Volume 17, Issue 4 April 2021

IN THIS ISSUE: Race in America Today (pp. 1–4) • Climate Change (p. 5) • Biden’s Immigration Plans (pp. 6–7) Space Exploration and Leadership (pp. 8–9) • Ordinary Life: Down with the Crown? (p. 10)

Race Relations, , and the Police As the trial of for the killing of gets underway in , we look at the shifts in views of race relations over time. Today, 71 percent are dissatisfied. Eighty-three percent say racial inequality is either a crisis or a problem. Americans 80 are split on how Biden 71% is handling the issue, 70 47 percent approve and Very/Somewhat satisfied with 43 percent disapprove. 60 the state of race relations 48% 50

40 44% Q: Next, we’d like to Somewhat/Very dissatisfied know how you feel 30 about the state of the nation in each of the following areas. How 20 23% about . . . the state of race relations? 10

Note: Telephone polls. Samples are national adults. 0 1 Source: Gallup, latest that of 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 201 200 1 202 1 201 201 201 201 201 201 201 201 201 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 January 4–15, 2021. 2020

Q: Do you think that racial inequality in the United States is Q: Do you approve or disapprove of the way is a crisis, a problem but not a crisis, or not a problem at all? handling racial injustice? National response National response Racial inequality is a crisis 41% Approve 47% It is a problem but not a crisis 42 Disapprove 43 It is not a problem at all 14 Don’t know/Undecided/ Note: Telephone poll. Sample is national adults. Sixty-six percent Refused 10 of Democrats and 21 percent of Republicans said racial inequality Note: Telephone poll. Sample is national adults. is a crisis. Almost a third of Republicans (30 percent) said racial Source: CNN/SSRS, March 3–8, 2021. inequality is not a problem at all, compared to only 3 percent of Democrats. Source: Quinnipiac University Poll, January 28–February 1, 2021.

AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE 1789 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 • 202.862.5800 • www.aei.org Black Lives Matter Favorable views of Blacks Lives Matter are down since last summer. Fifty-one percent of blacks believe that the Black Lives Matter brought about meaningful conversations, but little change when it comes to race relations. Of the remainder, 24 percent of blacks said they have brought meaningful conversations and changes and 12 percent said the protests had not brought about either. Those responses for whites were 33, 16, and 38 per- cent, respectively. Q: Now we will show you some names and groups. Please indicate if you have a favorable or unfavorable view of that person or group—or if you’ve never heard of them . . . Black Lives Matter

70

60 55% Very favorable/Favorable view of Black Lives Matter 50 45% 40 33% 41% Unfavorable/Very unfavorable view 30

20 12% Never heard of them/No opinion 14% 10

0 21 21 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 l- t- n- b- v- c- n- g- p- Ju Ja Ju Fe Oc Se De No Au

Note: Online surveys. Samples are registered voters. In the first asking of this question in June 2020, 49 percent of whites and 86 per- cent of blacks had a very favorable or favorable view of Black Lives Matter. Both numbers have dropped about 10 percentage points. In their latest poll from February 2021, 38 percent of whites and 76 percent of blacks rate Black Lives Matter favorably. Source: Harvard Center for American Political Studies/Harris Poll, latest that of February 23–25, 2021.

Q: Thinking about the Black Lives Matter protests over the last year, which of the following comes closest to your opinion even if none are exactly correct? ------Race ------National response White Black Hispanic The protests brought about meaningful conversations and change among Americans about race relations 18% 16% 24% 25% The protests brought about meaningful conversations, but little change in America when it comes to addressing race relations 36 33 51 35 The protests did not lead to any meaningful conversations or change among Americans about race relations 34 38 12 25 Note: Online survey. Sample is registered voters. Source: Morning Consult/, February 26–March 1, 2021.

AEI, 1789 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 • 202.862.5800 • www.aei.org 2 The Police Racial tensions were at a recent high last summer after the police killings of Breonna Taylor in March and George Floyd in May. Since June 2020, when Harvard/Harris first asked the question, attitudes toward the police have improved. Today, 72 percent view the police very favorably or favorably, compared to 60 percent in the summer. Blacks and Democrats are considerably more likely than whites and Republicans to view George Floyd’s death as . They are also more likely to favor police reform, defunding the police, and eliminating the police altogether than whites and Republicans. Q: Now we will show you some names and groups. Please indicate if you have a favorable or unfavorable view of that person or group—or if you’ve never heard of them . . . Police February 2021 June 2020 View of the police is . . . Very favorable 32% 24% Favorable 40 36 Unfavorable 10 19 Very unfavorable 8 13 No opinion 8 7 Note: Online surveys. Samples are registered voters. Source: Harvard Center for American Political Studies/Harris Poll, latest that of February 23–25, 2021.

