Question Wording and Percentages for Each Answer
Here is a copy of the questionnaire, with response percentages for each question indicated.
First, tell me in your own words: What do you think is the number one problem confronting the state of Tennessee at this time?
High crime 14.6
Government inefficiency
and waste 8.8
Government corruption 4.0
The poor state of education 25.1
The poor state of health services
and health insurance 7.4
High taxes 11.8
Outdated or unfair tax system 5.0
Traffic congestion and
road construction 6.4
Don’t know 15.4
Total Cases (395) 100.0
Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Clinton is handling his job as President?
Approve 52.2
Disapprove 42.4
Don't know 5.4
Total Cases (484) 100.0
Do you approve or disapprove of the way Don Sundquist is handling his job as governor?
Approve 55.0
Disapprove 24.9
Don't know 20.1
Total Cases (481) 100.0
Do you approve or disapprove of the job the Democratic leaders in the Tennessee State Legislature are doing?
Approve 42.8
Disapprove 30.9
Don't know 26.3
Total Cases (482) 100.0
Do you approve or disapprove of the job Phil Bredesen has done as mayor of Nashville?
Approve 60.5
Disapprove 17.6
Don't know 21.9
Total Cases (480) 100.0
Who would you like to see win the Democratic primary?
Al Gore 53.9
Bill Bradley 24.9
Don't care about the
Democratic primary 8.2
Want someone else to win 5.8
Don't know 7.1
Total Cases (476) 100.0
If the next presidential election were being held today, and the candidates were Al Gore the Democrat and George Bush Jr. the Republican, would you vote for Al Gore or George Bush Jr.?
Al Gore 65.4
George Bush Jr. 28.6
Neither 3.0
Don't know 3.0
Total Cases (365) 100.0
If the next presidential election were being held today, and the candidates were Bill Bradley the Democrat and George Bush Jr. the Republican, would you vote for Bill Bradley or George Bush Jr.?
Bill Bradley 26.6
George Bush Jr. 63.8
Neither 5.8
Don't know 2.8
Total Cases (118) 100.0
We're interested in how Middle Tennesseans are getting along financially these days.
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?
Pretty well satisfied 36.7
More or less satisfied 43.0
Not at all satisfied 19.3
Don't know 1.0
Total Cases (485) 100.0
Would you say that you and your family are better off, or worse off, financially than you were a year ago?
Better off 49.5
Same 32.6
Worse off 15.8
Don't know 2.1
Total Cases (481) 100.0
Now looking ahead ... 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?
Better off 43.1
Same 44.9
Worse off 5.0
Don't know 6.9
Total Cases (485) 100.0
Let's talk next about state spending. Most people can't be expected to know exactly how the state spends its money. We just want your best estimate of how much the state spends in a few of its budget categories.
About how many cents out of every dollar go to pay for health and social services?
0-20 71.9
21-40 20.9
41-60 5.3
61-80 1.4
81-100 .5
Total Cases (319) 100.0
About how many cents out of every dollar go to pay for law enforcement and public safety?
0-20 77.9
21-40 15.8
41-60 3.7
61-80 1.2
81-100 1.4
Total Cases (313) 100.0
About how many cents out of every dollar go to pay for roads and other transportation expenses?
0-20 74.6
21-40 17.2
41-60 5.3
61-80 1.4
81-100 1.5
Total Cases (318) 100.0
About how many cents out of every dollar go to pay for education?
0-20 75.2
21-40 28.3
41-60 9.7
61-80 6.0
81-100 3.6
Total Cases (313) 100.0
About how many cents out of every dollar go to pay general government expenses?
0-20 52.4
21-40 28.3
41-60 9.7
61-80 6.0
81-100 3.6
Total Cases (313) 100.0
We are faced with many problems in Tennessee. I'm going to name some of these problems. For each one, I'd like you to tell me whether you think we're spending too much money on it, too little money, or about the right amount.
What about TennCare, the program that insures poor people?
Too little 34.8
About right 26.1
Too much 24.4
Don't know 14.7
Total Cases (482) 100.0
What about welfare programs for the poor? Are we spending too much, too little, or about the right amount?
Too little 24.8
About right 26.8
Too much 38.5
Don't know 9.9
Total Cases (479) 100.0
What about higher education, like state universities, community colleges and technical schools? Are we spending too much, too little, or about the right amount?
