Promoted by DemFromCT (minor editing for appearance.) Some great info in here.
Yep, those crazy liberal hippies at the New York Times have conducted yet another research poll with CBS News. Questions covered a variety of social and political issues affecting Americans today in these most unstable of times.
What do the results reveal? Well, it seems like we're not quite that "Center-Right" nation that the Republicans like to talk about. Additionally, due to generational differences, it appears that we're moving even further away from the right.
This CBS News / New York Times Poll was released (pdf) this morning. The polling was conducted from the period of time between January 11 and January 15.
The theme of the poll is as follows:
As CBS News Sunday Morning commemorates its 30th anniversary, this poll examines Americans’ views on some key issues today compared to three decades ago when the program first aired.
The healthcare question reveals that Americans are much more likely to desire government-sponsored health insurance than they did in 1970.
HEALTH INSURANCE: PRIVATE ENTERPRISE VS. GOVERNMENT?
1979
Private Enterprise: 48%
Government - All Problems: 28%
Government - Emergencies: 12%
Don't know: 12%
2009
Private Enterprise: 32% (-16%)
Government - All Problems: 49% (+21%)
Government - Emergencies: 10% (-2%)
Don't know: 9% (-3%)
So there you have it. Private industry loses 16% and a full government healthcare solution gains 21%. A full 37% swing. Take note, Democrats.
More, after the jump.
There were some other interesting polls I thought I'd share as well. This one is whether or not people think homosexual relations between adults is wrong or not. I was a little disheartened by this one; while society has gotten more tolerant, it's still much further away than it needs to be.
HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONS BETWEEN ADULTS
1979
Wrong: 62%
Not Wrong: 25%
2009
Wrong: 41% (-21%)
Not Wrong: 54% (+29%)
Like I said, we're still not where we should be, but when you compare the numbers against 1979's, it's obvious there's been huge gains for the LGBT movement.
And here's one more, about marijuana legalization.
SHOULD MARIJUANA USE BE LEGALIZED?
1979
Yes: 27%
No: 69%
2009
Yes: 41% (+14%)
No: 52% (-17%)
So again, as expected, the movement to legalize has gained a lot of ground. However, it's even more hopeful than it looks because it's clear there's a generational gap.
There is a huge generation gap on this issue. More adults under 45 (49%) approve of legalizing marijuana use than oppose (45%), while just 31% of adults over age 45 approve of it; six in 10 are opposed.
If America ever was a Center-Right nation, it's pretty clear that that's no longer the case; and it seems like as more time passes, the newer generations are more liberal than the past.
There were a number of interesting questions asked in the poll: I suggest you read the full report here (pdf).
Listen to this President Obama, and Democratic leadership. What do you think Americans would care more about? Putting on a facade of bipartisanship or getting universal healthcare, which is wanted not only by a majority of Americans, but also by businesses who can't stay competitive against nations that provide healthcare to citizens.
We need to get this done.