National (US) Poll * August 16, 2007 * Voters Back Supreme Court Limi - Quinnipiac University

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August 16, 2007 - Voters Back Supreme Court Limit On School Deseg 3 - 1 Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Approval Of Congress Drops To Lowest Point Ever

Word format By a 71 - 24 percent margin, American voters agree with a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that public schools may not consider an individual's race when deciding which students are assigned to specific schools, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today.
Republican voters agree with the decision 79 - 17 percent, while Democrats agree 64 - 30 percent and independent voters agree 71 - 24 percent, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe- ack) University poll finds.
All American voters approve 45 - 37 percent of the job the Supreme Court is doing, down from a 58 - 37 percent approval May 3, and close to the Court's lowest approval, 44 - 39 percent, May 25, 2005. But the Supreme Court has a higher approval than the other two branches of government.
American voters disapprove 70 - 20 percent of the job Congress is doing, the lowest score ever in a Quinnipiac University poll. While Democrats control Congress, Democratic voters disapprove 67 - 23 percent.
Voters disapprove 64 - 29 percent of the job President George W. Bush is doing, among his lowest marks ever.
"It's a judicial victory among the three branches of government. The Supreme Court scores higher than President Bush or the Congress on job approval. The Democrats won control of the House and Senate, but the voters - even the Democratic voters - don't think they're doing a good job," said Maurice Carroll, Director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
"Many liberals were outraged by the recent school desegregation decision, calling it a retreat from Brown v Board of Education. But almost three-fourths of voters approved."
The Supreme Court is too liberal, 20 percent of voters say, while 29 percent say it's too conservative and 37 percent say it's "about right."
The President's appointment of Supreme Court justices is "very important" in their vote for President next year, 52 percent of voters say, while 36 percent say it is "somewhat important."
In making its decisions, the Supreme Court should consider only the intentions of the authors of the Constitution, 43 percent of American voters say, while 48 percent say the Court should consider changing times and current realities.
American voters continue to support the Roe v Wade decision 62 - 32 percent, consistent with past poll findings.
On the subject of abortion:
21 percent say it should be legal in all cases; 36 percent say it should be legal in most cases; 24 percent say it should be illegal in most cases; 13 percent say it should be illegal in all cases.
"It's bi-partisan: Most Americans say they'll consider the next president's likely ability to name several Supreme Court justices in their presidential vote," Carroll said.
"Original intent or consideration of changing mores? Voters go with Mr. Dooley - the Supreme Court should heed the headlines.
"And on abortion, we still find most Americans - 60 percent - in the middle."
From August 7 - 13, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,545 American voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percent, including 611 Republicans with a margin of error of +/- 4.0 percent, and 717 Democrats with a margin of error of +/- 3.7 percent.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and nationwide as a public service and for research.
For more data -- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x271.xml, or call (203) 582-5201.
25. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as President?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 29% 63% 8% 24% 29% 29% Disapprove 64 28 89 69 64 64 DK/NA 7 9 3 7 6 7
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as President?
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Aug 16 Jun 13 May 3 Feb 21 Nov 22 Dec 11 Jun 13 2007 2007 2007 2007 2006 2001 2007 Approve 29 28 35 34 35 83 28 Disapprove 64 65 60 60 58 11 65 DK/NA 7 7 6 6 7 6 7
26. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 20% 22% 23% 17% 17% 24% Disapprove 70 70 67 72 77 63 DK/NA 10 8 10 11 6 13
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Aug 16 Jun 13 May 3 Mar 2 Dec 6 Mar 6 Aug 16 2007 2007 2007 2006 2005 2003 2007 Approve 20 23 39 25 27 42 20 Disapprove 70 66 52 63 61 46 70 DK/NA 10 11 9 11 11 12 10
27. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the United States Supreme Court is handling its job?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 45% 65% 35% 40% 48% 43% Disapprove 37 21 47 41 39 36 DK/NA 17 14 17 19 13 20
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the United States Supreme Court is handling its job?
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Aug 16 May 3 Dec 7 Jul 27 May 25 May 3 May 25 2007 2007 2005 2005 2005 2007 2005 Approve 45 58 50 50 44 58 44 Disapprove 37 27 32 39 39 27 39 DK/NA 17 15 17 11 17 15 17
28. Generally speaking, would you say things in this country are heading in the right direction, or are they off on the wrong track?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Right direction 21% 44% 8% 16% 25% 18% Wrong track 73 47 88 78 71 74 DK/NA 6 10 4 5 4 8
TREND: Generally speaking, would you say things in this country are heading in the right direction, or are they off on the wrong track?
Aug 16 Jun 13 Feb 22 2007 2007 2007 Right direction 21 18 26 Wrong track 73 74 68 DK/NA 6 8 6
29. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling the situation with Iraq?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 29% 61% 6% 26% 32% 25% Disapprove 67 33 91 69 64 69 DK/NA 4 6 2 5 3 5
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling the situation with Iraq?
