Poll: Most feel civil liberties not harmed by war on terror

[razors edge]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/10/25/poll.bush/index.html

(CNN) -- Most Americans do not believe the Bush administration has gone too far in restricting civil liberties as part of the war on terror, a new CNN poll released Thursday suggests.

While 39 percent of the 1,013 poll respondents said the Bush administration has gone too far, 34 percent said they believe the administration has been about right on the restrictions, according to the Opinion Research Corp. survey. Another 25 percent said the administration has not gone far enough.

Asked whether Bush has more power than any other U.S. president, 65 percent of poll respondents said no. Thirty-three percent said yes. Of those who said yes, a quarter said that was bad for the country. (View poll results)

Seventy-two percent of poll respondents said they believe the size of the federal government has increased in the past four years. Twenty percent believe it has decreased, and 8 percent had no opinion.

May their chain lay lightly upon them, and history forget that they were our brethren.

[mmonk]

1. Did they admit their responsibility in the public's ignorance?

[razors edge]

10. they are only infotainment.

[ThomCat]

2. On a related note

most people don't realise that they have been affected by the loss of their liberties yet. And most of them foolishly assume that only other people are going to be affected, so it's all okay.
x(

[cautiouslywaiting]

3. I wish

we could get people to understand what's really going on in this country. I've tried telling my family and they just don't get it.

[Temporary1]

4. I think you might want to see another one of my posts

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2492304&mesg_id=2492304

This is an experience I had..

[razors edge]

11. reminds me of this

http://www.break.com/index/security_test.html

video, quite funny those damn ausies

[Temporary1]

14. LOL "i like bridges"

But I guess they behave a little differently than our security, which I think prefers to send undercover first.

[Zomby Woof]

5. Civics education is dead

Has been for a long time. We're ripe for a complete eradication of the Bill of Rights.

[ThomCat]

9. You're not kidding.

We're a nation of people who know how to be "patriots" but not how to be citizens.
x(

[originalpckelly]

6. New poll shows most Americans don't give a damn about their liberty.

New poll shows the effect of mainstream media's laziness upon the American people.

[rhiannon55]

12. If they think they haven't lost any civil liberties

it's because they haven't yet had any evidence of it, personally. They haven't been caught breaking any laws, or been in the wrong place at the wrong time, or paid enough attention to notice anything different. Or maybe they don't fit a certain profile. If people are comfortable, they really are like sheep. They won't believe there's a problem until it affects them.

[Marie26]

7. There's a good documentary on CNN right now.

It's called "Power Play", and it covers the many power grabs for executive power that the Bush Adm. has made, from Gitmo detainees to signing statements. Hopefully this will raise awareness of the issue a little.

[Daphne08]

8. As a civil libertarian, I find this appalling. n/t

[The Magistrate]

13. Actually, Sir, These Results Are Not Bad At All

A plurality does agree that restriction of civil liberties has gone too far. The proportion of people who think things have gone too far to persons who want more restrictions is eight to five, which is clear predominance. The portion that thinks things are about right will be mostly people who have no real opinion, and if driven to choose by a well calculated campaign, would probably break in about the same eight to five proportion that exists between people who think things have gone too far and people who think there should be more restrictions.

[razors edge]

15. For a simple on line poll

and considered in the crudest form of where a vote may come from tomorrow, perhaps not.

But if taken as a sense of the underlying feelings of a nations individuals of varying socio-economic realities, and applying the simplest of extrapolation, i would suggest that perhaps the more affluent would be most willing to give up said liberties, as they may afford the more opportune circumstances afforded only the privileged who comfortably avoid the standard issue kicking in their door with the easily affordable campaign donation.

but for us high skool dropout hilbilys once the election are over :

[The Magistrate]

20. Actually, Sir

In totalitarian and authoritarian societies, it is more dangerous to be affluent, as wealth worth confiscating is a frequent spur to charges that will justify it. There are exceptions, of course, most noteably when there is actual revolutionary ferment among the disadvantaged in a society.

The divisions within this poll probably run more along the lines of education, with better educated respondents being more likely to think liberties have been too greatly restricted than otherwise, and of religion, with respondents more frequently attending church being more likely to be willing to see greater restrictions than otherwise. There is some correlation between more education and more income, but not too much correllation between church attendance and income in either direction.

[razors edge]

21. You could be right

but you still haven't responded to this I notice.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2905881&mesg_id=2907929

[donco6]

16. Most won't notice any impact on civil liberties . . .

until you outlaw PSPs and video games. Then they'll be really really mad. They might even slam a door.

[Disturbed]

18. Uh..Habus Corpus. Is that sumptin' to do with dead folk?

It don't have nothin' to do with none of us. :dunce:

[donco6]

19. God, I'd laugh if it weren't true! eom

[LynnTheDem]

17. "most Americans" are dumber than a box of rocks.

Most uninformed populace on the planet.