Too little 49.5
About right 34.0
Too much 7.5
Don't know 9.0
Total Cases (483) 100.0
What about highway maintenance? Are we spending too much, too little, or about the right amount?
Too little 26.5
About right 41.3
Too much 26.5
Don't know 5.6
Total Cases (481) 100.0
What about the environment? Are we spending too much, too little, or about the right amount?
Too little 44.3
About right 35.9
Too much 10.8
Don't know 9.0
Total Cases (482) 100.0
What about elementary and secondary education? Are we spending too much, too little, or about the right amount?
Too little 69.4
About right 22.9
Too much 4.0
Don't know 3.6
Total Cases (482) 100.0
What about state law enforcement agencies? Are we spending too much, too little, or about the right amount?
Too little 42.8
About right 36.0
Too much 13.5
Don't know 7.7
Total Cases (482) 100.0
What about programs for the handicapped? Are we spending too much, too little, or about the right amount?
Too little 45.8
About right 34.0
Too much 4.7
Don't know 15.5
Total Cases (482) 100.0
What about programs for the mentally retarded? Are we spending too much, too little, or about the right amount?
Too little 51.5
About right 25.1
Too much 3.6
Don't know 19.9
Total Cases (481) 100.0
What about foster care services? Are we spending too much, too little, or about the right amount?
Too little 39.7
About right 27.6
Too much 5.5
Don't know 27.1
Total Cases (478) 100.0
What about mental health? Are we spending too much, too little, or about the right amount?
Too little 46.7
About right 28.0
Too much 6.0
Don't know 19.4
Total Cases (478) 100.0
What about mass transportation, including bus and rail service? Are we spending too much, too little, or about the right amount?
Too little 39.4
About right 37.1
Too much 8.3
Don't know 15.2
Total Cases (482) 100.0
Now we have a few questions about how the Tennessee state government might raise money.
Do you believe that the state of Tennessee is facing a financial crisis, or not?
Yes, it is 42.9
No, it isn't 45.6
Don't know 11.5
Total Cases (484) 100.0
There have been several suggestions made about how Tennessee could raise more money. We would like to ask you how you feel about some of these options.
What about establishing a state personal income tax? Would you strongly favor ... favor ... oppose ... or strongly oppose establishing a state personal income tax, or aren't you sure?
Strongly favor 5.8
Favor 18.9
Not sure 7.7
Oppose 32.5
Strongly oppose 29.4
Don't know 5.7
Total Cases (483) 100.0
What about raising the state sales tax? Would you strongly favor ... favor ... oppose ... or strongly oppose raising the state sales tax, or aren't you sure?
Strongly favor 2.9
Favor 10.6
Not sure 3.6
Oppose 42.1
Strongly oppose 38.7
Don't know 2.1
Total Cases (188) 100.0
What about extending state business taxes to small firms that currently do not pay taxes on profits and assets? Would you strongly favor ... favor ... oppose ... or strongly oppose that idea, or aren't you sure?
Strongly favor 19.0
Favor 33.9
Not sure 8.1
Oppose 23.1
Strongly oppose 9.2
Don't know 6.7
Total Cases (481) 100.0
What about creating a state lottery? Would you strongly favor ... favor ... oppose ... or strongly oppose creating a state lottery, or aren't you sure?
Strongly favor 47.9
Favor 22.2
Not sure 5.1
Oppose 12.5
Strongly oppose 10.5
Don't know 1.5
Total Cases (484) 100.0
How much attention would you say you've paid to the debate about establishing a state personal income tax in Tennessee?
A great deal 26.7
Some 27.9
Not very much 24.2
None at all 15.1
Don't know 6.1
Total Cases (484) 100.0
Do you think individuals are paying more than their fair share, about their fair share, or less than their fair share of taxes in Tennessee?
More than their fair share 43.7
About their fair share 41.8
Less than their fair share 9.0
Don't know 5.4
Total Cases (483) 100.0
Do you think BIG businesses are paying more than their fair share, about their fair share, or less than their fair share of taxes in Tennessee?
More than their fair share 4.6
About their fair share 19.0
Less than their fair share 67.3
Don't know 9.1
Total Cases (483) 100.0
Do you think SMALL businesses are paying more than their fair share, about their fair share, or less than their fair share of taxes in Tennessee?