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Aug 16 Jun 13 May 3 Feb 21 Nov 22 Jul 24 Jun 13 2007 2007 2007 2007 2006 2003 2007 Approve 29 25 31 30 30 52 25 Disapprove 67 70 64 64 66 43 70 DK/NA 4 6 5 6 4 5 6
30. Do you think going to war with Iraq was the right thing for the United States to do or the wrong thing?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Right thing 35% 71% 12% 32% 39% 32% Wrong thing 59 22 85 62 57 60 DK/NA 6 7 4 6 5 7
TREND: Do you think going to war with Iraq was the right thing for the United States to do or the wrong thing?
Highest Lowest Right Right Aug 16 Jun 13 May 3 Feb 21 Nov 22 Sep 17 Aug 16 2007 2007 2007 2007 2006 2003 2007 Right 35 37 39 37 40 58 35 Wrong 59 57 55 56 56 37 59 DK/NA 6 7 6 7 4 5 6
31. Do you support or oppose Congress setting a time-table for withdrawing United States troops from Iraq?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 55% 29% 76% 55% 47% 61% Oppose 40 66 20 40 49 32 DK/NA 5 5 5 5 4 7
TREND: Do you support or oppose Congress setting a time-table for withdrawing United States troops from Iraq? * wording included ..."all" United States troops...
Aug 16 Jun 13 May 3 2007 2007 2007* Support 55 54 51 Oppose 40 39 45 DK/NA 5 7 4
32. Do you think the United States Supreme Court is moving in the right direction or the wrong direction?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Right direction 39% 57% 31% 32% 42% 36% Wrong direction 37 20 46 41 39 35 DK/NA 25 23 23 27 19 29
33. The next President may have the opportunity to make several nominations to the Supreme Court. How important is the appointment of Supreme Court Justices in your vote for President next year - very important, somewhat important, or not important at all?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Very important 52% 55% 55% 48% 56% 49% Somewhat important 36 34 35 37 32 40 Not important at all 11 10 7 14 12 10 DK/NA 2 1 2 1 1 2
34. Do you think the Supreme Court is too liberal, too conservative, or about right?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Liberal 20% 31% 12% 19% 22% 18% Conservative 29 4 49 33 32 27 About right 37 54 27 32 37 38 DK/NA 13 11 12 16 9 17
TREND: Do you think the Supreme Court is too liberal, too conservative, or about right? * = All Adults
Aug 16 Mar 5 2007 2003* Liberal 20 19 Conservative 29 26 About right 37 46 DK/NA 13 10
35. Is your opinion of -- Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts favorable, unfavorable, mixed or haven't you heard enough about him?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 21% 42% 7% 18% 27% 16% Unfavorable 9 1 15 7 10 7 Mixed 21 13 26 23 19 22 Hvn't hrd enough 49 43 50 51 44 54 REFUSED 1 1 - 2 - 1
36. Which comes closer to your point of view?: A) In making decisions, the Supreme Court should only consider the original B) In making decisions, the Supreme Court should consider changing times
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom A) Original intentions 43% 62% 30% 38% 47% 39% B) Changing times 48 32 60 52 46 50 DK/NA 9 6 10 10 7 11
TREND: Which comes closer to your point of view?: (A) In making decisions, the Supreme Court should only consider the original intentions of the authors of the Constitution or (B) In making decisions, the Supreme Court should consider changing times and current realities in applying the principles of the Constitution. (* All Adults)
Aug 16 Jul 27 May 25 Mar 5 2007 2005 2005 2003 * (A)original intentions 43 44 42 39 (B)changing times 48 50 51 54 DK/NA 9 6 8 7
37. Do you think abortion should be legal in all cases, legal in most cases, illegal in most cases or illegal in all cases?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Legal/all cases 21% 12% 29% 23% 21% 21% Legal/most 36 28 42 36 37 35 Illegal/most 24 35 15 20 23 24 Illegal/all 13 20 9 13 12 15 DK/NA 6 5 5 8 7 5
TREND: Do you think abortion should be legal in all cases, legal in most cases, illegal in most cases or illegal in all cases?
Aug 16 May 3 Dec 7 Jul 27 May 25 Mar 10 Dec 15 2007 2007 2005 2005 2005 2005 2004 Legal all cases 21 17 19 20 18 19 16 Legal most cases 36 37 38 37 37 35 41 Illegal most cases 24 26 25 24 27 24 26 Illegal all cases 13 13 14 12 14 15 13 DK/NA 6 7 4 7 5 6 5
38. In general, do you agree or disagree with the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that established a woman's right to an abortion?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Agree 62% 42% 77% 64% 65% 60% Disagree 32 54 17 30 28 35 DK/NA 6 4 6 6 7 5
TREND: In general, do you agree or disagree with the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that established a woman's right to an abortion? (* All adults)
Aug 16 Dec 7 Jul 27 May 25 Mar 5 2007 2005 2005 2005 2003* Agree 62 63 65 63 62 Disagree 32 32 30 33 35 DK/NA 6 5 6 5 3
39. As you may know, the Supreme Court recently ruled that public schools may not consider an individual's race when deciding which students are assigned to specific schools. Do you agree or disagree with this ruling?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Agree 71% 79% 64% 71% 71% 71% Disagree 24 17 30 24 24 24 DK/NA 5 3 6 5 5 5