TIME MAGAZINE/ABT SRBI – October 9- 10, 2011 Survey

BASE=1,001 Adults Except Where Noted

Q1. TO START WITH, DO YOU FEEL THINGS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE GENERALLY GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OR DO YOU FEEL THINGS HAVE PRETTY SERIOUSLY GOTTEN OFF ON THE WRONG TRACK?

RIGHT DIRECTION 14%

WRONG TRACK 81%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 5%

Q2. IN GENERAL, DO YOU APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OF THE WAY PRESIDENT OBAMA IS HANDLING HIS JOB AS PRESIDENT?

10/9/11 – 10/10/11: 44% approve, 50% disapprove, 6% no answer/don’t know

6/20/11 – 6/21/11: 48% approve, 46% disapprove, 6% no answer/don’t know

8/16/10 – 8/17/10: 46% approve, 45% disapprove, 9% no answer/don’t know

7/12/10 – 7/13/10: 49% approve, 45% disapprove, 6% no answer/don’t know

7/27/09 – 7/28/09: 56% approve, 38% disapprove, 6% no answer/don’t know

Q3A. WOULD YOU SAY THAT OBAMA IS TOUGH ENOUGH TO BE PRESIDENT DURING THESE TIMES OR NOT?

YES 50%

NO 44%

NO ANSWER/ DON’T KNOW 5%

Q3B. WOULD YOU SAY THAT OBAMA CARES ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF OR NOT?

YES 59%

NO 37%

NO ANSWER/ DON’T KNOW 5%

Q4. IN YOUR OPINION, WHO DO YOU THINK HAS BEEN A BETTER PRESIDENT – (BARACK OBAMA) OR (GEORGE W. BUSH)?

BARACK OBAMA 48%

GEORGE W. BUSH 37%

SAME/EQUAL 7%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 9%

Q5. REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU USUALLY VOTE, OVERALL, WHICH PARTY – (THE DEMOCRATS) OR (THE REPUBLICANS) — DO YOU TRUST TO DO A BETTER JOB IN DEALING WITH THE MAIN PROBLEMS THE NATION FACES OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS?

DEMOCRATS 42%

REPUBLICANS 31%

BOTH 1%

NEITHER PARTY 18%

TEA PARTY *

OTHER 2%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 6%

Q6. IN POLITICS AS TODAY, ARE YOUR VIEWS BEST REPRESENTED BY THE (DEMOCRATIC PARTY), (REPUBLICAN PARTY), THE TEA PARTY, ANOTHER PARTY, OR DO NONE OF THE PARTIES REALLY REPRESENT YOUR VIEWS?

DEMOCRATIC PARTY 30%

REPUBLICAN PARTY 17%

TEA PARTY 12%

NONE 35%

OTHER 4%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 2%

Q7. DO YOU FEEL THAT THE POLITICAL DEBATE IN WASHINGTON AND THE MEDIA MOSTLY REPRESENTS THE CONCERNS YOU DISCUSS AND HEAR IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY, OR NOT?

MOSTLY REPRESENTS 36%

DO NOT REPRESENT 60%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 3%

Q8. ON ANOTHER ISSUE, IS YOUR OPINION OF THE TEA PARTY MOVEMENT VERY FAVORABLE, SOMEWHAT FAVORABLE, SOMEWHAT UNFAVORABLE, VERY UNFAVORABLE, OR DON’T YOU KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE TEA PARTY TO HAVE AN OPINION?

VERY FAVORABLE 8%

SOMEWHAT FAVORABLE 19%

SOMEWHAT UNFAVORABLE 9%

VERY UNFAVORABLE 24%

DON’T KNOW ENOUGH 39%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 1%

Q9. HAS THE THE TEA PARTY MOVEMENT HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON AMERICAN POLITICS TODAY, A NEGATIVE IMPACT, OR HAS IT HAD LITTLE IMPACT?

BASE: FAMILIAR WITH TEA PARTY (669)

POSITIVE IMPACT 34%

NEGATIVE IMPACT 40%

LITTLE IMPACT 25%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 2%

Q10. DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A MEMBER OR FOLLOWER OF THE TEA PARTY, OR NOT?

