54% Say U.S. Is Nation of Liberty and Justice for All
Millions and millions of Americans routinely recite the Pledge of Allegiance at countless gatherings across the United States. And, when they do, they close with the line about how our nation is a land of “liberty and justice for all.”
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% believe that statement is true. However, 38% disagree and say the United States is not a nation providing liberty and justice for all. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Sixty-seven percent (67%) of Republicans believe it is true as do 55% of those not affiliated with either major party. However, 50% of Democrats disagree and say the nation is not living up to this particular ideal.
Government employees are evenly divided as to whether or not liberty and justice is currently available for all in the United States. Entrepreneurs, those who work in the private sector, and those who are retired offer a more upbeat assessment.
Lower income Americans are more evenly divided on the question than those who earn more. Men offer a more positive assessment than women.
Data released earlier shows that Americans still believe in the ideals articulated in the Declaration of Independence. Americans overwhelmingly believe governments derive their only just authority from the consent of the governed, that we are all created equal, and that we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights including the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
And, while recognizing the nation is not perfect, 79% say that, if they had a choice to live anywhere in the world, they would still choose to live in the United States. Thirteen percent (13%) would not choose to live America if given the choice of living anywhere in the world.
The most recent results are little changed from prior years.
(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.
The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 27-28, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Related Articles
Rasmussen Reports is a media company specializing in the collection, publication and distribution of public opinion information.
We conduct public opinion polls on a variety of topics to inform our audience on events in the news and other topics of interest. To ensure editorial control and independence, we pay for the polls ourselves and generate revenue through the sale of subscriptions, sponsorships, and advertising. Nightly polling on politics, business and lifestyle topics provides the content to update the Rasmussen Reports web site many times each day. If it's in the news, it's in our polls. Additionally, the data drives a daily update newsletter and various media outlets across the country.
Some information, including the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll and commentaries are available for free to the general public. Subscriptions are available for $4.95 a month or 34.95 a year that provide subscribers with exclusive access to more than 20 stories per week on upcoming elections, consumer confidence, and issues that affect us all. For those who are really into the numbers, Platinum Members can review demographic crosstabs and a full history of our data.
To learn more about our methodology, click here.
