Survey of Delegates and Alternate Delegates to the 2004 Republican and Democrat National Conventions August 2004

Columnist : Lincoln Institute

SECTION I: FEDERAL LEVEL ISSUE QUESTIONS

1. We would like to know how you would rate the importance of the following issues:

    R
    D
Economy
7.6
7.9
Job Security/Unemployment
5.7
6.9
Job Outsourcing to other Nations
5.3
7.4
Iraq
7.0
7.0
War on Terror
8.4
7.3
Federal Budget Deficit
5.9
6.6
Health Care Reform
5.3
7.6
Medicare/Medicaid
4.3
4.1
Gay Marriage
4.2
4.5
Environment
4.8
6.0
Crime
5.5
5.8
Abortion
6.6
5.5
Tax Cuts
7.0
5.7
Social Security
5.7
6.5

2. Do you think the creation of a cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security was a necessary move?

R
D
YES
90%
57%
NO
8%
40%
NO OPINION
2%
3%

3. As a result of the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, do you think America is safer and less likely to suffer another catastrophic terrorist attack?

R
D
SAFER
80%
11%
ABOUT THE SAME
18%
66%
LESS SAFE
2%
20%
NO OPINION
0%
3%

4. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 , do you think there has been an overall improvement in America ‘s intelligence gathering abilities?

R
D
YES
84%
17%
NO, ABOUT THE SAME
10%
77%
WEAKENED
0%
3%
NO OPINION
6%
3%

5. Do you think American intervention in Afghanistan was justified?

R
D
YES
100%
77%
NO
0%
11%
NO OPINION
0%
11%

6. Do you think the American intervention in Iraq was justified?

R
D
YES
96%
6%
NO
4%
91%
NO OPINION
0%
3%

7. Generally speaking, do you think the U.S. Military has sufficient resources to fulfill its current world mission, or do our armed forced need to be expanded?

R
D
SUFFICIENT
20%
26%
NEED EXPANDED
75%
57%
NO OPINION
5%
17%

8. Generally speaking, do you think the U.S. economy is on the right track,or is it seriously off in the wrong direction?

R
D
RIGHT TRACK
96%
3%
WRONG DIRECTION
2%
94%
NO OPINION
2%
3%

9. Which of the following best describes how you feel the Federal Budget Deficit should be cut? ( Select one )

R
D
RELY ON SPENDING CUTS WITHOUT ANY TAX INCREASES
76%
14%
RELY MOSTLY ON SPENDING CUTS WITH SOME TAX INCREASES
16%
14%
RELY ON AN EVEN MIXTURE OF SPENDING CUTS AND TAX INCREASES
8%
29%
RELY MOSTLY ON TAX INCREASES WITH SOME SPENDING CUTS
0%
20%
RELY ON TAX INCREASES WITHOUT ANY SPENDING CUTS
0%
14%
NO OPINION
0%
9%

10. Do you think the U.S. Constitution should be amended to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman?

R
D
STRONGLY SUPPORT
49%
6%
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT
27%
3%
NO OPINION
6%
11%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
6%
11%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
12%
71%

11. Do you SUPPORT or OPPOSE: A constitutional amendment requiring a balanced Federal budget?

R
D
STRONGLY SUPPORT
31%
14%
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT
43%
29%
NO OPINION
12%
9%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
10%
14%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
4%
34%

12. Do you SUPPORT OR OPPOSE: Allowing individuals to establish tax-free savings accounts to help save money for first-time home purchases, college education, and/or medical expenses?