BASE: FAMILIAR WITH TEA PARTY (669)

YES 11%

NO 88%

NO ANSWER/ DON’T KNOW 1%

Q10. DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A MEMBER OR FOLLOWER OF THE TEA PARTY, OR NOT?

YES 6%

NO 93%

NO ANSWER/ DON’T KNOW 1%

Q11. IN THE PAST FEW DAYS, A GROUP OF PROTESTORS HAS BEEN GATHERING ON WALL STREET IN NEW YORK CITY AND SOME OTHER CITIES TO PROTEST POLICIES WHICH THEY SAY FAVOR THE RICH, THE GOVERNMENT’S BANK BAILOUT, AND THE INFLUENCE OF MONEY IN OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM. IS YOUR OPINION OF THESE PROTESTS VERY FAVORABLE, SOMEWHAT FAVORABLE, SOMEWHAT UNFAVORABLE, VERY UNFAVORABLE, OR DON’T YOU KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE PROTESTS TO HAVE AN OPINION?

VERY FAVORABLE 25%

SOMEWHAT FAVORABLE 29%

SOMEWHAT UNFAVORABLE 10%

VERY UNFAVORABLE 13%

DON’T KNOW ENOUGH 23%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 1%

Q12. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THAT POSITION?

A. WALL STREET AND ITS LOBBYISTS HAVE TOO MUCH INFLUENCE IN WASHINGTON

BASE: FAMILIAR WITH PROTESTS (787)

AGREE 86%

DISAGREE 11%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 4%

Q12. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THAT POSITION?

B. THE GAP BETWEEN RICH AND POOR IN THE UNITED STATES HAS GROWN TOO LARGE

BASE: FAMILIAR WITH PROTESTS (787)

AGREE 79%

DISAGREE 17%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 3%

Q12. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THAT POSITION?

C. EXECUTIVES OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FINANCIAL MELTDOWN IN 2008 SHOULD BE PROSECUTED

BASE: FAMILIAR WITH PROTESTS (787)

AGREE 71%

DISAGREE 23%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 6%

Q12. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THAT POSITION?

D. THE RICH SHOULD PAY MORE TAXES

BASE: FAMILIAR WITH PROTESTS (787)

AGREE 68%

DISAGREE 28%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 4%

Q12A. IN YOUR VIEW, WILL THIS PROTEST MOVEMENT HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON AMERICAN POLITICS TODAY, A NEGATIVE IMPACT, OR WILL IT HAVE LITTLE IMPACT ON AMERICAN POLITICS TODAY?

BASE: FAMILIAR WITH PROTESTS (787)

POSITIVE IMPACT 30%

NEGATIVE IMPACT 9%

LITTLE IMPACT 56%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 6%

Q13. IN POLITICS TODAY, IS IT BETTER FOR (REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS TO WORK TOGETHER AND NEGOTIATE THEIR DIFFERENCES TO REACH AGREEMENTS), OR, (IS IT BETTER FOR PARTY MEMBERS TO STICK TO THEIR POSITIONS AND REFUSE TO COMPROMISE WITH THE OTHER SIDE)?

BETTER TO WORK TOGETHER 89%

BETTER FOR PARTY MEMBERS TO STICK TO POSITIONS 8%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 4%

Q14. IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, WOULD YOU SAY THAT AMERICA’S POSITION IN THE WORLD IS GROWING, DECLINING, OR HAS REMAINED ABOUT THE SAME AS BEFORE.

GROWING 7%

DECLINING 71%

ABOUT THE SAME 21%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 1%

Q15. WOULD YOU SAY EACH OF THE FOLLOWING IS HAVING A MAJOR IMPACT, MINOR IMPACT OR IS IT HAVING LITTLE IMPACT ON AMERICA’S DECLINE IN THE WORLD?

A. WALL STREET AND CORPORATE CEO’S

BASE: BELIEVE AMERICA’S POSITION IN THE WORLD IS DECLINING (732)

MAJOR IMPACT 63%

MINOR IMPACT 20%

LITTLE IMPACT 10%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 7%

Q15. WOULD YOU SAY EACH OF THE FOLLOWING IS HAVING A MAJOR IMPACT, MINOR IMPACT OR IS IT HAVING LITTLE IMPACT ON AMERICA’S DECLINE IN THE WORLD?

