watching 17 15 20 23
Fishing 9 8 12 9
Going to movies 7 6 7 6
Socializing with friends, neighbors 7 5 4 6
Playing team sports 6 7 5 5
Exercise (aerobics, weights) 6