Link to results for September-October 2002 Poll

Link to the results of April 2003 Poll

Link to the results of November 2003 Poll

Link to the results of April 2004 Poll

Link to the results of September 2004 Poll

Results of April 2005 Poll

The poll reflects a random national telephone sample of 205 persons conducted between Apil 16 and May 4. The margin or error statistic ranges from 5.6-7% on individual questions.*

My name is _____________. I’m calling for Retro Poll.
This is not a sales call; we do public opinion polling, and your number was chosen at random for a brief interview. Would you be able to take a few minutes of your time to respond to our poll on current U.S. government policies?
Are you 16 or over?
Thank you

In your personal opinion which statement best describes the impact of the U.S. Government's War on Terrorism:
a) It prevents terrorism (28.3 %)
b) It has had little impact on terrorism (29.3 %)
c) It tends to create support for terrorism (21.5 %)
d) none of the above/ not sure (21.0 %)

In the rest of this poll, you will notice that the first half asks for factual information and the second half asks 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 so don’t feel bad about saying you don’t know. But please try and be honest and complete the poll. We’ll tell you where to find the right answers to the factual questions later. Ok?

2. Is there evidence that Saddam Hussein worked with Al Qaeda?

yes (32.2%), no (31.2%), don’t know (36.6%)

Correct answer: No

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The results to questions 3-7 on the USA Patriot Act and the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitutions are being omitted because we have determined that these were confusing compound questions. They can not be evaluated as a single question since respondents first have to know what is in the Bill of Rights and second whether or not the Patriot Act removes a particular right.

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The U.S.A. Patriot act and newer provisions strike down which of the following Rights from the United States Constitution’s Bill of Rights, passed in 1791:

3. The guarantee that accused persons have the right to a speedy and public trial.

yes, no, don’t know

Correct answer: Yes.

4. The right to be charged with specific crimes or be released.

yes, no, don’t know

Correct answer: Yes

5. The right to take up arms against the government.

yes, no, don’t know

Correct answer: No

6. Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures by the Government in our private lives
and homes.

yes, no, don’t know

Correct answer: yes

7. The right of the people to peaceably assemble anywhere to express political views

yes, no, don’t know

Correct answer: No

8. The torture of people held in captivity is a war crime under U.S.
law and international treaties which the U.S. has signed? (t/ f/ d)

true (67.3%), false (10.7%), don't know (22.0%)

Correct answer: True

9. The International Committee of the Red Cross (in confidential reports to the United States Government) charged that the American military has intentionally used psychological and sometimes physical coercion tantamount to torture on prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

true (47.3%), false (13.7%), don't know (39.0%)

Correct answer: True


10. Torture of prisoners within prisons in the U.S. is a) absent b) rare c) not uncommon d) don’t know.

absent (4.4%), rare (35.1%), not uncommon (34,6%), don't know (25.9%)

Correct answer: C, not uncommon.

11. Since the death penalty was restored in the U.S. over 115 convicted murderers awaiting execution have been later proven innocent and set free. If death penalties were quickly and efficiently executed in a timely fashion most of these innocent people would have

a) been set free (5.9%)
b) had their cases re-opened (12.7%)
c) been executed (63.4%)
d) don’t know (18.0%)

Correct answer: C) been executed.

12. The controlling relationship of Israel over the lives of millions of Palestinians is exemplified by the separation wall. Is it true or false that this wall is condemned by the International Court of Justice and the United Nations as violations of international law but is endorsed by President Bush?

true (37.6%), false (10.7%), don't know (51.7%)

Correct answer: True

13.A top secret process called rendition has been used by the CIA to fly suspects to Egypt, Morocco, Syria, or Jordan, each of which is known to use torture in their interrogations.

true (32.7%), false (5.9%), don't know (61.5%)

Correct answer: True

14. Over 367 cities and towns and 4 states have passed resolutions concerning the USA Patriot Act. Do these resolutions

a) call for vigorous law enforcement of the Act (5.4%)
b) ask that it be strengthened (10.7%)
c) call for the removal of key provisions because they violate our democratic rights (33.2%)
d) don’t know (50.7%)

Correct answer: C

15. The mainstream corporate media such as NBC, ABC, CNN and the New York Times are owned by

a) independent news organizations (10.2%)
b) a group of rich liberals (13.2%)
c) major U.S. corporations (47.3%)
d) don’t know (29.3%)

Correct answer: C

The following questions ask for your personal opinion. If you have no opinion or your opinion is not among the choices, please so state.