More than their fair share 28.2
About their fair share 40.0
Less than their fair share 19.7
Don't know 12.1
Total Cases (485) 100.0
Are there any people or groups we haven't talked about yet that you think should pay a bigger share of taxes than they're paying now?
Churches
N o 92.9
Yes 7.1
Total Cases(485) 100.0
Newspapers
N o 95.7
Yes 4.3
Total Cases(485) 100.0
Limited liability corporations
N o 93.5
Yes 6.5
Total Cases(485) 100.0
The rich
N o 79.5
Yes 20.5
Total Cases (485) 100.0
Cities
N o 97.7
Yes 2.3
Total Cases (485) 100.0
Tourists
N o 97.7
Yes 2.3
Total Cases (485) 100.0
People moving into the state
N o 96.6
Yes 3.4
Total Cases (485) 100.0
Non-residents who own property here
N o 92.3
Yes 7.7
Total Cases (485) 100.0
Other
N o 89.2
Yes 10.8
Total Cases (485) 100.0
NO GROUP NAMED
N o 40.3
Yes 59.7
Total Cases (485) 100.0
Would you strongly favor ... favor ... oppose ... or strongly oppose a state personal income tax if it meant ending the sales tax on groceries and lowering the sales tax on other items? Or aren't you sure about that?
Strongly favor 13.0
Favor 27.2
Not sure 6.5
Oppose 25.4
Strongly oppose 23.2
Don't know 4.7
Total Cases (151) 100.0
Would you strongly favor ... favor ... oppose ... or strongly oppose a state personal income tax if the state government could raise your tax rate only by constitutional amendment
Strongly favor 4.4
Favor 14.0
Not sure 12.3
Oppose 33.9
Strongly oppose 24.1
Don't know 11.2
Total Cases (332) 100.0
Let's talk briefly about five possible sources of money for state spending in Tennessee: business taxes, grocery taxes, sales taxes, personal income taxes, and a state lottery.
How many cents out of every dollar of state spending should come from business taxes?
0-20 49.7
21-40 31.1
41-60 14.2
61-80 2.9
81-100 2.1
Total Cases (357) 100.0
How many cents out of every dollar of state spending should come from grocery taxes?
0-20 89.8
21-40 4.7
41-60 3.1
61-80 .5
81-100 1.9
Total Cases (370) 100.0
How many cents out of every dollar of state spending should come from sales taxes?
0-20 65.7
21-40 17.8
41-60 9.6
61-80 3.1
81-100 3.7
Total Cases (368) 100.0
How many cents out of every dollar of state spending should come from personal income taxes?
0-20 80.9
21-40 20.9
41-60 4.2
61-80 1.8
81-100 2.2
Total Cases (374) 100.0
How many cents out of every dollar of state spending should come from a state lottery?
0-20 47.6
21-40 16.3
41-60 21.8
61-80 6.3
81-100 8.0
Total Cases (382) 100.0
If you had to choose between raising taxes and cutting programs to balance Tennessee's budget, which would you do?
Raise taxes 33.1
Cut programs 40.5
Balance budget without doing
either one 17.6
Don't know 8.7
Total Cases (481) 100.0
If Tennessee had a state lottery, do you think it would solve our financial problems entirely, help a lot, help some, help a little, or not help at all?
Solve our problems 6.1
Help a lot 37.9
Help some 27.0
Help a little 11.3
Not help at all 15.9
Don't know 1.8
Total Cases (263) 100.0
Do you happen to have seen any of the ads on TV asserting that the state of Tennessee is facing a budget crisis?
Yes 37.0
No 61.1
Don't know 1.9
Total Cases (485) 100.0
Would you say the ad made you more likely or less likely to support tax reform in Tennessee, or that it made no difference?
Less likely to support reform 23.8
No difference 46.5
More likely to support tax reform 24.5
Don't know 5.3
Total Cases (178) 100.0
Now I'd like you to think about the newspaper you read most often. On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means "fair" and 5 means "unfair," how would you rate that newspaper?
1 Fair 30.1
2 21.1
3 23.5
4 10.5
5 Unfair 8.1
Don't know 6.7
Total Cases (222) 100.0
How would you rate that newspaper on a 1-to-5 scale where 1 means "biased" and 5 means "unbiased"?
