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29. Now I am going to read you another list of reasons, having to do with businesses, that some people have given for why the economy is not doing better than it is. For each one, please tell me if you think it is a major reason the economy is not doing better than it is, a minor reason, or not a reason at all. How about...

Summary Table: General Public
    Major reason Minor reason Not a reason No
opinion
l. Business profits are too high 46 36 17 1
m. Top executives are paid too much 69 22 8 1
n. Business productivity is growing too slowly 34 48 16 1
o. Technology is displacing workers 46 38 15 1
p. Companies are sending jobs overseas 68 25 6 1
q. Companies are downsizing 59 30 9 2
r. Companies are not investing enough money in education and job training 62 30 7 1

Summary Table: Economists
    Major reason Minor reason Not a reason No
opinion
l. Business profits are too high 4 11 85 *
m. Top executives are paid too much 12 44 44 0
n. Business productivity is growing too slowly 53 35 11 1
o. Technology is displacing workers 2 24 74 *
p. Companies are sending jobs overseas 6 35 58 *
q. Companies are downsizing 5 38 57 0
r. Companies are not investing enough money in education and job training 36 43 20 1

29 (and 30.) You said that the following things having to do with business...(read items) were major reasons why the economy is not doing better than it is. Which one of these do you think is the most important reason?

    Economists General Public
l. Business profits are too high 1 6
m. Top executives are paid too much 5 15
n. Business productivity is growing too slowly 38 4
o. Technology is displacing workers 1 6
p. Companies are sending jobs overseas 1 31
q. Companies are downsizing 2 12
r. Companies are not investing enough money in education and job training 21 21
  No opinion 1 1
  No item listed as major reason 30 5

30.5 Which do you think is the most important reason that the economy is not doing better than it is?

    General Public
a. Taxes are too high 7
b. The federal deficit is too big 14
c. Foreign aid spending is too high 6
d. There are too many immigrants 4
e. Too many tax breaks for business 2
f. Education and job training are inadequate 7
g. Too many people are on welfare 8
h. Women and minorities get too many advantages under affirmative action 1
i. People place too little value on hard work 5
j. The government regulates business too much 2
k. People are not saving enough 1
l. Business profits are too high 2
m. Top executives are paid too much 3
n. Business productivity is growing too slowly 2
o. Technology is displacing workers 2
p. Companies are sending jobs overseas 13
q. Companies are downsizing 5
r. Companies are not investing enough money in education and job training 7
  No opinion 1
  No item listed as major reason 9

31. Now I'm going to read you a list of all different kinds of things. For each one, please tell me whether you personally pretty much think of it as a necessity or pretty much think of it as a luxury you could do without.

Summary Table: General Public
    Necessity Could do Without No
opinion
a. Air conditioners for your home 51 49 *
b. Automobile air conditioning 41 59 0
c. A dishwasher 13 86 0
d. A TV set 59 41 0
e. A second TV set 10 90 0
f. A clothes washer 86 14 *
g. A clothes dryer 62 38 0
h. An automobile 93 7 *
i. A second automobile 37 63 *
j. A computer for home use 26 74 *
k. A microwave 32 68 0
l. A VCR (video cassette recorder) 13 87 0
m. Basic cable television 17 83 0
n. A telephone answering machine 26 74 0

32. Thinking about the next five years, please tell me for each item if it is something you already have, something you expect to have, or something you don't expect to have.

Summary Table: General Public
    Already Have Expect to Have Don't Expect To Have Not Applicable No
opinion
a. A second automobile 54 18 27 1 *
b. A third automobile 18 12 67 2 *
c. A computer for home use 36 28 35 * *
d. A home of your own 64 25 11 * 0
e. A vacation home 8 12 78 1 *
f. A vacation abroad 11 28 60 1 *
g. A private college education for your child 15 28 44 12 1

33. During the past five years, have you or someone in your family had to take a pay cut or work fewer hours in order to keep a job?

  Yes No No
opinion
General Public 33 67 1

34. Have you or a member of your immediate family been laid off from a job in the past five years, or not?

  Respondent laid off Other fam. member Respondent & Family member laid off No one laid off No
opinion
General Public 15 16 2 67 *
Economists 1 15 * 84 0

35. For each of the following, please tell me whether or not it is something you and your family have had to deal with recently.

Summary Table: General Public
    Dealt With Not
Dealt With
No
opinion
a. You have had problems paying the rent or mortgage for yourself or your family 21 79 0
b. You have delayed or had trouble getting medical care for yourself or your family 23 77 *
c. You have had problems with collection or credit agencies 23 77 0
d. You have been unable to save money for future needs 58 42 *
e. You have postponed buying a house 23 77 *
f. You or someone else in your household has given up plans for college or other types of schooling 22 78 *
g. You or someone else in your immediate family who was not working took a job, or someone who was working took an additional job because you needed the extra money 39 60 *
h. You had marital or other personal problems because of financial difficulties 22 78 *
36. How concerned are you that you or someone else in your household will lose their job in the next year? Are you very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not at all concerned?

  Concerned

Not concerned

 
  Net Very Somewhat Net Not too Not at all No opinion
General Public 37 19 19 62 25 38 *
Economists 21 3 18 79 24 55 0


Return to top

Survey of Americans and Economists on the Economy:
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five 


Information provided by Public Opinion and Media Research
Publication Number: 1199
Publish Date: 1996-10-16

 

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