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CBS NEWS POLLFor release: Tuesday, June 28, 201112:00 am (EDT)United States of Influence
May 20-23, 2011
A recent CBS News Poll finds many Americans feel alienated from government and unhappywith Washington, as they have felt for years:
Most Americans feel they don’t have much say about what the government does,continuing a trend first seen in CBS News polling as far back as 1990. Nearly three infour are dissatisfied with they way things are going in Washington.
Seven in 10 think special interest groups have too much influence on American life andpolitics, while 85% think they themselves have too little.
Most think the rich benefit from Washington’s policies – but few say the middle classdoes.More than two in three Americans – 69% -- think that people like themselves have not much sayin what the government does. 21% feel like they have some say, and just one in 10 think theyhave a great deal of say. Those findings are not new; since CBS News began asking thequestion in 1990, about half of the public, if not more, have felt they had little say in government.Majorities across all major demographic groups feel they don’t have much say about what thegovernment does.
How Much Say Do People Like You Have In What Gov’t Does?
Now 2/2010 5/2000 8/1995 10/1990Good deal 9% 8% 10% 12% 11%Some 21 21 25 29 30Not much 69 70 64 58 58The poll finds continued discontent with federal government itself as well. 73% are dissatisfiedabout the way things are going in Washington, including 19% who feel angry -- similar to views just prior to last November’s midterm elections.Republicans and Tea Party supporters are more likely than Democrats and independents to feelangry about the way things are going in the nation’s capital.
Feelings about Washington
Now Reps Dems Inds Tea PartyEnthusiastic 1% 0% 2% 1% 0%Satisfied 22 10 35 21 9Dissatisfied 54 62 48 54 54Angry 19 27 11 20 35Americans who are angry volunteer unemployment and the economy (14%) and governmentspending and the budget deficit (14%) as the top reasons why. These are followed by President
 
Barack Obama (12%), and partisan politics and gridlock (11%). Other mentions include healthcare reform and gas prices.
What are You Most Angry About?
(Among Americans angry with Washington)Unemployment/economy 14%Gov’t spending/budget deficit 14President Obama 12Partisan politics 11Not representing the people 7Health care reform 6Congress 6Gas prices 5
Congress
Americans also continue to be skeptical about whether Congress is working in their bestinterests. Eight in 10 say most members of Congress are more interested in serving the needsof special interest groups, while just 13% think Congress is more interested in serving thepeople they represent.
Most Members Of Congress Interested In Serving…
Now 10/2006 9/1994 10/1990 (voters)People they represent 13% 16% 14% 20%Special interest groups 80 78 79 71And, perhaps not surprisingly, the American public thinks most members of Congress areoverpaid. 69% say the salaries and benefits members of Congress receive are too high for thework they do.
Salaries and Benefits of Most Members of Congress are…
Too high 69%Too low 1About right 20
Who Benefits?
Few Americans think the government’s policies benefit the middle class either. Instead, 66%think the rich are the beneficiaries of the federal government’s policies. Only 4% say the middleclass benefits.Democrats are especially likely to see the rich benefiting most; fewer Republicans say that.Only 3% of Democrats think the poor mostly benefit from government policies, but that numberrises to 30% among Republicans.
Who Benefits Most from Federal Government’s Policies?
All Reps Dems Inds Tea PartyRich 66% 44% 82% 67% 43%Middle class 4 2 7 4 2Poor 12 30 3 8 26All equal 10 10 5 14 16
 
As household incomes rise, the percentage that says the rich benefit most declines. 76% ofAmericans with incomes under $50,000 say the rich are the main beneficiaries of the federalgovernment’s policies, but that number drops to 61% among those earning between $50,000and $100,000, and 48% among those with incomes over $100,000.
Who Benefits Most From Federal Government’s Policies?
All <$50K $50K-$100K Over $100KRich 66% 76% 61% 48%Middle class 4 4 4 7Poor 12 6 14 30All equal 10 10 12 9
Influence in life and politics
Given their cynicism about their role in government and Congress, it isn’t surprising that mostAmericans hold negative views about their overall influence in American life and politics. 85%think people like themselves have too little influence on American life and politics today. Incontrast, 71% think special interest groups have too much influence.The poll took a look at two specific interest groups – namely the National Rifle Association andPlanned Parenthood. A plurality (41%) of Americans think the NRA has the right amount ofinfluence on life and politics, while 28% think the group has too much influence, and just 17%say it has too little. 22% of Americans say Planned Parenthood has too much influence on lifeand politics, while more (30%) think the organization has too little. A third says it has the rightamount. Republicans are more likely to think Planned Parenthood has too much influence, andDemocrats think that about the NRA.And when looking at Labor and Big Business, 75% of Americans say large corporations havetoo much influence, while less than half that percentage – 36% - thinks the same of laborunions. A majority of those of all partisan stripes think large corporations have too muchinfluence. Most Republicans think labor unions have too much influence, while fewer Democratsand independents agree.
Influence on American Life?
Too Much Right Amount Too LittleSpecial interest groups 71% 11 9People like you 1% 12 85N.R.A. 28% 41 17Planned Parenthood 22% 34 30Large corporations 75% 13 7Labor unions 36% 26 30 ___________________________________________________________________________ 
This poll was conducted by telephone from May 20-23, 2011 among 1,020 adults nationwide. Phonenumbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to samplingfor results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error forsubgroups is higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council onPublic Polls.
 
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