With the election upon us, and most (almost all) of our attention focusing on the economy or international affairs, let’s take a short break to talk about science.
Just in case it comes up in a debate, I would like President Obama and Mr. Romney to be well-informed that most Americans believe that:
- Stem cell research should be pursued to find cures for diseases. (85%)
- Drilling should not be allowed in national parks and wildlife refuges. (70%)
- Global warming is a threat to our environment. (69%)
- Schools should teach creationism alongside or instead of evolution. (67%)
- Scientists should not practice the cloning of animals and humans. (66%)
- Scientists should not try to build robots and machines that can think for themselves. (64%)
- Our health care system should keep people alive regardless of their quality of life. (56%)
But looking more deeply, here’s what may be even more important for Americans and especially the politicians who represent them. For almost every issue, one side appears to feel much more intensely than the other. While a slight majority of Americans feels “strongly” about every issue (except robot-building), among these “passionates”, the attitudes are tipped heavily in one direction rather than the other:
In almost all cases above, except the last, the percentages on one side are 3-8 times greater (!) than the percentages on the other. Sometimes it’s the liberal voice that speaks louder and sometimes it’s the conservative voice, depending on the issue – which may advise politicians where there is some room to hedge (not that they ever do that, do they?) and where there is not.
Which issues are non-negotiable for you?
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