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USConstitution.net 2000 Survey Results – The U.S. Constitution Online – USConstitution.net

USConstitution.net 2000 Survey Results

This site has conducted an unscientific survey on various issues since July
of 1998. The results, while interesting in most cases, are to be taken with a
grain of salt – the results can easily be skewed by an individual or group of
individuals; the sample is, by nature, not representative (because it consists
only of Web users who visit my site and bother to view the survey page and
submit an opinion).

This page includes results from 2000. For results from other years, please
go to the Main Results Page.


Question 30, December 2000 – Regardless of who wins the
electoral vote for the 2000 election, will you feel you can support the new
President?

Response Count Percentage
Yes – once decided, the President is our
President, and deserves our support
295 52.49
I have no choice but to support the winner – there’s
nothing I can do about it now
75 13.35
I cannot support the President – the whole process was
tawdry and tainted
192 34.16
Total 562 100.00

Question 29, November 2000 – Based on the upcoming, or
recently held (depending upon when you read this) elections, do you think that
the people’s interests would be better served with direct election of the
President and Vice President, or should we stick with the Electoral College
system?

Response Count Percentage
Yes, we should have direct elections 474 33.50
No, the layer the College provides is still important 478 33.78
No, the system works, leave it alone 463 32.72
Total 1415 100.00

Question 28, October 2000 – For whom will you vote in
November 2000?

The second half of the two-month survey found a huge rush of votes for
Browne, the Libertarian candidate. The addition of Phillips, the Constitution
Party candidate, had little effect on the outcome.

Response Count Percentage
Browne/Olivier (Libertarian) 334 27.22
Buchanan/Foster (Reform) 8 0.65
Bush/Cheney (Republican) 405 33.01
Gore/Lieberman (Democratic) 336 27.38
Hagelin/Goldhaber (Natural Law/Independent/Reform) 8 0.65
Nader/LaDuke (Green) 122 9.94
Phillips/Frazier (Constitution) 14 1.14
Total 1227 100.00

Question 27, September 2000 – For whom will you vote in
November 2000?

Response Count Percentage
Browne/Olivier (Libertarian) 56 11.43
Buchanan/Foster (Reform) 8 1.63
Bush/Cheney (Republican) 231 47.14
Gore/Lieberman (Democratic) 141 28.78
Hagelin/Goldhaber (Natural Law/Independent/Reform) 1 0.20
Nader/LaDuke (Green) 53 10.82
Total 490 100.00

Question 26, August 2000 – When do you think a woman will
become president?

Response Count Percentage
Maybe 2004 or 2008 12 11.88
Probably more like 2012 through 2020 47 46.53
Closer to the 2024 through 2036 range 20 19.80
The United States may never be ready to elect a woman President 22 21.78
Total 101 100.00

Question 25, July 2000 – How did you come to this site?

Response Count Percentage
AltaVista 1 0.74
AOL 18 13.24
Ask Jeeves 18 13.24
Bookmark or Favorite 2 1.47
C|Net 2 1.47
Dogpile 2 1.47
Excite 6 4.41
Go! 2 1.47
Google 7 5.15
HotBot 3 2.21
InfoSeek 8 5.88
LookSmart 2 1.47
MetaCrawler 3 2.21
MSN 4 2.94
Netscape 4 2.94
Other search engine 10 7.35
Other site 16 11.76
Rush Limbaugh Site 4 2.94
Steve Mount’s Site 1 0.74
Syllabus 1 0.74
Thirdage 1 0.74
USConstitution.net Portal Page 2 1.47
WebCrawler 1 0.74
Yahoo! 18 13.24
Total 136 100.00

Question 24, June 2000: Two crimes, arson and rape, had
provisions in federal law that made them prosecutable in federal court. Some
of the reasoning for the arson law was that homes and buildings are an integral
part of interstate commerce; for rape, that women’s fears about rape prevented
them from engaging in interstate commerce. The Supreme Court recently struck
down the ability to sue for arson or rape in federal court, saying that these
are inherently local crimes that should be dealt with locally. Victims
advocates believe the Court has hurt the chances of the injured to realize
justice. What do you think?

