Results of September-October 2002 Poll

Results of November 2003 Poll

Results of April-May 2004 Poll

Results of April 2003 Poll

Results for each question are presented within (%)

My name is ___________________________. I'm calling for Retro Poll,
a non-profit public interest group. Are you willing to take a few minutes
of your time to respond to our poll? The general topic is the impact of
the war on terrorism on the rights of the American people.
Are you 18 or over? Thank you

1) In your personal opinion, how would you describe the impact of the U.S. Government's War on Terrorism upon our civil rights here in the United States:

a) having little or no impact on civil rights (22.9%).
b) protecting our right to dissent and strengthening civil rights (33.6%).
c) removing important rights and Constitutional guarantees (19.2%).
d) not sure (24.3%).

In this poll, we are interested in exploring whether Americans agree with each other on the impact of the USA Patriot Act. You will notice that the first part asks for factual information and the second part for your opinions. In the first part it is better to say you don't know than to guess the answer to any question. Few people will know all the answers. Please try and be honest and complete the poll. We'll tell you where to find the right answers later.

2) Can you name the 3 branches of the U.S. government established by the Constitution?
a) 3 correct (40.2%) b) 2 correct(11.2%) c) 1 correct (11.7%) d) don't know (36.9%)

The Bill of Rights, passed in 1791, includes the first 10 amendments to the Constitution and provides for most of our civil rights. Which of the following are part of the Bill of Rights:

3) Guarantees accused persons the right to a speedy and public trial.
Yes 65.7%, No 12.2%, Don't Know 22.1%

4) Provides that accused persons shall not be coerced into testifying against themselves.
Yes 57.0%, No 17.8%, Don't Know 25.2%

5) Authorizes the Government to detain suspects indefinitely and punish them as it sees fit.
Yes 10.3%, No 74.3%, Don't Know 15.4%

6) Protects people against unreasonable searches and seizures by the Government in our private lives and homes.
Yes 78.5%, No 6.5%, Don't Know 15.0%

7) Upon entrance into World War II the United States seized over 110,000 people of Japanese descent and placed them into concentration camps for up to 7 years. About 70% of these people were citizens of what country?
Japan 18.9%, U.S.A 58.5%, China 2.4%, Don't Know 20.3%

8) In the 1980s which nation provided the money and military training to the terrorist Osama Bin Laden and his Islamic fundamentalist followers to build them into a fighting force against the Russian Army in Afghanistan?
U.S.A 54.3%, Iraq 17.1%, Cuba 0.5%, Don't Know 28.1%

Please answer yes or no to the following questions:

9) Did Iraq invade Kuwait in 1990?
Yes 70.3%, No 6.7%, Don't Know 23.0%

10) Is there evidence Saddam Hussein worked with the 9/11 Terrorists?
Yes 40.4%, No 35.6%, Don't Know 24.0%

11) In the 1950s did Senator Joe McCarthy use information obtained from paid informers who had been found guilty of perjury?
Yes 43.6%, No 1.0%, Don't Know 55.4%

A Florida court has ruled that before the 2000 Presidential election, Florida Governor Jeb Bush illegally removed the names of over 90,000 registered voters, mostly African Americans, from the voter rolls.

12) What impact did that action have on the outcome of the Presidential race?
None 11.2%, Some, but not enough to change the outcome 14.6%, Helped assure the election of his brother, George W. Bush, 42.9%, Don't Know 31.2%

13) What penalties or punishments did the court decide upon for Governor Jeb Bush?
None 34.6%, A million dollar fine 1.0%, Ordered him to do community service 3.9%, Don't know 60.5%

The following questions ask for your personal opinion. If you have no opinion please so state.

14) Will the suspension of/ or denial of civil rights in the U.S. help stop terrorism?
Yes 19.7%, No 66.5%, Don't Know 13.8%

15) Is there now a general climate of fear in the U.S?
Yes 64.5%, No 31.5%, Don't Know 3.9%

(ask 16-22 only if "yes" to 15)
Please state how much each of the following contribute to the general climate of fear:

a. Specific terrorist threats and actions (16)
Much 52.9%, Some 32.4%, Little 8.8%, None 5.9%

b. U.S. government color code and homeland security alerts (17)
Much 28.1%, Some 44.4%, Little 14.1%, None 12.6% Don't Know 0.7%

c. Media encouraged hype and exaggerations (18)
Much 57.0%, Some 25.9%, Little 9.6%, None 5.9% Don't Know 1.5%

d. Failure to catch Osama Bin Laden (19)
Much 40.7%, Some 36.3%, Little 14.1%, None 8.1%, Don't Know 0.7%

e. Poor U.S. relations with other governments, such as North Korea (20)
Much 37.3%, Some 33.6%, Little 16.4%, None 9.7%, Don't Know 3.0%

f. Saddam Hussein and the Government of Iraq (21)
Much 36.3%, Some 34.8%, Little 16.3% None 11.9%, Don't Know 0.7%

g. Failure to find the American anthrax attacker (22)
Much 32.6%, Some 31.9%, Little 24.4%, None 10.4.%, Don't Know 0.7%

Do you support or reject the following elements of the USA Patriot Act?

23) Government officers can enter your home without your knowledge, copy your computer files or any other information without telling you they've been there.
Support 9.0%, Reject 88.5%, Don't Know 2.5%

24) Government officers may require that librarians provide records of books you've borrowed and they are forbidden from telling you.
Support 26.7%, Reject 64.9%, Don't Know 8.4%

25) The government may monitor your phones, e-mails, and internet activity without probable cause.
Support 17.8%, Reject 77.2%, Don't Now 5.0%

Do you Support or Reject including the following elements in a war on terrorism.

26) The U.S. should support international attempts to prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Support 83.2%, Reject 7.4%, Don't Know 9.4%

27) Lengthy detention for anyone, citizen or not, who the U.S. government decides to arrest without providing criminal charges, proofs or trials.
Support 10.0%, Reject 82.6%, Don't Know 7.5%

28) The use of outlawed interrogation techniques such as torture.
Support 7.9%, Reject 88.1%, Don't Know 4.0%

29) A requirement that the U.S. government must prove accusations against nations before attacking them.
Support 68.9%, Reject 19.9%, Don't Know 11.2%

30) War against Iraq or other countries the U.S. labels as "supporting terrorism" when they are not attacking anyone.
Support 43.8%, Reject 35.8%, Don't Know 20.4%

31) Where do you get most of your information on current events?
a) Major TV networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, Fox) 58.6%
b) Daily newspaper 12.6%
c) Public Broadcast System (PBS TV and NPR) 8.6%
d) Alternative media (Pacifica, local community stations, Internet) 6.6%
e) Major radio stations 4.5%
f) Other combinations 9.1%


Please provide your
Age(32)_________

Sex(33)
Female 59.2% Male 40.8%

State(35)
See table

Ethnicity (36)
Caucasian 79.4% Latin American 6.2% African American 5.7%, Asian-Pacific Islander 5.7% Biracial 1.5% Native American 1.5%

Thank you so much for participating in our poll and for caring enough to share your views. For answers to the factual questions please check our Web Site at retropoll.org The poll results will appear there on May 1, 2003.