Q: What is your personal view on the circumstances around the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis? ------Race ------—------Party ID ------—--- National response White Black Reps. Dems. Inds. It was murder 36% 28% 64% 18% 55% 28% It was negligence on part of the officer 30 33 16 34 30 26 It was an accident 8 8 7 12 4 10 The police officer did nothing wrong 6 7 4 12 1 5 Something else 3 4 * 6 1 7 Don’t know 17 19 9 19 8 25 Note: Online survey. Sample is national adults. *Indicates less than 1 percent. In an Ipsos survey from June 2020, 60 percent said George Floyd was murdered. Source: Ipsos/USA Today, March 1–2, 2021.

Q: Do you support or oppose reforming the police? Q: Do you support or oppose the movement known as “?” Q: Do you support or oppose abolishing or eliminating the police? Reforming Defunding Abolishing the police the police the police Strongly/Somewhat support 51% 18% 12% Neither support nor oppose 29 24 21 Somewhat/Strongly oppose 19 57 67 Note: Online survey. Sample is national adults. Majorities of whites and blacks support reforming the police, 51 and 60 percent, respec- tively. Seventy-three percent of Democrats, compared to 33 percent of Republicans, say the same. More than twice as many blacks (28 percent) support defunding the police than whites (13 percent). Thirty-four percent of Democrats support “defund the police,” while only 4 percent of Republicans do. Abolishing or eliminating the police is the most unpopular proposal with 9 percent of whites and 23 percent of blacks in favor. Twenty percent of Democrats and 5 percent of Republicans say the police should be abolished. Source: Ipsos/USA Today, March 1–2, 2021.

AEI, 1789 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 • 202.862.5800 • www.aei.org 3 Americans’ Views on Reparations In a February podcast with Bruce Springsteen, former President said reparations for black Amer- icans are “justified.” More pollsters than in the past are exploring the idea of reparations, and the new polls are consistent. Although a majority of Americans believe the history of slavery affects black people either a great deal or a fair amount, only 29 percent in a 2019 Gallup poll said the government should pay some form of reparations. Black Americans more strongly support government reparation payments than whites and Hispanics. Almost half of Americans believe the country has not gone far enough in giving blacks equal rights with whites, and of those who give this response there are divisions on how effective reparations would be on reducing inequality between blacks and whites. Q: How much do you think the history of slavery in this country affects black people in American society? ------Race ------National response White Black Hispanic History of slavery affects black people a great deal/ Fair amount 60% 54% 83% 69% Not much/Not at all 39 45 16 29 Note: Online probability-based panel survey. Sample is national adults. Source: AP/NORC, September 20–23, 2019.

Q: Do you think the government should—or should not—make cash payments to black Americans who are descen- dants of slaves? ------Race ------—------Party ID ------—--- National response White Black Reps. Dems. Inds. Government should make cash payments to black Americans June–July 2019 29% 16% 73% 5% 49% 32% January 2002 14 6 55 4 25 15 Government should not June–July 2019 67% 81% 25% 92% 47% 65% January 2002 81 90 37 94 69 80 Note: Telephone polls. Samples are national adults. In a similarly worded question from the AP/NORC poll above, 29 percent of Amer- icans said the US government should pay reparations by making cash payments to the descendants of enslaved people. Sixty-eight percent said the government should not. In a NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll question from July 2019, 27 percent said reparations were a good idea and 62 percent said they were a bad idea. Source: Gallup, latest that of June 19–July 12, 2019.

Q: How much, if at all, do you think each of the following would do to reduce inequality between Black people and white people in our country? The United States government paying cash reparations to Black people in our country who are the descendants of slaves Cash reparations would ------Race ------reduce inequality . . . National response White Black Hispanic A lot 20% 11% 39% 18% Some 28 27 29 30 Not much 27 30 19 27 Nothing at all 24 31 13 21 Note: Online probability-based panel survey. Sample is national adults. Question asked of those who think the country has not gone far enough when it comes to giving black people equal rights with white people (49 percent of those surveyed). Source: Pew Research Center, September 8–13, 2020.

