Current Public Opinion

On June 3, 2009, Quinnipiac University released a national survey which asked Americans how they felt about affirmative action now. The survey specifically referenced the New Have firefighter case (video below). Here are the results: 

U.S. VOTERS DISAGREE 3-1 WITH SOTOMAYOR ON KEY CASE,

QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY NATIONAL POLL FINDS;

MOST SAY ABOLISH AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

 American voters say 55 – 36 percent that affirmative action should be abolished, and disagree  71 – 19 percent with Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayer’s ruling in the New Haven firefighters’ case, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

More than 70 percent of voters say diversity is not a good enough reason to give minorities preferential treatment in competition for government or private sector jobs, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University survey of more than 3,000 voters finds. 

Looking at specifics of affirmative action, American voters:

·      Oppose 70 – 25 percent giving some racial groups preference for government jobs to increase diversity.  Black voters support it 49 – 45 percent while Hispanic voters are

opposed 58 – 38 percent;

·      Oppose 74 – 21 percent giving some racial groups preference for private sector jobs to

increase diversity.  Voters in every racial and religious group oppose this;

·      Oppose 64 – 29 percent affirmative action for Hispanics in hiring, promotion and college

entry.  Black voters support it 59 – 30 percent while Hispanics split 47 – 48 percent;

·      Oppose 61 – 33 percent affirmative action for blacks in hiring, promotion and college

entry.  Black voters support this 69 – 26 percent, as do Hispanics 51 – 46 percent;

·      Oppose 62 – 32 percent affirmative action for white women in hiring, promotion and

college entry.  Women oppose this 58 – 35 percent but blacks support it 55 – 37 percent.

“Whether it’s a belief that the statute of limitations on past wrongs has run out or economic pressures on workers, programs that supporters call affirmative action and opponents label racial preferences are unpopular with most American voters,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the  Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

 “African-Americans are the only group that favors such programs, while Hispanics are mixed.  Women are more supportive than men.  Younger voters and those lower on the income scale are more supportive than older and more affluent voters,” Brown added.

“Proponents have long argued that such programs seek out qualified minorities but don’t disadvantage anyone.  But by a narrow margin, voters see a zero-sum game in which someone – generally white males – loses when someone else gains.  

“What is significant is that the public clearly opposes the idea that such programs are justified as a way of increasing diversity, which has become the rationale in recent years as opposed to compensating for past discrimination which was the reason when they first began."

From May 26 – June 1, Quinnipiac University surveyed 3,097 registered voters nationwide with a margin of error of +/- 1.8 percentage points. 

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and the nation as a public service and for research.  

55% of registered voters already support the mission of this blog. 


Now is the perfect time for change.