Volume 6, Issue 3 • March 2010 Honesty and Ethics in Politics Americans have long associated politics with corruption, but at some points, concern about it is greater than others. In a late 2009 Gallup question, a majority said the honesty and ethical standards of members of Congress were low or very low. This is the only time a majority has given this response since the question was first asked in 1976. In 1995, after a series of scandals that included the Keating Five, the related S&L crisis, and the House banking and post office scandals, the proportion saying low or very low was 46 percent. When Pew asked people in its mid-March 2010 poll to offer one word that best described Congress, all sorts of colorful adjectives were volunteered, but concerns about corruption were prominent. In Gallup’s early March survey, approval of the way Congress was handling its job was 16 percent, one of the lowest responses in the 35-year history of the question. Q: It has been said that it is almost impossible for a man Q: Would you . ? to stay honest if he goes into politics. Do you . ? 1997 1943 Agree, people who go Agree, it is almost impossible into politics cannot for a man to stay honest remain honest 55% if he goes into politics 48% Disagree 37 Disagree 42 Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, 1997. Source: National Opinion Research Center, 1943. Q: Please tell me how you would rate the honesty and Q: Which political party has . ? ethical standards of people in these different fields . ? 2010 2009 The Democratic Party has Honesty and ethical standards higher moral and ethical of Congressmen/members standards 31% of Congress are very high/high 9% The Republican Party does 29 Low/very low 55 Both (vol.) 6 Note: The top five of the 22 professions in terms of very high or Neither (vol.) 22 high standards were nurses (83 percent), druggists (66 percent), Note: Vol. = volunteered response. medical doctors (65 percent), police officers (63 percent), and engi- Source: PSRA/Pew Research Center, March 2010. neers (62 percent). Source: The Gallup Organization, November 2009. Q: As you may know, there have been a number of alle- Q: Do you think . .? gations of ethics violations and misconduct by members 2010 of Congress. Do you think . ? You personally could do a better 2010 job running the country than This Congress has had more ethical our government officials are problems than those in the past 30% presently doing 36% Fewer ethical problems 4 No, could not 64 About the same number 63 Source: CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, February 2010. Source: NBC News/Wall Street Journal, March 2010. 1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 202.862.5800 www.aei.org Business Ethics: Wall Street, The Sequel Perceptions of the honesty and ethical standards of people in business are only a little higher than views of members of Congress. A new poll from Harris Interactive about Wall Street shows that only around three in ten believe that most people there are as honest and moral as other people. In surveys taken by Gallup around the time of the Enron and WorldCom scandals, people said that the kind of practices that occurred at those corporations would not happen at their own workplaces. Q: Please tell me how you would rate the honesty and Q: In general, do you think . .? ethical standards of people in these different fields . Most CEOs are honest and ethical Honesty and ethical stand- 2002 34% ards are high/very high 2009 22 (Top five) Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, latest that of February 2009. Nurses 83% Druggists or pharmacists 66 Q: Please say if you tend to agree or disagree with the Doctors 65 following statements about Wall Street . Police officers 63 Engineers 62 Agree, most people on Wall Street would be willing to break the law if Bankers 19 they believed they could make a lot Business executives 12 of money and get away with it 66% Disagree 29 (Bottom five) Note: The “tend to agree” response in 2009, 71%, was the highest Insurance salespeople 9 response on this question since Harris asked it for the first time in 1996. Stockbrokers 9 Members of Congress 9 Agree, in general, people on Wall Street HMO managers 8 are as honest and moral as other Car salespeople 6 people 31% Note: This question was asked for the first time in 1981. High con- Disagree 64 fidence in the honesty and ethical standards of business executives Note: The “tend to agree” response in 2009, 26%, was the lowest hovered around 20 percent in 20 askings of the question between response on this question since Harris asked it for the first time in 1981 and 2005. It has been below 15 percent in each yearly poll 1996. since 2006. Source: Harris Interactive, February 