The Middle Tennessee Poll Fall 1998 Part 2
1. So far as you and your family are concerned, would you say that you are pretty well satisfied with your present financial situation, more or less satisfied, or not satisfied at all? Percentages Satisfied 39.7% More or less satisfied 42.3 Not satisfied 17.7 Don't know .3 Total Cases (305) 100.0 2. Would you say that you and your family are better off, or worse off, financially than you were a year ago? Percentages Better off 51.6% Same 27.6 Worse off 19.7 Don't know 1.0 Total Cases (304) 100.0 3. Do you think a year from now you and your family will be better off financially, or worse off, or just about the same as now? Percentages Better off 40.3% Same 47.2 Worse off 7.5 Don't know 4.9 Total Cases (305) 100.0 4. Now let's talk about crime and safety. How big a problem is crime in your area? Is it a major problem, a minor problem, or hardly any problem at all? Percentages Major problem 18.0% Minor problem 45.6 Hardly any problem 34.8 Don't know 1.6 Total Cases (305) 100.0 5. Would you say you and your family are safer from crime and violence or not as safe as you were a year ago? Percentages Safer 24.4% Same 41.3 Not as safe 31.0 Don't know 3.3 Total Cases (303) 100.0 6. Is there any area near your home -- that is, within a mile where you would be afraid to walk alone at night? Percentages Yes 36.4% No 61.6 Don't know 2.0 Total Cases (305) 100.0 7. How about at home at night -- do you feel safe and secure, or not? Percentages Yes 89.8% No 8.9 Don't know 1.3 Total Cases (305) 100.0 8. Now looking ahead ... do you think a year from now you and your family will be safer from crime and violence, not as safe or just about the same as now? Percentages Safer 10.9% Same 65.8 Not as safe 20.4 Don't know 3.0 Total Cases (304) 100.0 9. Now, thinking about the coming week, how likely is it that you will be the victim of a violent crime, one that would involve shooting, beating or some other form of physical harm? Are you very likely, somewhat likely, slightly likely, or not at all likely? Percentages Very 2.6% Somewhat 8.6 Slightly 23.7 Not at all 59.9 Don't know 5.3 Total Cases (304) 100.0 10. Again, in the coming week, how likely is it that you will have your residence broken into in a burglary? Are you very likely, somewhat likely, only slightly likely, or not at all likely? Percentages Very 4.3% Somewhat 12.5 Slightly 24.9 Not at all 55.7 Don't know 2.6 Total Cases (305) 100.0 11. How about the job police and law enforcement officials are doing in protecting you and your family? Would you say they are doing an excellent job, a good job, a fair job, or a poor job? Percentages Excellent 18.4% Good 43.6 Fair 29.2 Poor 6.6 Don't know 2.3 Total Cases (305) 100.0 12. Do you think that the presence of the Tennessee Oilers professional football team will make living in Middle Tennessee better, about the same, or worse? Percentages Better 38.5% Same 40.8 Worse 15.8 Don't know 4.9 Total Cases (304) 100.0 13. Do you think the presence of the Nashville Predators professional ice hockey team will make living in Middle Tennessee better, about the same, or worse? Percentages Better 31.9% Same 51.6 Worse 9.5 Don't know 6.9 Total Cases (304) 100.0 Do you think the presence of the Nashville Noise women's professional basketball team will make living in Middle Tennessee better, about the same, or worse? Percentages Better 31.1% Same 52.8 Worse 6.6 Don't know 9.5 Total Cases (305) 100.0 15. Would you say that you are very happy, pretty happy, or not too happy? Percentages Very happy 31.1% Pretty happy 61.0 Not too happy 6.9 Don't know 1.0 Total Cases (305) 100.0 16. How about your health? Would you say your own health, in general, is excellent, good, fair, or poor? Percentages Excellent 36.5% Good 46.1 Fair 13.2 Poor 3.9 Don't know .3 Total Cases (304) 100.0 17. What about compared to last year? Would you say your own health is now better, worse, or about the same as it was last year? Percentages Better 20.8% Same 65.0 Worse 13.9 Don't know .3 Total Cases (303) 100.0 18. And how about compared to next year? Would you say your own health will be better, worse, or about the same as it is this year? Percentages Better 35.2% Same 52.3 Worse 4.6 Don't know 7.9 Total Cases (304) 100.0 19. Do you and your family, if any, have health insurance that is adequate for your needs? Percentages Yes 88.9% No 10.8 Don't know .3 Total Cases (305) 100.0 20. How satisfied are you with the state of race relations in Middle Tennessee? Would you say very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, not too satisfied, or not at all satisfied? Percentages Very 24.2% Somewhat 49.3 Not too 17.2 Not at all 5.3 Don't know 4.0 Total Cases (302) 100.0 21. Over the past year, do you think that relations between blacks and whites in this country have improved, remained about the same, or have gotten worse? Percentages Improved 32.2% Same 43.4 Worse 21.7 Don't know 2.6 Total Cases (304) 100.0 22. Which of the following statements most closely matches your views: that racial discrimination is the main reason why many black people can't get ahead these days, or that blacks who can't get ahead in this country are mostly responsible for their own condition? Percentages Racial discrimination 19.9% Own responsible 61.5 Don't know 18.6 Total Cases (291) 100.0 23. Do you feel strongly about that, or not? Percentages Strongly 75.5% Not strongly 19.8 Don't know 4.6 Total Cases (237) 100.0 24. As far as you know, are the people in your neighborhood all the same race as you, is there a mixture of racial groups, or are most people in your neighborhood of a different race than you? Percentages Same 38.7% Mixed 55.1 Different 4.3 Don't know 2.0 Total Cases (305) 100.0 25. When you hear the term, "affirmative action," does that mean to you ... giving one race or other group an advantage they don't deserve? Percentages Yes 36.4% Not sure 11.8 No 40.4 Don't know 11.4 Total Cases (297) 100.0 26. Now let me read you the wording of a proposed referendum on affirmative action. Would you vote in favor or vote against this: "The State of Tennessee will not use race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin as a criterion for either discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group? Percentages Yes 79.8% Not sure 5.0 No 7.9 Don't know 7.3 Total Cases (302) 100.0 Many new people have come to Middle Tennessee in the last few years. Please tell me whether you think that the following groups have made life here better, or about the same, or worse. 27. What about Mexicans and other Hispanics? Would you say they've made life here better, about the same, or worse? Percentages Better 15.4% Same 47.8 Worse 27.8 Don't know 9.0 Total Cases (299) 100.0 28. What about Russians and people from other parts of the former Soviet Union? Percentages Better 10.7% Same 50.2 Worse 4.3 Don't know 34.8 Total Cases (299) 100.0 29. What about Chinese, Thais, Laotians, Koreans and other Asians? Percentages Better 19.7% Same 52.2 Worse 9.7 Don't know 18.4 Total Cases (299) 100.0 30. Suppose you had a teenage child who was old enough to go out on dates. Would you mind if your teenager dated someone from another race, or would that be OK with you? Percentages Would mind 40.3% Would not mind 48.5 Don't know 11.2 Total Cases (295) 100.0