Some people think of America as divided into groups, the "haves" and the "have-nots," while others think it's incorrect to see America that way. Do you think of America as divided into haves and have-nots, or don't you think of America that way?
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Yes, divided:
64%
Not divided:
36%
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Some people talk about a "social contract" – meaning government and employers should provide Americans with basic necessities such as healthcare, retirement programs, unemployment assistance, etc. Do you think this social contract ever existed in America?
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Do you think that a "social contract" still exists in America?
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Yes:
24%
No:
38%
There never was such a social contract:
37%
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Do you think it's still possible to start out poor in this country, work hard, and become rich?
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Do you feel that the distribution of money and wealth in this country today is fair, or do you feel that the money and wealth in this country should be more evenly distributed among a larger percentage of the people?
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Distribution is fair:
41%
Money and wealth should be more evenly divided:
59%
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People feel differently about how far a government should go. Do you think our government should or should not redistribute wealth by heavy taxes on the rich?
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Should redistribute:
56%
Should not redistribute:
44%
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Which of the following is closest to your view?
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America was a better place to live in the 1990s, and is declining now:
44%
America's best days are still ahead:
56%
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ABOUT YOU
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If you had to choose, which group are you in: the haves or the have-nots?
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Haves:
76%
Have-nots:
24%
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Thinking now about your standard of living: Would you say your standard of living is better or worse now than it was five years ago?
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Better:
29%
Worse:
29%
About the same:
42%
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Five years from now, do you think your standard of living will be better or worse than it is now?
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Better:
43%
Worse:
21%
About the same:
37%
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Compared to your parents when they were the age you are now, do you think your own standard of living now is much better, somewhat better, about the same, somewhat worse, or much worse than theirs was?
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Much better:
31%
Somewhat better:
31%
About the same:
19%
Somewhat worse:
13%
Much worse:
6%
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When your children are at the age you are now, do you think their standard of living will be much better, somewhat better, about the same, somewhat worse, or much worse than yours is now?
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Much better:
11%
Somewhat better:
27%
About the same:
22%
Somewhat worse:
19%
Much worse:
4%
I will never have children:
17%
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How will you vote this year?
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Blue across the board:
45%
Blue with a spot or two of red:
24%
Red with a spot or two of blue:
16%
Red across the board:
9%
I'm a third party kind of person:
5%
I'm a fourth party kind of person:
1%
I'm not a voter this year:
1%
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How many of the following numbers do you know off-hand: the cost of a gallon of milk; the Dow Jones Industrial Average at yesterday's market close; the number of regular season games the Cardinals won this past season; the price of the Sunday Post-Dispatch; the number of City aldermen?
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I know all five of them:
8%
Four of them:
19%
Three of them:
31%
Two of them:
19%
One of them:
11%
None of them:
11%
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