2010. Source: The Gallup Organization, November 2009. Coming Soon: New AEI Public Opinion Studies on attitudes toward business and on the economic crisis AEI POLITICAL REPORT CONTRIBUTORS Karlyn Bowman, Senior Fellow; John Fortier, Research Research Assistants: Jennifer Marsico, Editor; Andrew Fellow; Norman Ornstein, Resident Scholar; Rugg, Editor. Michael Barone, Resident Fellow. Interns: Nick Davis, Cameron Petty, Henrik Temp. 1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 202.862.5800 www.aei.org 2 Obama Up Close and Personal In the latest polls, President Obama’s ratings have flatlined right below the 50 percent mark. He is still popular person- ally, although his ratings on this score have dropped, too. Strong majorities think he is honest and trustworthy, and sepa- rately, sincere. As a candidate in March 2008, 70 percent said he was inspiring. In Pew’s March 2010 poll, 61 percent gave that response. Pew notes that the changes in personal opinion of him have occurred across the board. Q: Now I’m going to read you the names of several public figures and groups and I’d like you to rate your feelings toward each one . ? Feelings about Barack Obama Positive Negative March 2010 50% 38% April 2009 64 23 Note: Eleven percent said they had “Neutral” feelings in March 2010. Source: NBC News/Wall Street Journal, latest that of March 2010. Q: Thinking about the following characteristics and qualities, please say whether you think it applies or doesn’t apply to Barack Obama . Is honest and trustworthy 59% Does not apply to Obama 40 Is sincere in what he says 63% Does not apply to Obama 37 Source: CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, January 2010. Q: As I name some traits, please tell me whether you think each one describes Barack Obama. First, do you think . ? Think of Barack Obama as Inspiring 61% Decisive 57 Arrogant 35 Detached 35 Source: PSRA/Pew Research Center, March 2010. Q: Does Barack Obama make you feel . ? Hopeful 54% Proud 49 Disappointed 44 Angry 30 Source: PSRA/Pew Research Center, March 2010. Q: Do you . ? Agree, President Obama Is open, honest, and trustworthy 54% Provides a fresh outlook with new ideas 56 Source: Harris Interactive online survey, January 2010. 1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 202.862.5800 www.aei.org 3 Money, Money, Money: Personal Finances in a Recessionary Time In 2001, when most Americans were feeling good about the economy, and people were evenly divided about whether they were savers or spenders. Today, six in ten say they enjoy saving more than spending. Purchasing more generic brands is something many Americans have done in the past six months to save money. Six percent say they are stocking up on gold. Fewer people today than nine months ago are hearing mostly bad news about financial markets and the job situa- tion, but the proportion hearing mostly bad news about real estate values and prices has not changed. Many of those who consider themselves middle class are struggling to stay there. Q: Thinking about money for a moment, are you the type of person who . ? 80 I am the type of person who . 70 62% 60 More enjoys saving money 50 40 More enjoys spending money 35% 30 Jul. 2009 Jul. Apr. 2001 Apr. 2005 Apr. 2006 Apr. 2009 Apr. Feb. 2010 Feb. Dec. 2008 Dec. Source: The Gallup Organization, latest that of February 2010. Q: Have you . ? Done or considering doing any of the following over the past six months in order to save money Have done Have considered Have not done Purchasing more generic brands 63% 12% 18% Brown bagging lunch instead of purchasing it 45 8 13 Going to hairdresser/barber/stylist less often 39 8 31 Switched to refillable water bottle instead of purchasing bottle of water 34 10 21 Cancelled one or more magazine subscriptions 33 7 23 Cut down on dry cleaning 22 4 17 Cancelled or cut back cable TV service 22 20 41 Stop purchasing coffee in the morning 21 6 19 Cancelled newspaper subscription 19 9 31 Changed or cancelled cell phone service 17 14 52 Cancelled landline phone service and only using cell phone 15 21 45 Begun carpooling or using mass transit 14 8 31 Source: Harris Interactive online survey, January 2010. (continued on the next page) 1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 202.862.5800 www.aei.org 4 (continued from the previous page) Q: Some people who are extremely concerned about the health of the U.S. economy have taken a number of actions. Please tell me if you have . ? Taken this action because of concern about the U.S. economy Taken money out of the stock market 20% Stocked up on food, bottled water, or other staples 18 Bought a gun or ammunition 11 Purchased gold 6 Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, February 2010.