B. THE RISE OF CHINA

BASE: BELIEVE AMERICA’S POSITION IN THE WORLD IS DECLINING (732)

MAJOR IMPACT 64%

MINOR IMPACT 19%

LITTLE IMPACT 10%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 7%

Q15. WOULD YOU SAY EACH OF THE FOLLOWING IS HAVING A MAJOR IMPACT, MINOR IMPACT OR IS IT HAVING LITTLE IMPACT ON AMERICA’S DECLINE IN THE WORLD?

C. BIG BUSINESS IN THE US INVESTING ABROAD

BASE: BELIEVE AMERICA’S POSITION IN THE WORLD IS DECLINING (732)

MAJOR IMPACT 67%

MINOR IMPACT 17%

LITTLE IMPACT 10%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 5%

Q15. WOULD YOU SAY EACH OF THE FOLLOWING IS HAVING A MAJOR IMPACT, MINOR IMPACT OR IS IT HAVING LITTLE IMPACT ON AMERICA’S DECLINE IN THE WORLD?

D. PEOPLE NOT WORKING AS HARD AS THEY SHOULD BECAUSE OF GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS SUCH AS WELFARE AND UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

BASE: BELIEVE AMERICA’S POSITION IN THE WORLD IS DECLINING (732)

MAJOR IMPACT 60%

MINOR IMPACT 18%

LITTLE IMPACT 18%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 5%

Q15. WOULD YOU SAY EACH OF THE FOLLOWING IS HAVING A MAJOR IMPACT, MINOR IMPACT OR IS IT HAVING LITTLE IMPACT ON AMERICA’S DECLINE IN THE WORLD?

E. U.S. FOREIGN POLICY

BASE: BELIEVE AMERICA’S POSITION IN THE WORLD IS DECLINING (732)

MAJOR IMPACT 61%

MINOR IMPACT 21%

LITTLE IMPACT 10%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 7%

Q15. WOULD YOU SAY EACH OF THE FOLLOWING IS HAVING A MAJOR IMPACT, MINOR IMPACT OR IS IT HAVING LITTLE IMPACT ON AMERICA’S DECLINE IN THE WORLD?

F. THE DECLINE IN THE VALUE OF THE DOLLAR

BASE: BELIEVE AMERICA’S POSITION IN THE WORLD IS DECLINING (732)

MAJOR IMPACT 84%

MINOR IMPACT 8%

LITTLE IMPACT 6%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 2%

Q15A. THINKING ABOUT YOUR OWN FEELINGS ABOUT THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY TODAY, WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBES BEST HOW YOU FEEL?

ANGRY 25%

UPSET BUT NOT ANGRY 25%

CONCERNED BUT NOT UPSET 45%

NOT CONCERNED 1%

FEELING POSITIVE 4%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 1%

Q16. AT THIS POINT, IS IT MORE IMPORTANT FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO (CUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S SPENDING) OR (SPEND MORE MONEY TO HELP STIMULATE THE ECONOMY AND CREATE JOBS)?

CUT SPENDING 49%

SPEND MORE MONEY TO STIMULATE THE ECONOMY AND CREATE JOBS 44%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 7%

Q17. OVERALL, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST WAY TO REDUCE THE FEDERAL BUDGET DEFICIT — BY CUTTING FEDERAL SPENDING, BY RAISING TAXES, OR BY A COMBINATION OF BOTH?

CUTTING FEDERAL SPENDING 29%

INCREASING TAXES 4%

COMBINATION 65%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 3%

Q18. WOULD YOU FAVOR OR OPPOSE RAISING TAXES ON PEOPLE WITH ANNUAL INCOMES OF A MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE TO HELP CUT THE FEDERAL DEFICIT?

FAVOR 73%

OPPOSE 23%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 4%

Q19. IF THE GOVERNMENT DID RAISE TAXES ON PEOPLE EARNING A MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE, WOULD THIS HURT THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY, OR NOT?