R
D
STRONLY SUPPORT
71%
34%
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT
25%
43%
NO OPINION
2%
6%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
0%
11%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
2%
6%

13. Do you SUPPORT OR OPPOSE: Lowering income taxes to stimulate economic growth?

R
D
STRONGLY SUPPORT
76%
11%
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT
18%
23%
NO OPINION
0%
17%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
6%
26%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
0%
23%

14. Do you SUPPORT OR OPPOSE: A flat tax plan eliminating all deductions?

R
D
STRONGLY SUPPORT
29%
6%
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT
37%
26%
NO OPINION
10%
20%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
14%
11%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
10%
37%

15. Do you SUPPORT OR OPPOSE: A flat tax plan that retains limited mortgage interest and charitable donation deductions?

R
D
STRONGLY SUPPORT
33%
14%
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT
31%
23%
NO OPINION
10%
20%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
16%
14%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
10%
29%

16. Do you SUPPORT OR OPPOSE: Abolishment of the inheritance or “death tax”?

R
D
STRONGLY SUPPORT
73%
20%
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT
24%
26%
NO OPINION
0%
9%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
2%
11%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
2%
34%

17: Do you SUPPORT OR OPPOSE: A national sales tax?

R D
STRONGLY SUPPORT 24% 17%
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT 16% 17%
NO OPINION 14% 17%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE 10% 31%
STRONGLY OPPOSE 37% 17%

18. Do you SUPPORT OR OPPOSE: Substantially overhauling, but retaining the current tax system?

R
D
STRONGLY SUPPORT
12%
14%
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT
35%
60%
NO OPINION
20%
11%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
12%
14%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
22%
0%

19. Do you SUPPORT OR OPPOSE: Increasing the Federal minimum wage requirement?

R
D
STRONGLY SUPPORT
10%
69%
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT
18%
26%
NO OPINION
12%
3%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
27%
3%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
33%
0%

20. Generally speaking, do you FAVOR or OPPOSE free trade policies?

R
D
STRONGLY FAVOR
37%
14%
SOMEWHAT FAVOR
47%
49%
NO OPINION
12%
6%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
2%
17%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
2%
14%

21. Do you FAVOR or OPPOSE the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?

R
D
STRONGLY FAVOR
20%
11%
SOMEWHAT FAVOR
45%
23%
NO OPINION
20%
14%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
12%
26%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
4%
26%

22. Would you FAVOR or OPPOSE expansion of the NAFTA to include the countries of South America ?

R
D
STRONGLY FAVOR
10%
3%
SOMEWHAT FAVOR
47%
26%
NO OPINION
22%
20%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
12%
26%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
10%
26%

23. Do you FAVOR or OPPOSE the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT)?

R
D
STRONGLY FAVOR
12%
3%
SOMEWHAT FAVOR
35%
23%
NO OPINION
39%
37%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
12%
17%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
2%
20%

24. Do you SUPPORT or OPPOSE: Placing limits on the terms of Members of Congress?

R
D
STRONGLY SUPPORT
29%
11%
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT
25%
20%
NO OPINION
4%
9%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
16%
23%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
25%
37%

25. Do you SUPPORT or OPPOSE: Further overhaul of the nation’s campaign finance laws?

R
D
STRONGLY SUPPORT
29%
40%
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT
20%
31%
NO OPINION
6%
9%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
20%
9%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
25%
11%

26. Do you SUPPORT or OPPOSE: Providing for taxpayer funding for Congressional elections?

R
D
STRONGLY SUPPORT
4%
23%
SOMEWHAT SUPPORT
8%
34%
NO OPINION
8%
11%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
20%
14%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
61%
17%

27. Do you believe the Federal government is primarily an adversarial force when it comes to helping people solve their problems, or is the Federal government a positive force in helping people in need?

R
D
POSITIVE FORCE
22%
69%
ADVERSARIAL FORCE
53%
11%
NO OPINION
25%
20%

28. Do you AGREE or DISAGREE that damage to the environment should be avoided no matter what it costs?

R
D
AGREE
8%
51%
NO OPINION
4%
6%
DISAGREE
88%
43%

29. Do you AGREE or DISAGREE that environmental protection is an important goal that should be balanced against economic costs?

R
D
AGREE
90%
77%
NO OPINION
4%
3%
DISAGREE
6%
20%

30. Do you AGREE or DISAGREE that environmental protection is costing too much and is leading to the loss of jobs?

R
D
AGREE
55%
9%
NO OPINION
6%
6%
DISAGREE
39%
86%

SECTION II: STATE LEVEL ISSUE QUESTIONS

1. Do you feel the property tax-based system currently utilized by school districts, local and county governments to fund government services is fair and equitable to most segments of your community?

