Survey: SHOH38

Stories based on the data from this survey:

Questions asked in this survey:

Do you think America is basically headed in the right directon or in the wrong direction?
In general do you approve or disapprove of the job George W. Bush is doing as president?
I'd like to ask some questions about whether you feel government in America is open and transparent or whether you think government is closed and secretive. Talking about local government in your community, do you think local government is very open, somewhat open, somewhat secretive or very secrecive?
How about state government? Is it very open, somewhat open, somewhat secretive or very secretive?
How about the federal government based in Washington D.C.?
How likely do you think it is that the federal government has opened mail or monitored telephone conversations of people in the U.S. without first getting permission from a federal jduge? It is very likely, somewhat likely, somewhat unlikely or very unlikely that the federal government has done these things without permission from a judge?
How likely do you think it is that the federal government has opened your mail or monitored some of your telephone conversations?
How likely is it that the government has opened mail or monitored telephone conversatons involving members of the news media?
How important to you is a candidate's position on open government when you decided whom to vote for? So when you're voting for president is a candidate's position on open government very important, somewhat important, somewhat unimportant or very unimportant?
How about when voting for a member of Congress. Is open government very important, somewhat important, somewhat unimportant or very unimportant?
How about when voting for a candidate for state office like govenror or attorney general?
How about voting for your City Council or School Board?
Government records usually are considered public documents that people may view during normal business hours. Which of the following should be the government's policy when releasing government documents: First, that people should be required to show identificatiom and give a written reason for seeing the documents? Or second that people should be required to speak their names and why they want to see the documents? Or third that they should speak their names but not required to give a reason why they want to see the documents? Or fourth that they give a reason but not give their names; Or fifth that they should not be asked either their names or why they want to see the records?
Lawmakers at the local, state and federal levels meet with lots of different people, other government officials and campaign donors. They usually keep lists of those visitors. Do you think the public shold be allowed to see with whom lawmakers meet?
Just as with the question about access to public records, if people are allowed to see lawmaker's list of visitors, should be people have to identify themselves and state reasons why they want to see the lists?
Some states allow people to carry handguns if they get a permit. Should state governments allow the public to see who has been given permits to carry concealed handguns?
Should local crime reports be made public?
On annother issue, civil rights leader Martin Luther King was killed 40 years ago in Memphis, Tennessee. How much influence do you think Dr. King haw had on daily life in America. Did he have a great deal of influence, some influence, not very much influence or none at al on daily life today.
Martin Luther King hs a dream that one day people would be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. Please tell me how close we have come to fulfilling that dream: Have we achieved Dr. King's dream? Or are we very close? Or have we made at least some progress? Or do we still have a long way to go?
How often do you and your family talk about Dr. King and the impact he had on America? Do you talk about him frequently, sometimes,rarely or never?
Do you think Dr. King's civil rights movement is still relevant today or has America moved beyond the issues with which he struggled?
Do you think the national reputation of the city of Memphis was permanently damaged because Dr. King was assassinated there?
On a different topic, I'd like to ask you about matters involving health care. Do you have a family doctor whom you regularly see for most of your medical problesm or general health care?
If you don't have an established relationship with a doctor, where do you typically seek medical care when you or a family member becomes ill?
Do you have health insurance coverage?
In the last year, have you delayed or not obtained medical care because your health insurnce wouldn't authorize coverage?
In the last year have you delayed or not obtained medical care because you could not get an appointment with a doctor or don't have a regular doctor?
On a slightly different issue, does anyone in your household currently receive monthly payments from either the state or federal government because of a physical disablity or any other condition that prevents the person from working?
How many people in your home receive disability benefits?
Do you personally receive monthly payments from either state or federal government because of a physical disability or any other condition that prevents you from working?
How long has your household received disability benefits? Has it been for less than one year, one or two years, three or four years or has it been five years or more?
Generally speaking, do you think government programs to help Americans who can't work because of disabilities are well-run programs or not well-run programs?
Do you personally know anyone who is receiving government disability benefits who you think is not really disabled?
There has been a lot of discussion recently in the press and in Congress about backlogs and other problems with the government disability benefits programs. When deciding who qualified for disability benefits, do you think the government has been too strict, too generous or about right?
The Summer Olympics will be held in Beijing, China. Are you planning to watch at least some of the Olympics on television?
This is the first time the Olympics will be held in China. Does this make you more interested in the Olympics, less interested or does the location nnot affect your interest?
Some activists like movie actres Mia Farrow have called for the United States to boycott the Summer Olympics in Beijing because of China's human rights volatons. Should the U.S. boycott the Olympics or not?