WOULD HURT THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY 21%

WOULD NOT 74%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 5%

Q20A. WOULD YOU FAVOR OR OPPOSE RAISING THE RETIREMENT AGE FOR FULL BENEFITS FROM 67 TO 70 FOR PEOPLE BORN ON OR AFTER 1966?

FAVOR 34%

OPPOSE 63%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 3%

Q20B. WOULD YOU FAVOR OR OPPOSE GIVING UPPER INCOME PEOPLE A REDUCED RETIREMENT BENEFIT, WITH LOWER INCOME PEOPLE GETTING THE FULL RETIREMENT BENEFIT, SOMETIMES CALLED “MEANS TESTING”?

FAVOR 55%

OPPOSE 38%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 7%

Q20C. WOULD YOU FAVOR OR OPPOSE INCREASING SOCIAL SECURITY PAYROLL WITHHOLDINGS BEYOND THE CURRENT $106,000 OF INCOME?

FAVOR 54%

OPPOSE 36%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 10%

Q20D. WOULD YOU FAVOR OR OPPOSE D. SOME COMBINATION OF ALL THESE PROPOSALS?

FAVOR 70%

OPPOSE 23%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 7%

Q21. MOST STATES NOW PROVIDE UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION BENEFITS FOR UP TO 99 WEEKS. THIS INCLUDES 20 WEEKS OF EXTENDED FEDERAL BENEFITS BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN. DO YOU THINK THAT THIS IS TOO MUCH, TOO LITTLE, OR ABOUT RIGHT AT THE CURRENT TIME?

TOO MUCH 36%

TOO LITTLE 12%

ABOUT RIGHT 49%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 4%

Q22. DO YOU THINK THAT CURRENT UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM FINDING WORK, OR, DO YOU THINK THAT MOST UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE ARE SERIOUSLY LOOKING FOR JOBS AND WOULD RATHER WORK THAN GET UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION?

DISCOURAGES PEOPLE FROM LOOKING FOR WORK 37%

PEOPLE ARE SERIOUSLY LOOKING FOR JOBS 52%

DEPENDS/MIXED 8%

NO ANSWER/DON’T KNOW 2%

Q23. ON ANOTHER TOPIC…THESE DAYS, MANY PEOPLE ARE SO BUSY THEY CAN’T FIND TIME TO REGISTER TO VOTE. ARE YOU NOW REGISTERED TO VOTE IN YOUR PRECINCT OR ELECTION DISTRICT, OR HAVEN’T YOU BEEN ABLE TO REGISTER SO FAR?

YES, REGISTERED 85%

NO, NOT REGISTERED 14%

REGISTRATION NOT REQUIRED TO VOTE *

DON’T KNOW/NO ANSWER 1%

Q24. AS YOU KNOW, THERE WILL BE A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER 2012. AT THIS POINT, WOULD YOU SAY YOU’LL DEFINITELY NOT VOTE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, PROBABLY NOT VOTE, MAY OR MAY NOT VOTE DEPENDING UPON HOW YOU FEEL AT THE TIME, PROBABLY VOTE, OR DEFINITELY VOTE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION?

BASE: REGISTERED TO VOTE / NOT REQUIRED (904)

DEFINITELY NOT VOTE 2%

PROBABLY NOT VOTE 1%

MAY OR MAY NOT VOTE 7%

PROBABLY VOTE 6%

DEFINITELY VOTE 84%

DON’T KNOW/NO ANSWER *

Q25A. IF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WERE HELD TODAY AND THE CANDIDATES WERE (BARACK OBAMA, THE DEMOCRAT), AND (MITT ROMNEY, THE REPUBLICAN), AND YOU HAD TO CHOOSE, FOR WHOM WOULD YOU VOTE?

BASE: LIKELY VOTERS (838)

BARACK OBAMA, THE DEMOCRAT 46%

MITT ROMNEY, THE REPUBLICAN 43%

OTHER/NEITHER 3%

WOULD NOT VOTE IN ELECTION 1%

UNDECIDED/DON’T KNOW/NO ANSWER 7%

Q26A. DO YOU LEAN MORE TOWARD (BARACK OBAMA, THE DEMOCRAT), OR MORE TOWARD (MITT ROMNEY, THE REPUBLICAN)?