AEI, 1789 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 • 202.862.5800 • www.aei.org 4 Climate Change: Priority and Policy Sixty percent of Americans are very or somewhat confident in President Biden’s ability to deal effectively with global climate change and 63 percent support the administration’s decision to rejoin the Paris Agreement. We show below the results of three different polls on how big of a priority climate change should be and where the issue ranks compared to others. Q: Thinking about long-range foreign policy goals, how much priority, if any, do you think each of the following should be given . . . ? Dealing with global climate change (Pew)

Q: How much of a priority should each of the following be for President Joe Biden and Congress to address this year . . . ? Dealing with global climate change (Pew)

Q: I am going to read you a number of different issues and want you to tell me how important it is for the federal gov- ernment to address these issues . . . Climate change (Monmouth) ------Dealing with global climate change ------—------Climate change ------—-- Foreign policy goal Priority for Biden Important for the federal and Congress government to address Top priority 44% Top priority 38% Extremely important 27% Some priority 38 Important but lower 33 Very important 33 No priority 18 Not too important 18 Just somewhat important 23 Should not be done 10 Not important 16

Rank as a top priority Rank as a top priority Rank as extremely important 8th out of 20 issues 15th out of 19 issues 10th out of 15 issues Note: Both Pew polls are online probability-based panel surveys of national adults. The Monmouth University Poll is a telephone poll of national adults. Source: For the first question, Pew Research Center, February 1–7, 2021. For the second question, Pew Research Center, January 8–12, 2021. For the third question, Monmouth University Poll, January 21–24, 2021.

Q: Do you support or oppose the Biden administration Q: Thinking about Joe Biden’s ability to handle a number rejoining the Paris Agreement, a pact reached among of things, how confident are you that Joe Biden can do countries around the globe to limit climate change by each of the following . . . ? Deal effectively with global reducing greenhouse gas emissions? climate change National response National response Support the Biden Very confident in Biden’s administration ability to deal with rejoining the global climate change 26% Paris Agreement 63% Somewhat confident 34 Oppose 33 Not too confident 19 Note: Telephone poll. Sample is national adults. There is a large Not at all confident 20 partisan split on this question: 89 percent of Democrats, com- Note: Online and telephone probability-based panel survey. pared to 25 percent of Republicans, support rejoining the Paris Sample is national adults. A late January AP/NORC question Agreement. found that 32 percent had a great deal, 39 percent some, and Source: Quinnipiac University Poll, January 28–February 1, 2021. 28 percent hardly any confidence in Biden’s ability to handle climate change. In an early March CNN/SSRS poll, 50 percent approved and 41 percent disapproved of the way Biden is han- dling environmental policy. Source: Pew Research Center, February 1–7, 2021.

AEI, 1789 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 • 202.862.5800 • www.aei.org 5 Biden’s Immigration Plan: Initial Public Reactions After President Biden sent his immigration legislation to Congress in January, Morning Consult/Politico asked Americans in an online poll about a number of provisions in the bill. The results are shown below. There are sub- stantial partisan differences in many areas, and these divisions make comprehensive legislation unlikely. As a top priority for Biden and Congress, immigration legislation consistently ranks below the economy/jobs, coronavirus relief, and healthcare. Republicans and Democrats do agree on cracking down on drug trafficking and strengthen- ing screening processes. Q: As you may know, the White House’s legislation to reform the U.S. immigration system was introduced in Congress this week. Do you support or oppose each of the following policy proposals in the bill? National response ----—-- Party ID ----—-- Strongly support | Somewhat support Reps. Dems. Cracking down on drug trafficking in foreign countries to address the root causes of migration to the US-Mexico border 45% 29% 78% 77% Providing enhanced technology and infrastructure to strengthen screening processes at US ports of entry 43 33 78 79 Creating an 8-year path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who are currently living in the US 32 28 41 77 Removing the word “alien” from the US immigration law and replacing it with “noncitizen” 29 21 28 74 Creating a commission to increase protections for immigrants who report labor violations 26 30 36 75 Setting up refugee processing in Central America to create safer legal pathways for migration to the United States 25 29 36 71 Providing funding to process the backlog of asylum applications 24 27 30 70 Providing funding for more immigration judges 23 30 36 69 Exempting spouses, partners, and children under the age of 21 of lawful permanent residents for annual immigration limits so they can enter the US 22 25 26 68 Repealing restrictions that prevented individuals from re-entering the United States if they were previously found to be inside the country illegally 22 23 30 61 Removing the one-year limit for filing an asylum application 19 21 20 59 Note: Online survey. Sample is registered voters. Source: Morning Consult/Politico, February 19–22, 2021. (Continued on the next page)

