THE WISCONSIN SURVEY
Fall 2007
National Issues
Survey Information:
Random Selection, Telephone Survey
Number of Adult Wisconsin Resident Respondents: 401
Interview Period: October 30th – November 8th, 2007
Margin of Error: +/- 5% at the 95% confidence level.
Contact:
Wendy Scattergood
Assistant Professor of Political Science, St. Norbert College Survey Center
DePere, WI 54115
(920) 403-3491
wendy.scattergood@snc.edu
· NOTE: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
Generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or are they going in the wrong direction?
Right Direction............................................................. 22%
Wrong Direction.......................................................... 72%
Not Sure..................................................................... 6%
Refused....................................................................... 1%
|
Right Direction
|
Fall '02
|
47%
|
Sp '03
|
36%
|
Fall '03
|
41%
|
Sp '04
|
32%
|
Sp '05
|
40%
|
Fall '05
|
29%
|
Sp '06
|
24%
|
Fall '06
|
30%
|
Sp '07
|
21%
|
Fall '07
|
22%
|
How satisfied are you with the way President Bush is doing his job overall. Would you say you are very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?
Very Satisfied.............................................................. 11%
Somewhat Satisfied..................................................... 25%
Somewhat Dissatisfied................................................. 20%
Very Dissatisfied.......................................................... 43%
Not Sure..................................................................... <1%
Refused....................................................................... <1%
Approval Rating (Somewhat + Very Satisfied)
Fall '01
|
93%
|
Sp '03
|
54%
|
Fall '03
|
48%
|
Sp '04
|
45%
|
Sp '05
|
51%
|
Fall '05
|
40%
|
Sp '06
|
37%
|
Fall '06
|
40%
|
Sp '07
|
34%
|
Fall '07
|
36%
|
How satisfied are you with the way Congress is doing its job overall. Would you say you are very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?
|
Spring '07
|
Fall '07
|
Very Satisfied
|
4%
|
1%
|
Somewhat Satisfied
|
33%
|
25%
|
Somewhat Dissatisfied
|
36%
|
35%
|
Very Dissatisfied
|
21%
|
35%
|
Not Sure
|
6%
|
3%
|
Refused
|
0%
|
1%
|
What is the most important problem facing the country today? (Open-ended)
|
Sp '03
|
Fall '04
|
Fall '05
|
Fall '06
|
Sp '07
|
Fall '07
|
Iraq
|
53%
|
21%
|
28%
|
29%
|
42%
|
25%
|
Terrorism
|
8%
|
15%
|
7%
|
10%
|
3%
|
5%
|
Economy
|
17%
|
23%
|
11%
|
9%
|
8%
|
16%
|
Health Care
|
2%
|
16%
|
9%
|
9%
|
12%
|
11%
|
Morality
|
1%
|
3%
|
8%
|
5%
|
4%
|
8%
|
Government Budget & Taxes
|
4%
|
4%
|
7%
|
6%
|
3%
|
3%
|
Gas Prices
|
0%
|
1%
|
5%
|
2%
|
4%
|
5%
|
Politics
|
7%
|
7%
|
5%
|
6%
|
2%
|
6%
|
Poverty & Soc Security
|
1%
|
2%
|
6%
|
1%
|
2%
|
4%
|
Education
|
1%
|
<1%
|
2%
|
2%
|
3%
|
2%
|
Crime
|
0%
|
0%
|
2%
|
5%
|
1%
|
2%
|
Environment
|
<1%
|
1%
|
1%
|
1%
|
3%
|
2%
|
Immigration
|
0%
|
1%
|
0%
|
5%
|
3%
|
4%
|
Most Important Problem Facing the Country – Response Detail
Iraq (25%)
- General comment
- Bring the troops home
- Getting the war to end somehow
- Government policies handling the war
- Should never have been there
- The war crimes committed there
- Get some of the troops out
- The money being spent on private contractors
- It’s never-ending
Economy & Jobs (16%)
The most often mentioned (22% of responses categorized as “economy and jobs”), was a general mention of the economy being the biggest problem. The rest of the 78% of the responses in this category were spread out between the following issues in order of number of responses.
- Cost of living/inflation
- Unemployment
- The devalued dollar (this is new, haven’t seen this come up before)
- Jobs moving abroad
- Increasing income disparity (this was also slightly more prominent than usual)
- Economy in bad shape due to the housing market (this is new as well)
- Economy is in bad shape due to Iraq
- “ “ Gas Prices
- “ “ High Taxes
- Low wage jobs/need higher paying jobs
Health Care (11%)
The most often mentioned was a general comment that health care was the biggest problem facing the country (37% of those who mentioned a health care issue), and those stating that health care costs were too high (also 37%).
The rest of the comments were spread among the following issues:
- Health insurance is the problem (did not specify lack thereof etc.)
- Children’s coverage
- Seniors and health care
- Lack of coverage for all
- Healthcare plans are too expensive
- Lack of employer coverage
- Lack of adequate care
Morality (8%)
Most cites in this category talked about our declining moral values as a country. A few specifically talked about moving away from Christianity and/or family values. A few mentioned abortion.
Terrorism and National Security (7%)
- Twice as many mentioned terrorism as national security
- Terrorism comprises 5% of all responses and over 70% of responses within this category
- On national security, most were saying it needs to be stronger, some referred to more border security being needed
Politics (6%)
There were only a couple of mentions that President Bush is the biggest problem (lower than past surveys). A few mentioned Hillary Clinton, but most were about the lack of unity between the parties and about political corruption and greed.
Energy Prices (5%)
Almost all the mentions here were generally that gas prices were too high. A few mentioned energy prices more generally and one mentioned the need for alternative fuels.
Poverty/Social Welfare Issues and Social Security (4%)
Just under a third of the mentions in this category had to do with social security (though this amounted to only 5 respondents out of 401 surveyed). Of this, two talked about it not being enough for the elderly, two said it isn’t going to last, and one mentioned social security generally.
On social welfare, only one person mentioned welfare - that there were too many people on it, while three people mentioned poverty, another three mentioned homelessness. One mentioned needs of the disabled. One person mentioned drug addiction as the biggest problem facing the country and the other mentioned that we should take care of our own people before we help the rest of the world.
Immigration (4%)
Most, (80%) of the mentions in this category were saying generally that illegal immigration is the biggest problem facing the country. The other few comments were more racist in nature.
Government Budget & Taxes (3%)
Among the few who mentioned this issue, the plurality (38% of those within this category) mentioned high taxes as the biggest problem facing the country.
The next highest was that federal government spending is out of control, followed by just a few mentions about the deficit, the debt, and that we are spending government funds on the wrong things.
Education (2%)
Almost all of the mentions in this category were about the lack of funding, though a couple mentioned that curriculum is not keeping up with the needs and that the cost of college is too high.
Crime (2%)
The most often cited in this category was violence – that either we are a violent culture, or that people have increasingly violent natures. Only one person mentioned increasing crime, another mentioned sexual predators and a third, identity theft.
Environment (2%)
Almost all of the mentions in this category were that climate change is the biggest problem facing the country. Two mentioned the environment generally as the biggest problem.
Foreign Policy (about 1%)
Most were concerned about how we conduct our relations with other countries and about our international reputation.
Iran (<1%)
Not Sure (<1%)
None (1%)
Too Many (<1%)
Refused (1%)