Response Count Percentage
Rape and arson are horrible crimes, and there should be provisions in
federal law to deal with them.
28 23.14
Perhaps rape and arson should have some federal law, but relying on the
Commerce Clause to legitimize the law was poor planning on Congress’s
part.
18 14.88
The Commerce Clause is near the breaking point considering how far it
gets stretched by Congress. Bravo to the Court for pulling back on the reins a
bit.
75 61.98
Total 121 100.00

Question 23, May 2000 – The U.S. Supreme Court recently
ruled that a Pennsylvania town had the ability to require nude dancers wear
small articles of clothing to cover their private parts. The dancers objected
to the law saying that it infringed upon their freedom of expression, but the
Court disagreed, noting that while dancing, even nude dancing, is a protected
form of expression, the town has the right and even the responsibility to
ensure public safety. By restricting nude dancing, the town hoped to combat
the crime that that sort of activity attracted. Was the Court right?

Response Count Percentage
The Court was correct in its ruling – a town should be able to place
safety over some freedoms.
54 22.88
The Court was right, but did not go far enough – nude dancing of any
kind is not a legitimate form of protected expression.
55 23.31
The Court was wrong and went too far – by allowing this form of
expression to be repressed, the door is opening to other forms of
repression.
127 53.81
Total 236 100.00

Question 22, April 2000 – The U.S. House passed a bill that
would amend the Constitution to enable the Congress to enact legislation to
protect the flag. The Senate vote on the bill was an overwhelming majority,
but not the super-majority required by the Constitution. Many Senators, and
well-regarded American hero Colin Powell, noted that the flag, while a precious
symbol, is above the need for such protection. Others, such as Senator Orrin
Hatch, lamented that the desecration of the flag is an insult to America’s
veterans and to the nation. Does the U.S. Flag need Constitutional
protection?

Response Count Percentage
The flag is an important symbol and as such, should have Constitutional
protection.
86 30.82
The flag is an important symbol and as such, it can withstand attacks
by those who choose to burn or deface it.
178 63.80
The flag is not an important symbol, and it deserves no protection. 15 5.38
Total 279 100.00

Question 21, March 2000 – Since the 1966 Miranda ruling,
police have been required to Mirandize suspects, advising them of their
constitutional rights to remain silent and to have an attorney. The Supreme
Court will be soon reviewing the requirements of such a reading of rights, and
recent news reports indicate that many police departments are talking to
suspects after a request for a lawyer, using otherwise inadmissible testimony
against defendants in certain specific legal circumstances. What are your
feelings on Miranda rights?

Response Count Percentage
The rights of the accused are some of the most precious we have – the
Court should uphold Miranda and police should stop manipulating loopholes.
160 65.57
Miranda is an important decision, and the Court should uphold it, but
legal loopholes are inevitable and should be exploited to catch and prosecute
criminals.
34 13.93
Though the rights Miranda warnings talk about are very important,
ignorance of your constitutional rights is no excuse; Miranda should be
overturned, and the police should be able to question suspects even when they
request a lawyer.
26 10.66
The rights of the accused have overshadowed the rights of victims – we
need to do away with Miranda and maybe even some of these rights, and let the
police do their job.
24 9.84
Total 244 100.00

Question 20, February 2000 – The United States Supreme
Court has ruled that a state law capping campaign contributions to just over
$1000 per person per candidate per election was a constitutional check on
corruption, or the appearance thereof. But many argue that campaign
contributions are a form of free speech. Do you think you should be able to
contribute an unlimited amount to a candidate?

Response Count Percentage
Money talks – it is a form of free speech and should not be
regulated.
24 17.78
Money talks – and that’s the problem: big contributors get unfair
access to candidates and should be capped.
26 19.26
Individuals should be able to give as much as they want, but unions,
PAC’s, and companies should be capped.
23 17.04
Individuals should be able to give as much as they want, but union,
PAC, and corporate contributions should be illegal.
17 12.59
Election campaigns should be publicly funded to ensure a fair and
equal playing field – no contributions from any source.
45 33.33
Total 135 100.00

Question 19, January 2000 – The Vermont Supreme Court
recently ruled that gay couples must be afforded the same rights and
protections as married couples. What is your opinion on legal recognition of
gay partnerships?