| Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #14494 |
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Whether You Call It a Rescue, Bailout or Investment, Bay Area Wants Members of Congress to Vote 'For' Economic Plan:
SurveyUSA asked Bay Area adults four different versions of the same basic question: What should be done about the economy? Subtle changes in how those questions are worded produce different results, and three of four wordings cause pluralities of respondents to say the plan is the wrong thing for the government to do or to say a different plan should be passed. But regardless of which question wording is used, Bay Area adults want their representatives in Congress to vote 'For' an economy package. Here are the 4 different ways the situation was described:
Version 1:
The government may invest billions to try and keep financial institutions and markets secure. By 5:3, the Bay Area wants Congress to Pass an economic repair package. This is true across party lines. By almost 2:1, Bay Area adults are more worried that the government will do too little than it will do too much. |
| Context / Filtering: 2,100 adults from 11 counties in and around San Francisco TV viewing Area - the "DMA" - were interviewed by SurveyUSA on 10/01/08. Interviews were conducted at a time of exceptional economic and political turbulence - before the U.S. Senate voted on a plan to repair the American economy, but after the U.S. House of Representatives had voted to reject a plan. At least 500 adults heard each version of the parallel-tested questions. |
| 1 | The government may invest billions to try and keep financial institutions and markets secure. Do you think this is the right thing for the government to do? The wrong thing for the government to do? Or, do you not know enough to say? |
| 532 1/4 Sample | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Income | Who Will Win? | |||||||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 4.3% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | < $50K | > $50K | McCain | Obama | Not Sure | |
| Right Thing | 39% | 40% | 38% | 34% | 36% | 45% | 41% | 35% | 44% | 44% | 35% | 32% | 33% | 41% | 41% | 33% | 27% | 44% | 39% | 27% | 44% | 37% | 40% | 41% |
| Wrong Thing | 37% | 42% | 32% | 33% | 40% | 39% | 35% | 37% | 38% | 38% | 38% | 31% | 40% | 40% | 36% | 45% | 55% | 33% | 37% | 43% | 35% | 45% | 36% | 21% |
| Do Not Know Enough | 24% | 18% | 31% | 32% | 24% | 16% | 24% | 28% | 18% | 18% | 27% | 37% | 26% | 19% | 23% | 22% | 18% | 23% | 24% | 29% | 21% | 18% | 23% | 38% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of 1/4 Sample | 100% | 52% | 48% | 28% | 30% | 28% | 14% | 58% | 42% | 51% | 8% | 19% | 23% | 20% | 56% | 18% | 16% | 44% | 30% | 29% | 71% | 26% | 67% | 7% |
| 2 | The government may spend billions to bail-out Wall Street. Do you think this is the right thing for the government to do? The wrong thing for the government to do? Or, do you not know enough to say? |
| 533 1/4 Sample | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Income | Who Will Win? | |||||||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 4.3% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | < $50K | > $50K | McCain | Obama | Not Sure | |
| Right Thing | 40% | 45% | 34% | 33% | 44% | 45% | 37% | 38% | 42% | 43% | 43% | 25% | 44% | 35% | 40% | 45% | 32% | 47% | 38% | 24% | 47% | 44% | 41% | 25% |
| Wrong Thing | 42% | 43% | 41% | 49% | 42% | 37% | 38% | 45% | 37% | 40% | 40% | 52% | 40% | 48% | 38% | 43% | 54% | 37% | 39% | 47% | 40% | 42% | 41% | 51% |
