WASHINGTON, 20 February — Americans have been swept up in a wave of patriotism since the Sept. 11 attacks, but this has not improved their impression of politicians, journalists or the election process in general, according to a new poll.
“Despite an outpouring of patriotic fervor, America has not been transformed,” notes a survey released by the Harwood Institute and the Gallup Organization on Monday. “We are not a nation fundamentally changed by September11, at least not in terms of our commitment to improving politics and civic life in our communities, or in our expectations for future political conduct.”
The poll is the first to gauge American attitudes toward the midterm 2002 elections since the terrorist attacks. Among the key findings:
62 percent think that candidates providing the important kinds of information voters need to make informed decisions will be about the same or worse as in the past; 65 percent think candidates who avoid negativity and name-calling while politicking will be about the same, if not worse than in the past; another 64 percent said the majority of candidates who could show they actually understood the communities they represented had not increased.
The press fared no better, with a whopping 80 percent saying they think the news media attempts to avoid sensationalism and hype while covering the candidates and their campaigns will be about the same, or even worse, than in years past. Sixty-three percent said the news media’s obligations to hold candidates accountable for campaign promises had not improved, or had worsened.
Two-thirds of those polled said the media had not improved campaign coverage by providing substantial information about issues or candidates’ track records.
“The survey that Americans have not been fooled into thinking that patriotic feelings are a replacement for substance in politics and action in public life. In fact, much of what we saw in this poll tells us that citizens think civic responsibility and political conduct are more than just waving the flag, singing patriotic songs and giving blood or donation,” said Richard Harwood, founder and president of the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation.
The survey, released on President’s Day, offers a glimpse into what Americans now consider their patriotic duty as the nation reflects on the achievements of the country’s first patriots.
The poll showed that Americans say patriotism includes more than displaying flags and marching in parades.
When asked what activities were “important parts of patriotism,” 97 percent said voting; 83 percent said publicly challenging prevailing public opinion in times of national crisis if they believe core democratic values are at stake; and 77 percent said questioning the decisions of our nations leaders, even when they are trying to rally the country.
Americans also fear for their children’s patriotism, with 67 percent saying today’s children do not have a sufficient understanding of what the US flag represents. Another 76 percent said that civics education does not get the attention it deserves.
