Posted on 03/24/2007 1:49:40 PM PDT by Condor 63
MONTGOMERY - Most Alabama voters have confidence in the U.S. military, Fox cable TV news and the Red Cross, but their confidence in many national institutions, except the military, is falling, a statewide poll shows.
The Capital Survey Research Center, a division of the Alabama Education Association teachers lobby, surveyed 453 registered voters by phone March 7-8 and 12-15. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.6 percentage points.
The poll, when compared to similar polls done by the center in June 2003 and April 1999, shows that Alabama voters have less confidence in many national institutions, organizations and leaders than they had eight years ago.
The biggest fall from 1999 to this month came for national corporations. The percentage of Alabama voters with some or a great deal of confidence in these businesses fell from 69 percent to 39 percent. The rest of those polled had little or no confidence, didn't know or didn't reply.
Gerald Johnson, who directs the polling center, said financial wrongdoing by companies such as Enron and HealthSouth likely played a big role in that drop.
Other big drops in confidence among Alabama voters across the eight years came for Congress, talk radio, the national Christian Coalition, Wall Street financial markets and TV news on ABC, CBS and NBC.
"Obviously, the confidence in almost everything has declined, except the military," said Brad Moody, a political scientist at Auburn University Montgomery.
Johnson noted the broad drop in confidence and said, "We've always been skeptical of Congress or politics and politicians. There's always been a level of cynicism there. I think data like this indicate it's much broader in society now. It's almost across the board."
William Stewart, a professor emeritus and political scientist at the University of Alabama, said he wasn't surprised that 91 percent of Alabama voters surveyed this month had some or a great deal of confidence in the military, compared to 92 percent in 1999.
"We have a tradition of respect for the military in Alabama, and patriotism," Stewart said.
Alabama voters, according to this month's poll, also have some or a great deal of confidence in the Red Cross and other voluntary organizations (83 percent), Fox TV news (72 percent), federal programs such as Social Security (67 percent), the presidency (63 percent) and CNN cable TV news (62 percent).
But less than half, 47 percent, had some or a great deal of confidence in national newspapers such as USA Today and The New York Times.
We support our military, that's for sure.
They have a lot of common sense there in Alabama. It must be something in the water.
That is Alabama Education Association for you non Bammers out there aka our teacher's union.
That's because those of us in the north had to beat it into them nearly 150 years ago that the nation, not Alabama, must be first in their hearts.
I was thinking the very same thing after seeing who commissioned the poll. I do recall reading recently that 80 percent of Alabamians knew about the AEA and that 61 percent had a very favorable or somewhat favorable opinion of the AEA. Almost half believe the AEA is political and that it helps public education. Given that many are brainwashed by the many "for the children" campaigns run by public and non-profit organizations, I'm not too surprised by these numbers. If only folks would look behind these numbers to see what these teacher unions are really doing in the schools, they'd be shocked.
Nobody said we weren't stubborn. :-)
And if what you say is true, it's too dang bad that all the Blue Staters up North now have such low opinions of their Country and the military who serve it. Maybe we should march on up there and b-slap some sense into you Lefty Yankees?
I've talked to many an Alabama teacher over the years that will say privately the financial rewards they get as a result of the AEA aren't worth the damage that is done to education by them.
And I'd be willing to bet there are a lot of auto union members in Michigan that are saying pretty much the same thing right about now.
I'm in as long as I can stop off in NYC and stock up at Katz's Deli on the way back....
Yer on! I'm gonna go a little further North.... I want some hot pastrami grinders, a nice Greek salad, grilled lamb with tsaziki and maybe some fried clams with bellies.
Try and stay on topic.
We have always loved the south.
Too bad y'all changed your minds.
I concur with your comments.
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