CBS NEWS POLL For release: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 12:00 am (EDT)

United States of Influence

May 20-23, 2011

A recent CBS News Poll finds many Americans feel alienated from government and unhappy with Washington, as they have felt for years: Most Americans feel they dont have much say about what the government does, continuing a trend first seen in CBS News polling as far back as 1990. Nearly three in four are dissatisfied with they way things are going in Washington. Seven in 10 think special interest groups have too much influence on American life and politics, while 85% think they themselves have too little. Most think the rich benefit from Washingtons policies but few say the middle class does. More than two in three Americans 69% -- think that people like themselves have not much say in what the government does. 21% feel like they have some say, and just one in 10 think they have a great deal of say. Those findings are not new; since CBS News began asking the question 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 dont have much say about what the government does. How Much Say Do People Like You Have In What Govt Does? Now 2/2010 5/2000 8/1995 10/1990 9% 8% 10% 12% 11% 21 21 25 29 30 69 70 64 58 58

Good deal Some Not much

The poll finds continued discontent with federal government itself as well. 73% are dissatisfied about the way things are going in Washington, including 19% who feel angry -- similar to views just prior to last Novembers midterm elections. Republicans and Tea Party supporters are more likely than Democrats and independents to feel angry about the way things are going in the nations capital. Feelings about Washington Now Reps Dems Inds 1% 0% 2% 1% 22 10 35 21 54 62 48 54 19 27 11 20

Enthusiastic Satisfied Dissatisfied Angry

Tea Party 0% 9 54 35

Americans who are angry volunteer unemployment and the economy (14%) and government spending 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 health care reform and gas prices. What are You Most Angry About? (Among Americans angry with Washington) Unemployment/economy 14% Govt spending/budget deficit 14 President Obama 12 Partisan politics 11 Not representing the people 7 Health care reform 6 Congress 6 Gas prices 5 Congress Americans also continue to be skeptical about whether Congress is working in their best interests. Eight in 10 say most members of Congress are more interested in serving the needs of special interest groups, while just 13% think Congress is more interested in serving the people 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 71 And, perhaps not surprisingly, the American public thinks most members of Congress are overpaid. 69% say the salaries and benefits members of Congress receive are too high for the work they do. Salaries and Benefits of Most Members of Congress are Too high 69% Too low 1 About right 20 Who Benefits? Few Americans think the governments policies benefit the middle class either. Instead, 66% think the rich are the beneficiaries of the federal governments policies. Only 4% say the middle class 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 number rises to 30% among Republicans. Who Benefits Most from Federal Governments Policies? All Reps Dems Inds Tea Party 66% 44% 82% 67% 43% 4 2 7 4 2 12 30 3 8 26 10 10 5 14 16

Rich Middle class Poor All equal

As household incomes rise, the percentage that says the rich benefit most declines. 76% of Americans with incomes under $50,000 say the rich are the main beneficiaries of the federal governments policies, but that number drops to 61% among those earning between $50,000 and $100,000, and 48% among those with incomes over $100,000. Who Benefits Most From Federal Governments Policies? All <$50K $50K-$100K Over $100K 66% 76% 61% 48% 4 4 4 7 12 6 14 30 10 10 12 9

Rich Middle class Poor All equal

Influence in life and politics Given their cynicism about their role in government and Congress, it isnt surprising that most Americans 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. In contrast, 71% think special interest groups have too much influence. The poll took a look at two specific interest groups namely the National Rifle Association and Planned Parenthood. A plurality (41%) of Americans think the NRA has the right amount of influence 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 life and politics, while more (30%) think the organization has too little. A third says it has the right amount. Republicans are more likely to think Planned Parenthood has too much influence, and Democrats think that about the NRA. And when looking at Labor and Big Business, 75% of Americans say large corporations have too much influence, while less than half that percentage 36% - thinks the same of labor unions. A majority of those of all partisan stripes think large corporations have too much influence. Most Republicans think labor unions have too much influence, while fewer Democrats and independents agree. Influence on American Life? Too Much Right Amount Special interest groups 71% 11 People like you 1% 12 N.R.A. Planned Parenthood Large corporations Labor unions 28% 22% 75% 36% 41 34 13 26

