48% See Government Today As A Threat to Individual Rights

Rasmussen Reports ^ | June 24, 2010

[bamahead]

Nearly half of American Adults see the government today as a threat to individual rights rather than a protector of those rights.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of Adults see the government today as a threat to rights. Thirty-seven percent (37%) hold the opposite view. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided.

Most Republicans (74%) and unaffiliateds (51%) consider the government to be a threat to individual rights. Most Democrats (64%) regard the government as a protector of rights.

Additionally, most Americans (52%) say it is more important for the government to protect individual rights than to promote economic growth. Just 31% say promoting economic growth is more important. But again a sizable number (17%) of Adults aren't sure which is more important.

This nationwide survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 18-19, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

I'm in the process of reading the wonderful, newly issued paperback of Hayek's The Road to Serfdom. It is well annotated, with excellent editorial background. It might be the best ten bucks I've ever spent.

Hayek wrote the book in 1944, and was very, very prescient. His take on government growth vs. individual freedom is perfect. Clearly (except to liberals,) the greater the former, the less the latter.

[MrB]

As with any book on human nature based in the Truth of God’s creation,

“Road to Serfdom” will be a transcendent reference.

[ScottinVA]

Apparently RasmussenReports is being blocked at my workplace firewall. Since no one has rushed to post today’s tracking poll numbers, they must be favorable to Boy Zer0. Am I right?

[Atlas Sneezed]

48%.....THE MSM HAS DONE A GOOD JOB COVERING UP THE TRUTH.

---

So have generations of public (government) schools, in failing to teach the number one civics lesson that used to be the core of the founding of our nation.

[FrankR]

In the end, it will come down to a battle between the “moocher class”, and the “producers”.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I’d hazard a guess and say that 90% of the slaves of the old Soviet Union and East Germany would have said their governments protected their rights, too. Cut from the same cloth as today’s Democrat.

[EternalVigilance]

America's Founders, of course, addressed this at the very beginning:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men..."

[GingisK]

Clearly 52% of people are idiots.

Not at all. They are either directly or indirectly employed by the government.

[MrB]

Still -13

[ScottinVA]

Still -13

Thanks. How about the overall?

[RU88]

What I find interesting about these numbers revolves around the the fact that the number of people who pay no income taxes closely mirrors those who feel the government is a protector of rights. Combine this with the brainwashing children received at gubmint schools over the course of the last two generations along with the daily bombardment from the MSM and its no small wonder why these numbers are the way they are.

[RDasher]

Clearly 52% of people are idiots.

Isn't that the percentage that voted for Obama. Coincidence I think not.

[Soothesayer]

Will the other 52% change their minds when we have concentration camps?

[MrB]

48% to 51% approve to disapprove

[servantboy777]

Damn, ya think!!

Any sane person should be able to see the control Federal, State, County and municipal governments have on our everyday lives.

Till the day I draw my last puff of air, I will vote to limit government at all levels and do my best to educate folks in that regard.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

52% don’t do anything but drink, fornicate, and watch TV. No one is trying to outlaw those, yet.

[MrB]

Too bad some of them vote, or register to vote and other people vote for them...

[sheikdetailfeather]

LOLOLOL!

[SWAMPSNIPER]

As soon as there were no basic standards for voter registration the nation was in trouble.

[kbennkc]

52% not only don't understand the Constitution , they would say it isn't necessary .