R
D
FAIR
20%
3%
UNFAIR
78%
97%
NO OPINION
2%
0%

2. Would you favor or oppose replacing property/real estate taxes with a local tax on earned income?

R
D
FAVOR
43%
71%
OPPOSE
57%
20%
NO OPINION
0%
9%

3. Would you favor or oppose replacing property/real estate taxes with a local sales tax?

R
D
FAVOR
63%
49%
OPPOSE
31%
40%
NO OPINION
6%
11%

4. If your ONLY choices were replacing property/real estate taxes with either a local earned income tax or a sales tax, which would you favor?

R
D
SALES TAX
69%
43%
EARNED INCOME TAX
29%
54%
NO OPINION
2%
3%

5. Would you favor or oppose allowing school districts, municipal and county governments to enact a COMBINATION of property/real estate taxes, earned incomes taxes, and local sales taxes?

R
D
FAVOR
20%
66%
OPPOSE
67%
26%
NO OPINION
14%
9%

6. Should government provide financial support for profit seeking entertainment businesses, such as sports teams, by building structures such as stadiums and arenas?

R D
YES 27% 29%
NO 69% 69%
NO OPINION 4% 2%

7. Generally speaking, do you feel PERSONAL INCOME TAXES in Pennsylvania are too high, about right, or too low?

R
D
TOO HIGH
57%
20%
ABOUT RIGHT
41%
63%
TOO LOW
2%
17%
NO OPINION
0%
0%

8. Generally speaking, do you feel BUSINESS TAXES in Pennsylvania are too high, about right, or too low?

R
D
TOO HIGH
78%
20%
ABOUT RIGHT
20%
54%
TOO LOW
2%
23%
NO OPINION
0%
2%

9. If you had the choice of cutting one or the other, would you prefer to see cuts in PERSONAL INCOME or BUSINESS taxes?

R
D
PERSONAL INCOME
51%
57%
BUSINESS TAXES
43%
29%
NO OPINION
6%
14%

10. Do you expect to receive a significant reduction in your real estate/property taxes as a result of recently enacted legislation directing a portion of state revenue from slot/casino gambling to property tax relief?

R
D
SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION
2%
0%
MODEST REDUCTION
18%
43%
NO SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION
80%
57%

11. Do you think school district property tax increases will be significantly curtailed as a result of the voter referendum now required for before certain tax increases can tax effect?

R
D
SIGNIFICANTLY CURTAIL TAX INCREASES
16%
23%
MODESTLY CURTAIN TAX INCREASES
45%
37%
NO SIGNIFICANT CURTAILMENT
39%
37%
NO OPINION
0%
2%

12. Do you think the “No Child Left Behind” law has improved the quality of public education in America ?

R
D
YES
65%
6%
NO
22%
94%
NO OPINION
14%
0%

13. Generally speaking, are you in favor of the concept of “school choice”?

R
D
YES
86%
31%
NO
14%
66%
NO OPINION
0%
2%

4. Do you feel vouchers or grants should be made available to students who wish to attend a PUBLIC SCHOOL in a district other than their district of residence?

R
D
YES
73%
34%
NO
25%
60%
NO OPINION
2%
6%

15. Do you feel vouchers or grants should be made available to students who wish to attend a PAROCHIAL SCHOOL?

R
D
YES
78%
17%
NO
18%
83%
NO OPINION
4%
0%

16. Do you feel vouchers or grants should be made available to students who wish to attend a NON-RELIGIOUS PRIVATE SCHOOL?

R
D
YES
78%
14%
NO
18%
80%
NO OPINION
4%
6%

17. Do you support the concept of CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

R
D
YES
75%
49%
NO
16%
46%
NO OPINION
10%
6%

18. Should local school boards be allowed to contract with private companies to provide instructional, administrative, and operational services?

R
D
YES
88%
37%
NO
6%
51%
NO OPINION
6%
11%

19. Should local school boards be given the ability to hire and retain staff (including teachers) on the basis of performance?