16. Should the U.S. fully withdraw its troops from Iraq?

yes (51.7%), no (42.0%), don’t know (6.3%)

17. U.S. soldiers and private contractors have tortured prisoners in prisons in Iraq, Cuba and Afghanistan. Do you believe that these are the acts of a few bad apples?

yes (57.6%), no (31.2%), don’t know (11.2%)

18. A legal review in California showed 76 system problems in death penalty procedures (similar to 85 problems found in an Illinois review) that led to unjust convictions. Should other states do as Illinois has done and put a moratorium on executions until unfairness in application of the death penalty has been addressed?

yes (56.6%), no (23.9%), don’t know (19.5%)

19. In your opinion the US government is currently

a) having no impact on our civil rights (8.8%)
b) protecting our right to dissent and strengthening civil rights (19.0%)
c) removing important rights and Constitutional guarantees (42.9%)
d) not sure (29.3%)

20. Do you approve or disapprove of the appointments of John Negroponte as National Intelligence Chief and Albert Gonzales as Attorney General in view of their support for the use of torture?

approve (17.1%), disapprove (52.7%), don’t know (30.2%)

21. Do you support or oppose the U.S.A. Patriot Act provision requiring the cooperation of local business people and professionals to turn over records of their clients and customers to federal agents and be sworn to silence about their actions?

support (25.9%), oppose (53.7%), don’t know (20.5%)

22. The Federal Bureau of Prisons issued an emergency surveillance order permitting conversations between prisoners and their lawyers to be recorded without a warrant. Do you support or oppose this removal of confidentiality rights?

support (22.0%), oppose (67.8%), don’t know (10.2%)

23. Do you support or oppose the USA Patriot Act authorizing government agents to enter your home and otherwise investigate you without cause, recording and copying any materials they wish to, and never telling you?

support (8.3%), oppose (86.3%), don’t know (5.4%)

24. Should Israel abide by the United Nations resolutions that require Israel to return all Israeli settlers to within its UN established borders?

yes (46.1%), no (17.6%), don’t know (36.3%)

25. Today Israel controls the lives of over 3 million Palestinians most of whom are not its citizens, have no basic human rights and can not vote in Israeli elections. Is this relationship consistent with democratic government?

yes (13.2%), no (58.5%), don’t know (28.3%)



Do you support or oppose that the following policies be carried out by the U.S. government:

26. Creation of a national health fund providing total health care coverage for every American at all medical institutions, with the elimination of health insurance company profits and out of pocket patient costs.

support (65.2%), oppose (24.5%), don’t know (10.3%)

27. The U.S. should support international attempts to prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

support (73.2%), oppose (16.1%), don’t know (10.7%)

28. Lengthy detention for anyone whom the U.S. government decides to arrest without their providing any criminal charges, evidence, proofs or trials.

support (9.8%), oppose (75.1%), don’t know (15.1%)

29. Expanding the U.S. global war to attack more nations such as Iran, Korea, Syria, Venezuela and Cuba.

support (15.1%), oppose (65.4%), don’t know (19.5%)

Please provide your

age (30)____;

sex (31)____;
male (42.9%), female (57,1%)

highest educational level(32)_____:
Grades 1-11 (6.0%), High School Grad (25.5%), College without a degree (26.0%), 2 year degree ((6.5%), Any 4 year degree ((24.0%), Advanced or professional degree (12.0%);

City (33)_______;
State (34)___;
Ethnicity (35)____
Native American (4.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.4%), African American (15.6%), Latin American (11.7%), European-American (57.6%), Decline to State (5.9%), Biracial (2.4%)

To those polled: Thank you so much for participating in our poll and for caring enough to share your views. For answers to the factual questions, please go to the answers page.

______________

*This assumes a truly random sample. As elaborated in our article from Z Magazine found elsewhere on this web site, this is always a refutable assumption (though made by major polling organizations) in light of the typically high rate of refusal to participate by most people actually contacted. Correlations between factual questions and opinion questions were tested using the Chi-squared statistic and are reported out elsewhere in our analysis only if they are highly significant (at the 95-100% probability level depending on the specific correlation).