1 Biased 12.6
2 20.3
3 36.3
4 12.5
5 Unbiased 9.9
Don't know 8.4
Total Cases (219) 100.0
How would you rate that newspaper on a 1-to-5 scale where 1 means "tells the whole story" and 5 means "doesn't tell the whole story"?
1 Tells whole story 12.4
2 21.3
3 26.5
4 15.2
5 Doesn't tell whole story 16.8
Don't know 7.8
Total Cases (218) 100.0
How would you rate that newspaper on a 1-to-5 scale where 1 means "accurate" and 5 means "accurate"?
1 accurate 15.8
2 26.1
3 31.4
4 13.5
5 inaccurate 7.7
Don't know 5.5
Total Cases (218) 100.0
What about if 1 means "can be trusted" and 5 means "cannot be trusted"?
1 can be trusted 18.5
2 23.1
3 29.9
4 15.1
1 cannot be trusted 7.0
Don't know 6.4
Total Cases (220) 100.0
Now I'd like you to think about the TV news program you watch most often. On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means "fair" and 5 means "unfair," how would you rate that program?
1 Fair 35.7
2 20.4
3 21.5
4 8.9
5 Unfair 6.3
Don't know 7.4
Total Cases (219) 100.0
How would you rate that TV news program on a 1-to-5 scale where 1 means "biased" and 5 means "unbiased"?
1 Biased 14.3
2 16.3
3 26.5
4 20.0
5 Unbiased 14.8
Don't know 8.1
Total Cases (218) 100.0
How would you rate that TV news program on a 1-to-5 scale where 1 means "tells the whole story" and 5 means "doesn't tell the whole story"?
1 Tells whole story 21.0
2 17.3
3 32.7
4 13.5
5 Doesn't tell whole story 9.3
Don't know 6.1
Total Cases (219) 100.0
What about if 1 means "accurate" and 5 means "inaccurate"?
1 accurate 21.7
2 30.3
3 29.0
4 8.0
5 inaccurate 5.4
Don't know 5.6
Total Cases (219) 100.0
What about if 1 means "can be trusted" and 5 means "cannot be trusted"?
1 can be trusted 24.0
2 25.9
3 27.4
4 9.3
5 cannot be trusted 6.9
Don't know 6.5
Total Cases (219) 100.0
Now I'd like you to think about the news media in general. On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means "fair" and 5 means "unfair," how would you rate the news media in general?
1 Fair 10.8
2 16.7
3 39.3
4 17.2
5 Unfair 11.6
Don't know 4.4
Total Cases (220) 100.0
How would you rate the news media in general on a 1-to-5 scale where 1 means "biased" and 5 means "unbiased"?
1 Biased 17.8
2 23.2
3 37.1
4 11.2
5 Unbiased 5.8
Don't know 4.9
Total Cases (219) 100.0
How would you rate the news media in general on a 1-to-5 scale where 1 means "tells the whole story" and 5 means "doesn't tell the whole story"?
1 Tells whole story 12.6
2 14.7
3 38.2
4 16.7
5 Doesn't tell whole story 14.3
Don't know 3.4
Total Cases (219) 100.0
What about if 1 means "accurate" and 5 means "inaccurate"?
1 accurate 13.5
2 22.9
3 37.5
4 14.0
5 inaccurate 8.7
Don't know 3.3
Total Cases (220) 100.0
What about if 1 means "can be trusted" and 5 means "cannot be trusted"?
1 can be trusted 10.6
2 23.7
3 32.8
4 16.5
5 cannot be trusted 10.7
Don't know 5.7
Total Cases (220) 100.0
Now, we'd like to know how much, if any, protection you think the law should give to journalists and news organizations. Please keep in mind that we're not asking whether you personally approve of these behaviors. We just want to know how much, if at all, you think the law should protect that behavior. We want to know whether these things should be protected by law all of the time, only under certain circumstances, or not at all
How about when journalists take sides with a foreign government against the position of the United States?
Not at all 45.6
Under certain circumstances 22.5
All the time 28.1
Don't know 3.8
Total Cases (222) 100.0
How about when journalists criticize political leaders.
Not at all 25.8
Under certain circumstances 29.1
All the time 41.9
Don't know 3.2
Total Cases (222) 100.0
How about when journalists criticize the military?
