Survey: SHOH32

Stories based on the data from this survey:

Most Americans doubt the resurrection of the body
Poll suggests path to happiness, if not meaning of life
Gender gap returns as most women turn against Bush
Gambling USA: We are rolling the dice more than ever
Most Americans say federal government too secretive

Questions asked in this survey:

Do you think America basically is headed in the right direction or in the wrong direction?
In general, do you approve or disapprove of the job George W. Bush is doing as president?
In general, how important do you believe open public access to government records and information is? Do you believe that public access is critical to the functioning of good government, or do you believe that it plays only a minor role?
How do you get most of your information about the actions and activities of state and local government? Do you get most of your information from newspapers, from television, or from some other source?
How do you get most of your information about the federal government's actions and activities?
I want to ask how interested you are in the actions and activities of various levels of government. So when it comes to your state and local governments, would you say you are very interested, somewhat interested, somewhat uninterested or completely uninteested?
How about the federal government
I'm interested in whether you consider these governments to be open and transparent or whether you consider them to be closed and secretive. So when talking about your state and local governments, do you think that they are very open, somewhat open, somewhat secretive or very secretive
How about the federal government?
Do you think there's too much secrecy, too little secrecy or just the right amount of secrecy in our governments? So when you think about your local and state governments, do they have too much secrecy, too little secrecy or just the right amount ot secrecy
How about the federal government?
Sometimes citizens seek information from official government records, such as voter registration information,realestate sales, policy incident reports, salaries of officials, driver or accident records, background information on zoning or school boundary changes or other public hearing issues. Have you ever requested any records such as the ones I mentioned or others from any government agency?
Have you requested informaton from your local government?
Wold you say that your local govenrment was very helpful in providing the information you wanted, somewhat helpful, somewhat unhelpful or very unhelpful?
Have you requested records from your state government?
Was the state government very helpful in providing information you wanted, somewhat helpful, somewhat unhelpful or very unhelpful?
Have you requested records from the federal government?
Was the federal government very helpful, somewhat helpful, somewhat unhelpful or very unhelpful?
have you ever attended a public hearing or official government meeting?
Have you attended a local govenrment hearing or meeting?
Have you attended a state government hearing or meetinG?
Have you attended a federal government hearing or meeting?
The federal govenrment and most state governments have laws concerning public access to government information and the public's right to attend meetings, These are often referred to as 'freedom of information" or "right to know" or "sunshine" laws. Do you genrally feel these laws give you and other Americans too much, too little or just about the right amount of access to government records and information?
Do these sunshine laws give you too much, too little or the right amount of access to government meetings and hearings?
Do thse laws give you too much, too little or the right amount of access to court records?
Some believe government records should be considered public records and that information should be withheld only if a govrnment agency can show that release of the inform ation would do harm. Others belive that it is the responsiblity of government to protect the information it hold and that record should be made public only if the citizen can make a sound legal case for its release. Which of those comes closer to your view?
Many state and local courts allow cameras into courtrooms during trials so that citizens can watch them on television. Do you think this is a good idea or bad idea?
On a different topic, I'd like to ask some questions about gambling in America. Regardless of whether your state already has one, do you favor or oppose the idea of a state lottery?
Do you favor or oppose allowing horse and dog tracks in your state?
Do you favor or oppose casino-style gambling in your state?
Do you favor or oppose private bingo for charitable organizations?
In general, do you think this country has legalized too many kinds of gambling in too many locations, not enough gambling or about the right amount?
Do you think state-licensed gambling is an acceptable or unacceptable way to raise government revenue?
How many times have you bet money in a state lottery. Have you never, once or twice or three times or more bet in a state lottery?
How many times have you bet in a casino?
How many times have you bet at a horse or dog-racing track
How many times have you bet on the outcome of a football or basketball game?
I'd also like to ask you a few questions whether you belive there is life after death. Let me start by asking whether you believe in God or a Supreme Being?
How certain are you that God or a Supreme Being exists? Are you absolutely certain, pretty certain or not certain?
Do you believe in an afterlife, that is, that you will have some sort of consciousness after you die?
How certain are you that there is an afterlife? Are you absolutely certain, pretty certain or not certain?
Do you believe that after you die, your physical body will be resurrected someday?
Do you belive that animals will go to heaven?
Do you believe that animals such as our houehold pets have souls or some kind of spirit that will survive after death?
Do you believe that animals such as our household pets have souls or some kind of spirit that will survive after death?
Generally speaking, how happy would you say you are: very happy, fairly happy or not happy?
Do you think your kitchen is too small, just the right size or too big?
Not counting the refrigerator and stove and oven, which kitchen appliance is most important to you?
If you had to guess, do you think you will live longer than your mother and father or do you think your life will be shorter?
If you were to make improvments to your kitchen in the next 12 months, which ONE of the following would you like to make: Would you like to renovate your kitchen perhaps even making structural changes? Or would you like to upgrade your appliances or make cosmetic and decorative changes to you kitchen or would you like to buy new dishes, silverware or kitchen gadgets?