Too Little 9 85 17 30 7 30

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This poll was conducted by telephone from May 20-23, 2011 among 1,020 adults nationwide. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

CBS NEWS POLL United States of Influence May 20-23, 2011 q8 Which comes closest to your feelings about the way things are going in Washington -enthusiastic, satisfied but not enthusiastic, dissatisfied but not angry, or angry? ** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ** *** Party ID *** Total Rep Dem Ind % % % % 1 0 2 1 22 10 35 21 54 62 48 54 19 27 11 20 4 1 4 4

Enthusiastic Satisfied, not enthusiastic Dissatisfied, not angry Angry Don't know/No answer

Nov10b % 3 21 56 18 2

q9 What are you most angry about? * AMONG THOSE WHO SAID ANGRY IN Q8* % Unemployment/economy 14 Gov't spending/deficit 14 President Obama 12 Partisan politics 11 Not representing the people 7 Congress 6 Health care reform 6 Gas Prices 5 Republicans 4 Illegal immigration 3 Socialist policies 3 Use of Military 3 Size of gov't 2 Taxes 1 Democrats 1 Corruption 1 Bailouts/TARP 0 Abortion 0 Other 5 DK/NA 2 q10 How much say do you think people like yourself have about what the government does -a good deal, some, or not much? ** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ** *** Party ID *** Total Rep Dem Ind % % % % 9 6 14 7 21 19 25 19 69 75 60 72 1 0 1 2

A good deal Some Not much Don't know/No answer

Feb10a % 8 21 70 1

q11 Who do you think benefits most from the policies of the federal government -- the rich, the middle class, the poor, or do they all benefit equally? ** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ** *** Party ID *** Total Rep Dem Ind % % % % 66 44 82 67 4 2 7 4 12 30 3 8 10 10 5 14 2 5 1 2 6 9 2 5

Rich Middle class Poor All equal No one (vol.) Don't know/No answer

q12 Do you think most members of Congress are more interested in serving the people they represent, or more interested in serving special interest groups? Dec10a 9 85 6

People Special interest groups Don't know/No answer

13 80 7

13 82 5

17 76 7

10 83 7

q13 In general, do you think the salaries and benefits of most members of Congress are too high for the work that they do, too low for the work that they do, or are their salaries and benefits about right for the work that they do? Jan11a 69 1 24 1 5

Too high Too low About right Depends (Vol.) Don't know/No answer

69 1 20 2 8

79 1 16 1 3

67 1 23 0 9

64 1 21 3 11

q14 Do you think people like yourself have too much influence, too little influence, or about the right amount of influence on American life and politics today?

Too much Too little Right amount Don't know/No answer

1 85 12 2

1 90 8 1

2 81 16 1

0 86 12 2

q15 Do you think labor unions have too much influence, too little influence, or about the right amount of influence on American life and politics today? Feb11b 37 19 29 15

Too much Too little Right amount Don't know/No answer

36 30 26 8

57 17 19 7

23 33 36 8

33 35 22 10

q16 Do you think the National Rifle Association has too much influence, too little influence, or about the right amount of influence on American life and politics today? Too much Too little Right amount Don't know/No answer 28 17 41 14 12 27 53 8 42 11 33 14 27 16 40 17

q17 Do you think large corporations have too much influence, too little influence, or about the right amount of influence on American life and politics today? ** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ** *** Party ID *** Total Rep Dem Ind % % % % 75 67 79 76 7 9 4 8 13 18 14 9 5 6 3 7

Too much Too little Right amount Don't know/No answer q18 blank

q19 Do you think Planned Parenthood has too much influence, too little influence, or about the right amount of influence on American life and politics today? Too much Too little Right amount DK/NA 22 30 34 14 35 22 29 14 17 34 36 13 18 33 34 15

q20 Do you think special interest groups have too much influence, too little influence, or about the right amount of influence on American life and politics today? Too much Too little Right amount Don't know/No answer 71 9 11 9 76 10 10 4 67 9 14 10 70 9 10 11

Total Respondents Total Republicans Total Democrats Total Independents

UNWEIGHTED 1020 306 326 388

WEIGHTED

258 325 438