| Do Not Know Enough | 18% | 12% | 25% | 18% | 14% | 19% | 25% | 16% | 21% | 18% | 16% | 24% | 16% | 17% | 22% | 12% | 13% | 16% | 23% | 28% | 13% | 15% | 18% | 24% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of 1/4 Sample | 100% | 50% | 50% | 29% | 29% | 27% | 16% | 58% | 42% | 53% | 7% | 18% | 22% | 19% | 56% | 21% | 15% | 41% | 31% | 30% | 70% | 23% | 72% | 5% |
| 3 | The government may spend billions to rescue Wall Street. Do you think this is the right thing for the government to do? The wrong thing for the government to do? Or, do you not know enough to say? |
| 523 1/4 Sample | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Income | Who Will Win? | |||||||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 4.4% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | < $50K | > $50K | McCain | Obama | Not Sure | |
| Right Thing | 34% | 37% | 31% | 22% | 37% | 43% | 36% | 30% | 40% | 36% | 23% | 28% | 38% | 45% | 33% | 35% | 36% | 37% | 35% | 24% | 37% | 34% | 34% | 27% |
| Wrong Thing | 46% | 48% | 43% | 51% | 48% | 37% | 46% | 49% | 41% | 46% | 51% | 55% | 37% | 43% | 46% | 51% | 48% | 48% | 46% | 53% | 44% | 52% | 45% | 46% |
| Do Not Know Enough | 20% | 15% | 25% | 27% | 15% | 20% | 18% | 21% | 19% | 18% | 26% | 17% | 25% | 12% | 22% | 13% | 17% | 15% | 19% | 23% | 19% | 15% | 21% | 28% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of 1/4 Sample | 100% | 50% | 50% | 28% | 31% | 25% | 16% | 59% | 41% | 52% | 8% | 16% | 24% | 18% | 55% | 22% | 21% | 37% | 31% | 26% | 74% | 25% | 70% | 5% |
| 4 | Congress is working on a plan to buy and re-sell up to 700 billion dollars of mortgages. What would you like the Congress to do? Pass this plan? Pass a different plan? Take no action? Or, do you not know enough to say? |
| 512 1/4 Sample | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Income | Who Will Win? | |||||||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 4.4% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | < $50K | > $50K | McCain | Obama | Not Sure | |
| Pass This Plan | 31% | 37% | 27% | 29% | 31% | 30% | 40% | 30% | 34% | 34% | 39% | 27% | 26% | 45% | 30% | 27% | 30% | 36% | 28% | 32% | 32% | 36% | 32% | 18% |
| Pass a Different Plan | 40% | 38% | 40% | 38% | 43% | 43% | 29% | 40% | 38% | 39% | 31% | 36% | 47% | 35% | 39% | 43% | 35% | 40% | 42% | 30% | 43% | 30% | 43% | 43% |
| Take No Action | 13% | 14% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 11% | 21% | 19% | 13% | 11% | 12% | 16% | 21% | 13% | 8% | 16% | 13% | 24% | 9% | 17% |
| Do Not Know Enough | 16% | 11% | 20% | 21% | 13% | 13% | 16% | 17% | 14% | 16% | 8% | 18% | 15% | 8% | 19% | 13% | 13% | 11% | 22% | 22% | 12% | 10% | 16% | 22% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of 1/4 Sample | 100% | 45% | 55% | 32% | 25% | 28% | 15% | 57% | 43% | 57% | 7% | 16% | 20% | 18% | 57% | 21% | 14% | 43% | 33% | 29% | 71% | 24% | 68% | 7% |
| 5 | What concerns you more: that the government will do too much to fix the economy? Or, that the government will do too little? |
| 2100 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Income | Who Will Win? | |||||||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 2.2% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | < $50K | > $50K | McCain | Obama | Not Sure | |
| Do Too Much | 32% | 33% | 30% | 29% | 33% | 32% | 33% | 31% | 32% | 33% | 19% | 26% | 37% | 44% | 26% | 37% | 46% | 34% | 27% | 29% | 33% | 45% | 27% | 36% |
| Do Too Little | 58% | 57% | 59% | 61% | 57% | 59% | 52% | 59% | 56% | 56% | 73% | 67% | 50% | 45% | 64% | 52% | 46% | 56% | 63% | 59% | 57% | 45% | 63% | 46% |
| Not Sure | 11% | 10% | 11% | 10% | 10% | 9% | 15% | 10% | 11% | 11% | 8% | 7% | 13% | 12% | 9% | 12% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 13% | 9% | 10% | 10% | 18% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 49% | 51% | 29% | 29% | 27% | 15% | 58% | 42% | 53% | 7% | 17% | 22% | 19% | 56% | 20% | 16% | 41% | 31% | 28% | 72% | 24% | 69% | 6% |
