Although billed as showing that “a vast majority of Americans express support for democracy” and that “88 % of respondents considered it ‘very’ or ‘extremely important’ for the US to remain a democracy”, this latest of an annual series of surveys involving around 9,000 people, later questions in the survey reveal significant disturbing inconsistencies.
“A majority, 61.1 %”, also believe “American democracy faces a serious threat.”
But when feelings about authoritarian government are explored, a different and somewhat inconsistent picture emerged.
“About one-third of respondents agreed at least ‘somewhat’ that having a strong leader for America is more important than having a democracy.” That would represent about 90 million adults.
“When asked to choose between “having election outcomes determined democratically” and “having political leaders I can trust to look out for my values and interests,” one-third of respondents chose the latter.”
Furthermore, “About one-quarter of [respondents] agreed at least ‘somewhat'” that “Congress [should be suspended] for several years to allow a strong leader to take charge”, of those 11.6 % of respondents (an estimated 30.9 million adults) agreed “strongly or very strongly”.
When asked about the federal government using force, about one-third of participants agreed at least ‘somewhat’ that it “should use the military to help enforce its policies in the United States.” This includes 9.6 percent, or an estimated 25.8 million adults, who agreed “strongly or very strongly”.
More worrying still was the statement that “more than 10 % of respondents supported the idea of the government using ‘private armed militia groups’ for the same purpose” and “Between 15 and 20 % of people agreed that the federal government should arrest citizens and journalists who publicly oppose its policies or the President.”
Worst of all, “Approximately 10 % of respondents indicated they were at least ‘somewhat’ willing to personally use force or violence to either support or oppose the government’s enforcement of its policies.” These persons willing to lend personal force to government enforcement of policy or to punish critics of the President were however reported as being in a sub-group which split roughly half and half between right and left wingers.
The survey was managed by Ipsos and carried out for Centers for Violence Prevention at UC Davis in Northern California and published as a summary on the SocArXiv server.