Not at all 34.8
Under certain circumstances 31.0
All the time 31.5
Don't know 2.7
Total Cases (222) 100.0
How about when journalists report classified material that the government wishes to keep secret?
Not at all 49.0
Under certain circumstances 27.8
All the time 20.0
Don't know 3.2
Total Cases (222) 100.0
How about when newspapers or television stations run graphic photographs of violent events?
Not at all 41.1
Under certain circumstances 32.0
All the time 23.0
Don't know 3.9
Total Cases (222) 100.0
How about when journalists report stories about national security without government approval?
Not at all 49.4
Under certain circumstances 25.4
All the time 21.9
Don't know 3.2
Total Cases (222) 100.0
How about when journalists report factually inaccurate information that they believe to be true
Not at all 44.8
Under certain circumstances 33.6
All the time 18.7
Don't know 2.9
Total Cases (222) 100.0
How about when journalists report about the mistakes a public figure made more than 20 years ago?
Not at all 42.5
Under certain circumstances 25.2
All the time 27.8
Don't know 4.4
Total Cases (264) 100.0
How about when newspapers take sides in editorials during an election campaign
Not at all 38.4
Under certain circumstances 22.0
All the time 35.5
Don't know 4.0
Total Cases (222) 100.0
How about when television stations take sides in editorials during an election campaign?
Not at all 45.1
Under certain circumstances 19.7
All the time 30.8
Don't know 4.5
Total Cases (220) 100.0
How about when journalists report the name or identity of a rape victim?
Not at all 52.5
Under certain circumstances 21.6
All the time 23.4
Don't know 2.5
Total Cases (222) 100.0
How about when journalists report the name of a juvenile charged with a crime?
Not at all 37.4
Under certain circumstances 35.7
All the time 24.6
Don't know 2.3
Total Cases (222) 100.0
How about when journalists report stories that may affect the outcome of a criminal trial?
Not at all 47.3
Under certain circumstances 26.7
All the time 21.6
Don't know 4.5
Total Cases (222) 100.0
There are always some people whose ideas are considered bad or dangerous by other people. For instance, somebody who is against all churches and religion.
If such a person wanted to make a speech in your community against churches and religion, should he be allowed to speak, or not?
Yes 71.6
No 25.3
Don't know 3.2
Total Cases (219) 100.0
Should such a person be allowed to teach in a college or university, or not?
Yes 57.3
No 37.2
Don't know 5.5
Total Cases (219) 100.0
If a person in your community suggested that a book he wrote against churches and religion should be taken out of your public library, would you favor removing this book, or not?
Yes 27.9
No 64.9
Don't know 7.2
Total Cases (221) 100.0
Or consider a person who believes that Blacks are genetically inferior.
If such a person wanted to make a speech in your community claiming that Blacks are inferior, should he be allowed to speak, or not?
Yes 58.4
No 36.8
Don't know 4.8
Total Cases (221) 100.0
Should such a person be allowed to teach in a college or university, or not?
Yes 49.9
No 46.8
Don't know 3.3
Total Cases (218) 100.0
If some people in your community suggested that a book he wrote which said Blacks are inferior should be taken out of your public library, would you favor removing this book, or not?
Yes 36.2
No 60.8
Don't know 3.0
Total Cases (221) 100.0
And what about a man who admits that he is a homosexual?
Suppose this admitted homosexual wanted to make a speech in your community. Should he be allowed to speak, or not?
Yes 75.0
No 21.1
Don't know 3.9
Total Cases (220) 100.0
Should such a person be allowed to teach in a college or university, or not?
Yes 70.6
No 23.4
Don't know 6.0
Total Cases (220) 100.0
If some people in your community suggested that a book he wrote in favor of homosexuality should be taken out of your public library, would you favor removing this book, or not?
Yes 33.3
No 61.2
Don't know 5.5
Total Cases (221) 100.0
Now we're going to consider some major institutions in this country.
First, as far as the people running major companies are concerned, would you say you have a great deal of confidence in them, only some confidence in them, or hardly any confidence at all in them ... a great deal, only some, or hardly any?
A great deal 17.9
Only Some 65.7
Hardly any 11.4
Don't know 5.0
Total Cases (222) 100.0
What about organized religion?
A great deal 31.9
Only Some 46.9
Hardly any 19.2
Don't know 2.0
Total Cases (214) 100.0
Education?
A great deal 32.4
Only Some