Friday, October 4, 2013

Another post in honor of the government shutdown

In 1992, an ABC News poll asked people if they agreed or disagreed with the following statement:  "Whatever its faults, the United States still has the best system of government in the world?"  The question has been repeated several times since then by various survey organizations.  The results:

                     Agree   Disagree   DK
April 1992        85%    14%       1%
Sept  1994       84%    13%       3%
April  1996       83%    15%        2%
Dec   2000       89%    11%        1%
Dec   2007       81%    17%        1%
Sept  2010       77%    21%       2%
Aug   2011       77%    21%       2%

There's very little variation, although the last three times have produced the lowest rates of agreement. The last time it was asked was shortly after the debt ceiling crisis of 2011 was resolved.  In 2000, it was asked a few days after the Supreme Court ruling against a recount in the presidential election. I hope that someone has asked it during the current standoff, and that someone asks again right after it is resolved.  

No comments:

Post a Comment