AEI, 1789 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 • 202.862.5800 • www.aei.org 6 (Continued from the previous page) A question below from the Chicago Council, which has not been updated since 2019, provides an indication of growing partisan divisions over the past 20 years on the threat posed by large numbers of immigrants and refu- gees entering the country. President Biden’s executive order to pause Donald Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy does not have majority support. Q: Below is a list of possible threats to the vital interest of the United States in the next 10 years. For each one, please selection whether you see this as a critical threat, an important but not critical threat, or not an important threat at all . . . Large numbers of immigrants and refugees coming into the US 90 Large numbers of immigrants and refugees coming into the US is . . . a critical threat 80 78%

70 Republicans 58% 60

56% 50 55% National adults 43% 40 Democrats 30

20 19%

10

0 1 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 998 999 201 2001 1 1 201 201 201 201 201 201 201 201 201 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Note: Online probability-based panel surveys. Samples are national adults. Source: Chicago Council on Global Affairs, latest that of June 7–20, 2019.

Q: Do you support or oppose each of the following executive orders issued by President Joe Biden . . . Pausing the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” policy, which forced migrants who are seeking asylum in the United States to wait in Mexico for their U.S. immigration court hearing? ------—-———----- Party ID ------———---—--- National response Reps. Dems. Inds. Strongly/Somewhat support pausing the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” policy 46% 29% 62% 38% Somewhat/Strongly oppose 41 58 25 45 Don’t know/No opinion 14 12 13 16 Note: Online survey. Sample is registered voters. Source: Morning Consult/Politico, February 5–7, 2021.

AEI, 1789 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 • 202.862.5800 • www.aei.org 7 Space Spending and Exploration The successful Mars rover landing in February revived Americans’ long-standing interest in space. More Ameri- cans today than in the past say we are spending too little on space exploration programs. Thirty-one percent say we are spending too little and 32 percent say we are spending the right amount on space. Fewer (21 percent) say we are spending too much. Q: Are we spending too much, too little, or about the right amount on space exploration programs? 70

60

50 Too much spending on space exploration programs 42%

40

27% 32% 30 31% Right amount of spending 20 18% 21%

10 Too little spending

0 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 91 992 993 994 995 996 997 998 999 982 983 984 985 986 987 988 989 990 20 11 19 2001 201 201 201 201 201 201 201 201 201 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200

Note: Telephone polls. Samples are national adults. Source: CBS News, latest that of June 13–16, 2019.

Q: To what extent do you think each of the following should be a priority for President Joe Biden and his administra- tion, if at all? Investing in space research and exploration. In the survey, investing A top priority 9% in space research and An important, but lower priority 31 exploration ranked Not too important of a priority 40 25th on a list of 26 top Should not be done 8 priorities for the Biden Note: Online survey. Sample is national adults. administration. Source: Morning Consult, February 12–15, 2021.

AEI POLLING REPORT CONTRIBUTORS Karlyn Bowman, senior editor Claude Aubert, designer Jacqueline Clemence, associate editor Skylar Pollock, intern Samantha Goldstein, associate editor

The survey results reported here were obtained in part from searches of the AEI poll archive, the iPoll Databank, and other resources provided by the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research at Cornell University. The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) educational organization and does not take institutional positions on any issues. The views expressed here are those of the author[s].

AEI, 1789 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 • 202.862.5800 • www.aei.org 8 The Importance of Space Leadership In a Morning Consult online poll, 47 percent said it was essential for the US to continue to be the world leader in space exploration and 29 percent disagreed. Americans see space as contested territory and worry about threats from China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. Sixty-one percent support President Biden’s decision to continue the new Space Force. There have long been gender and age differences about space travel. Q: Which of the following is closest to your opinion, even if neither is exactly right? That the United States continues to be a world leader in space exploration . . . ------—-———----- Party ID ------———---—--- National response Reps. Dems. Inds. Is it essential 47% 54% 47% 41% It is not essential 29 24 32 29 Don’t know/No opinion 24 22 21 30 Note: Online survey. Sample is national adults. Source: Morning Consult, February 12–15, 2021.