R
D
YES
94%
80%
NO
4%
14%
NO OPINION
2%
6%

20. Generally speaking, do you feel our public schools are doing a better job, about the same job, or a worse job of educating our young people than they did ten years ago?

R
D
BETTER JOB
22%
23%
ABOUT THE SAME
27%
40%
WORSE JOB
47%
31%
NO OPINION
4%
6%

21 Generally speaking, do you think too much, about the right amount, or not enough tax money is presently being spent on public education in Pennsylvania today?

R
D
TOO MUCH
63%
6%
ABOUT THE SAME
27%
26%
NOT ENOUGH
10%
66%
NO OPINION
0%
3%

22. If you were asked to assign a letter grade based on the overall job our public schools are doing in educating our young people today, what would that grade be?

R
D
A
2%
0%
B
22%
34%
C
45%
43%
D
20%
9%
F
12%
6%
N/A
0%
9%

23. Some states within the nation have a Right to Work law, which means that a worker cannot be fired or kept from having a job for either joining or not joining a labor union. Do you favor or oppose such a law for Pennsylvania ?

R
D
STRONGLY FAVOR
63%
29%
SOMEWHAT FAVOR
29%
20%
NO OPINION
2%
6%
SOMEWHAT OPPOSE
4%
6%
STRONGLY OPPOSE
2%
40%

24. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , all employees such as teachers, firemen, state workers and local government employees are required to join or pay dues to a union as a condition of employment. Do you agree or disagree with this arrangement that requires public employees to support a union in order to work for the government in Pennsylvania ?

R
D
STRONGLY AGREE
2%
54%
SOMEWHAT AGREE
6%
14%
NO OPINION
0%
6%
SOMEWHAT DISAGREE
22%
17%
STRONGLY DISAGREE
71%
9%

25. Do you think, as a condition of employment, government workers should be prohibited form going on strike?

R
D
STRONGLY AGREE
57%
20%
SOMEWHAT AGREE
25%
14%
NO OPINION
6%
6%
SOMEWHAT DISAGREE
10%
26%
STRONGLY DISAGREE
2%
34%

26. Do you think public school teachers should be required to join a labor union and be required to pay union dues as a condition of their employment?

R
D
STRONGLY AGREE
2%
43%
SOMEWHAT AGREE
2%
14%
NO OPINION
2%
11%
SOMEWHAT DISAGREE
18%
14%
STRONGLY DISAGREE
76%
17%

27. If “Yes,” do you think public school teachers should be required to join a labor union and be required to pay union dues as a condition of their employment if a portion of those dues goes to union political activities?

R
D
STRONGLY AGREE
4%
43%
SOMEWHAT AGREE
0%
14%
NO OPINION
4%
31%
SOMEWHAT DISAGREE
9%
6%
STRONGLY DISAGREE
83%
6%

28. Do you agree or disagree with the recent legalization of slot machine gambling in Pennsylvania ?

R
D
STRONGLY AGREE
25%
53%
SOMEWHAT AGREE
16%
26%
NO OPINION
2%
3%
SOMEWHAT DISAGREE
14%
8%
STRONGLY DISAGREE
43%
11%

Please answer the following questions about yourself.

Are you:

R
D
VERY CONSERVATIVE
24%
0%
SOMEWHAT CONSERVATIVE
55%
6%
MODERATE
18%
46%
SOMEWHAT LIBERAL
2%
31%
VERY LIBERAL
0%
11%
NO ANSWER
2%
6%

Gender:

R
D
MALE
71%
49%
FEMALE
29%
46%
N/A
0%
6%

Age:

R
D
18-30
8%
6%
30-50
45%
29%
50-65
27%
46%
Over 65
18%
20%
N/A
2%
0%

 

Methodology

The Lincoln Institute mailed a survey instrument for the 2004 Poll of Delegates and Alternates to the Democrat and Republican national conventions to the Delegates and Alternates on August 2, 2004. A total of 51 Republicans and 35 Democrats responded to the survey as of the poll’s deadline of August 20, 2004.