| 6 | Short-term, will a government rescue of the economy succeed or fail? Or do you not know enough to say? |
| 2100 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Income | Who Will Win? | |||||||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 2.2% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | < $50K | > $50K | McCain | Obama | Not Sure | |
| Succeed | 32% | 37% | 27% | 27% | 34% | 36% | 31% | 30% | 34% | 36% | 23% | 23% | 32% | 41% | 31% | 32% | 34% | 38% | 26% | 23% | 35% | 39% | 31% | 19% |
| Fail | 34% | 33% | 34% | 39% | 35% | 32% | 25% | 37% | 29% | 31% | 43% | 47% | 26% | 28% | 35% | 33% | 35% | 31% | 35% | 40% | 32% | 33% | 35% | 32% |
| Don't Know Enough | 33% | 29% | 37% | 33% | 29% | 32% | 43% | 31% | 36% | 32% | 32% | 29% | 40% | 31% | 33% | 34% | 30% | 29% | 38% | 35% | 32% | 28% | 33% | 48% |
| Not Sure | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 0% | 2% | 1% | 0% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 0% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 49% | 51% | 29% | 29% | 27% | 15% | 58% | 42% | 53% | 7% | 17% | 22% | 19% | 56% | 20% | 16% | 41% | 31% | 28% | 72% | 24% | 69% | 6% |
| 7 | Long-term, will a government rescue of the economy succeed or fail? Or do you not know enough to say? |
| 2100 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Income | Who Will Win? | |||||||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 2.2% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | < $50K | > $50K | McCain | Obama | Not Sure | |
| Succeed | 30% | 34% | 25% | 27% | 31% | 31% | 31% | 29% | 31% | 31% | 30% | 31% | 26% | 34% | 32% | 26% | 31% | 34% | 26% | 24% | 33% | 30% | 31% | 21% |
| Fail | 37% | 36% | 37% | 41% | 38% | 35% | 30% | 39% | 33% | 36% | 43% | 41% | 32% | 37% | 35% | 40% | 42% | 35% | 35% | 40% | 35% | 42% | 35% | 34% |
| Don't Know Enough | 33% | 29% | 36% | 32% | 30% | 33% | 38% | 31% | 35% | 32% | 27% | 27% | 40% | 29% | 33% | 34% | 27% | 29% | 38% | 35% | 32% | 28% | 33% | 44% |
| Not Sure | 1% | 0% | 1% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 1% | 1% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 49% | 51% | 29% | 29% | 27% | 15% | 58% | 42% | 53% | 7% | 17% | 22% | 19% | 56% | 20% | 16% | 41% | 31% | 28% | 72% | 24% | 69% | 6% |
| 8 | Do you want your representative in Congress to vote FOR an economic rescue? To vote against an economic rescue? Or, do you not know enough to say? |
| 2100 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Income | Who Will Win? | |||||||||||||||
| Margin of Sampling Error: ± 2.2% | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | < $50K | > $50K | McCain | Obama | Not Sure | |
| For | 54% | 56% | 53% | 54% | 53% | 56% | 55% | 53% | 56% | 56% | 56% | 51% | 53% | 56% | 57% | 51% | 49% | 60% | 53% | 47% | 57% | 54% | 56% | 42% |
| Against | 30% | 33% | 28% | 28% | 34% | 30% | 27% | 31% | 29% | 29% | 31% | 31% | 31% | 31% | 27% | 39% | 38% | 28% | 30% | 33% | 29% | 35% | 29% | 33% |
| Dont' Know Enough | 14% | 10% | 17% | 15% | 11% | 13% | 16% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 11% | 15% | 15% | 12% | 15% | 8% | 12% | 10% | 15% | 17% | 12% | 9% | 14% | 21% |
| Not Sure | 2% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 1% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 4% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 4% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 49% | 51% | 29% | 29% | 27% | 15% | 58% | 42% | 53% | 7% | 17% | 22% | 19% | 56% | 20% | 16% | 41% | 31% | 28% | 72% | 24% | 69% | 6% |