Questions used for “”Crashing the Tea Party” New York Times Op-Ed by David E. Campbell and Robert D. Putnam
Many readers of the op-ed piece written by David E. Campbell and Robert D. Putnam in the August 17, 2011 issue of the New York Times have inquired about the underlying questions.
Below is the exact wording of many of the questions we used in the nationally-representative “Faith Matters” telephone survey. [More information on the first two waves (2006, 2007) of the Faith Matters Survey can be found in Appendix 1 of American Grace on pp. 557-561.]
Tea Party Support
From what you know, do you strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree with the Tea Party movement, or don’t you have an opinion either way?
-Strongly Agree
-Agree
-Don’t have an opinion either way
-Disagree
-Strongly Disagree
Views towards Blacks/Tea Party
I’d like to get your feelings toward a number of well-known groups. I’ll read the name of a group and I’d like you to rate that group using something we call the feeling thermometer. Ratings between 50 degrees and 100 degrees mean that you feel favorable and warm toward the group. Ratings between 0 degrees and 50 degrees mean that you don’t feel favorable and don’t care too much for that group. You would rate the group at the 50-degree mark if you don’t feel particularly warm or cold toward the group. Feel free to use the entire extent of the scale.
Note: the order of the groups was randomized for each respondent.
The Tea Party movement (asked in 2011)
Blacks (asked in 2006)
In addition, over the course of our 5-year study we have asked about other groups.
They are:
Whites
Asian-Americans
Latinos or Hispanic-Americans
The political movement called the Christian Right
Atheists
Muslims
Jews
Catholics
Evangelical Christians
Mainline Protestants
Mormons
People who are not religious
Poor people
Rich people
Conservatives
Liberals
Buddhists
Sarah Palin
Barack Obama
Democrats
Republicans
Gay Men and Lesbians, that is, homosexuals
Views on abortion
Which one of these opinions best corresponds to your view?
1) By law, abortion should never be permitted;
2) The law should permit abortion only in case of rape, incest, or when the woman’s life is in danger;
3) The law should permit abortion for reasons other than rape, incest, or danger to the woman’s life, but only after the need for the abortion has been clearly established; or
4) By law, a woman should always be able to obtain an abortion as a matter of personal choice.
Views on immigration
Do you think the number of immigrants from foreign countries who are permitted to come to the United States to live should be increased a lot, increased a little, left the same as it is now, decreased a little or decreased a lot?
-Increased a lot
-Increased a little
-Left the same as it is now
-Decreased a little
-Decreased a lot
Views on mixing religion and politics
I’m going to read a list of statements that some people agree with and others don’t. For
each, please tell me whether you basically agree or basically disagree. How about
It is perfectly proper for religious leaders to try to persuade people how to vote
-Basically agree
-Basically disagree
Follow-up:
Is that strongly or only somewhat?
Religion is a private matter that should be kept out of public debates over social and
political issues
-Basically agree
-Basically disagree
Follow-up:
Is that strongly or only somewhat?
If many more of our elected officials were deeply religious, do you think that the laws and policy decisions they make would probably be better or would probably be worse?
– Probably better
– Probably worse
– Neither better nor worse
Size and role of government
Some say the less government the better, others believe there are more things that government should be doing. Which comes closer to your views?
– Less government the better
– More things that government should be doing
Some think government should take a bigger role in helping the poor, whereas others think individuals and private charities should play a bigger role. Which comes closer to your views?
– Government should take bigger role in helping the poor
– Individuals and private charities should play a bigger role
Your article “Crashing the Tea Party” created quite a stir but the background question is whether there is a specific statistical analysis behind it or will there be one that is in book form or article in the near future?
Yes. There is considerable statistical analysis behind the “Crashing the Tea Party” op-ed. This is contained in the Epilogue to the paperback copy of “American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us” (Simon & Schuster) that will come out early next year.