Q: To what extent are the following a threat to the United States’ leadership in space research, if at all? China Russia North Korea Iran Major threat 52% 45% 34% 30% Minor threat 19 25 26 25 Not a threat at all 7 7 16 18 Don’t know/No opinion 23 23 24 27 Note: Online survey. Sample is national adults. Source: Morning Consult, February 12–15, 2021.

Q: And as you may know, President Joe Biden has said that he plans to keep Space Force intact after it was established during the Trump administration. Do you support or oppose the Biden administration’s decision to keep Space Force? ------—-———----- Party ID ------———---—--- National response Reps. Dems. Inds. Strongly/Somewhat support 61% 71% 60% 55% Somewhat/Strongly oppose 15 12 18 16 Don’t know/No opinion 23 18 22 30 Note: Online survey. Sample is national adults. Source: Morning Consult, February 12–15, 2021.

Q: As you may know, a number of private companies are experimenting with individual space travel, where regular civilians can visit space. If price was not a concern, how likely would you be to travel to space? National ------Gender -----—------————-———----- Age ------—-——————----- response Male Female 18–34 35–44 45–64 65+ Very likely 15% 22% 8% 20% 23% 10% 9% Somewhat likely 19 22 15 27 26 13 10 Not too likely 18 18 17 17 17 20 15 Not likely at all 40 32 46 20 24 50 63 Note: Online survey. Sample is national adults. Similar numbers of Republicans and Democrats said they would be likely travel to space if cost wasn’t an issue. Thirty percent of Republicans, compared to 36 percent of Democrats, are very or somewhat likely to travel to space. However, majorities of both parties say they are not likely to go to space. Source: Morning Consult, February 12–15, 2021.

AEI, 1789 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 • 202.862.5800 • www.aei.org 9 Ordinary Life: Down with the Crown? In this edition of Ordinary Life, we look at the antithesis of ordinary life in America: the British royal family. Below we show attitudes before and after Oprah Winfrey’s interview with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. In an online survey, the Queen’s favorable and unfavorable ratings among Americans increased after the interview. Oprah’s favorability rating increased even more. Americans were more likely than Brits to think the interview was appropriate, and Americans had more sympathy with the couple than with the royal family. Over four in 10 thought Meghan’s race played a major role in how she was treated by the royal family and the British press.

Q: Do you have a favorable or unfavorable view of . . . ? Queen Elizabeth II (US responses) Oprah Winfrey (US responses) Favorable Favorable Pre-interview 53% 52% Post-interview 65 71 Note: Online survey. Sample is national adults. Asked of those who watched “Oprah with Harry and Meghan: A CBS Primetime Spe- cial.” Americans’ views of Meghan Markel and Prince Harry rose, too. The Queen’s unfavorable ratings rose from 10 percent before the interview to 16 percent after it. Oprah’s declined from 25 to 18 percent. Source: Morning Consult, latest that of March 9–11, 2021.

Q: From what you have read or heard, do you think Harry and Meghan’s two-hour interview with Oprah Winfrey was appropriate or inappropriate? US response British response Interview was 44% appropriate 21% 20 It was inappropriate 47 36 Don’t know 31 Note: Online surveys. US sample is national adults. British sample is national adults. Source: YouGov, March 8, 2021.

Q: From what you have read and heard, how much sympathy, if any, do you have for . . . ? Senior members of US responses, Harry and the royal family post-interview Meghan 7% A lot of sympathy 22% 15 A fair amount 25 29 Not very much 13 31 None at all 24 Note: Online survey. Sample is national adults. Source: YouGov, March 8, 2021.

Q: How much of a role do you believe Meghan’s race played in how she was treated by the . . . ?

Meghan’s race played . . . Royal family British press A major role in how she was treated 42% 44% A minor role 16 17 No role at all 20 18 Note: Online survey. Sample is national adults. In a separate question, 67 percent of Americans said that the “concerns and conversa- tions about how dark [her son, Archie’s] skin might be when he was born” was racist. Sixteen percent said it was not. Source: YouGov, March 8, 2021.

AEI, 1789 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 • 202.862.5800 • www.aei.org 10