BASE: UNDECIDED LIKELY VOTERS (53)

LEAN MORE TOWARD BARACK OBAMA 33%

LEAN MORE TOWARD MITT ROMNEY 9%

OTHER/NEITHER 4%

UNDECIDED/DON’T KNOW/NO ANSWER 54%

Q26A. DO YOU LEAN MORE TOWARD (BARACK OBAMA, THE DEMOCRAT), OR MORE TOWARD (MITT ROMNEY, THE REPUBLICAN)?

BASE: LIKELY VOTERS (838)

BARACK OBAMA, THE DEMOCRAT 48%

MITT ROMNEY, THE REPUBLICAN 44%

OTHER/NEITHER 3%

WOULD NOT VOTE IN ELECTION 1%

UNDECIDED/DON’T KNOW/NO ANSWER 4%

Q25B. IF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WERE HELD TODAY AND THE CANDIDATES WERE (BARACK OBAMA, THE DEMOCRAT), AND (RICK PERRY, THE REPUBLICAN), AND YOU HAD TO CHOOSE, FOR WHOM WOULD YOU VOTE?

BASE: LIKELY VOTERS (838)

BARACK OBAMA, THE DEMOCRAT 50%

RICK PERRY, THE REPUBLICAN 38%

OTHER/NEITHER 4%

WOULD NOT VOTE IN ELECTION 1%

UNDECIDED/DON’T KNOW/NO ANSWER 7%

Q26B. DO YOU LEAN MORE TOWARD (BARACK OBAMA, THE DEMOCRAT), OR MORE TOWARD (RICK PERRY, THE REPUBLICAN)?

BASE: UNDECIDED LIKELY VOTERS (52)

LEAN MORE TOWARD BARACK OBAMA 19%

LEAN MORE TOWARD RICK PERRY 21%

UNDECIDED/DON’T KNOW/NO ANSWER 60%

Q26B. DO YOU LEAN MORE TOWARD (BARACK OBAMA, THE DEMOCRAT), OR MORE TOWARD (RICK PERRY, THE REPUBLICAN)?

BASE: LIKELY VOTERS (838)

BARACK OBAMA, THE DEMOCRAT 51%

RICK PERRY, THE REPUBLICAN 40%

OTHER/NEITHER 4%

WOULD NOT VOTE IN ELECTION 1%

UNDECIDED/DON’T KNOW/NO ANSWER 4%

Q25C. IF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WERE HELD TODAY AND THE CANDIDATES WERE (BARACK OBAMA, THE DEMOCRAT), AND (HERMAN CAIN, THE REPUBLICAN), AND YOU HAD TO CHOOSE, FOR WHOM WOULD YOU VOTE?

BASE: LIKELY VOTERS (838)

BARACK OBAMA,THE DEMOCRAT 49%

HERMAN CAIN,THE REPUBLICAN 37%

OTHER/NEITHER 4%

WOULD NOT VOTE IN ELECTION 1%

UNDECIDED/DON’T KNOW/NO ANSWER 9%

Q26C. DO YOU LEAN MORE TOWARD (BARACK OBAMA, THE DEMOCRAT), OR MORE TOWARD (HERMAN CAIN, THE REPUBLICAN)?

BASE: UNDECIDED LIKELY VOTERS (73)

LEAN MORE TOWARD BARACK OBAMA 16%

LEAN MORE TOWARD HERMAN CAIN 14%

OTHER/NEITHER 1%

WOULD NOT VOTE IN ELECTION 1%

UNDECIDED/DON’T KNOW/NO ANSWER 68%

Q26C. DO YOU LEAN MORE TOWARD (BARACK OBAMA, THE DEMOCRAT), OR MORE TOWARD (HERMAN CAIN, THE REPUBLICAN)?

BASE: LIKELY VOTERS (838)

BARACK OBAMA, THE DEMOCRAT 50%

HERMAN CAIN, THE REPUBLICAN 38%

OTHER/NEITHER 4%

WOULD NOT VOTE IN ELECTION 1%

UNDECIDED/DON’T KNOW/NO ANSWER 6%

* = less than 1%

– = question not asked/zero respondents