Last updated on: 4/13/2009 | Author: ProCon.org

Opinion Polls/Surveys

I. Introduction V. Degree of Trust in Organization
II. Methodology VI. Trust in Organization Trend
III. Organization Familiarity VII. Trust in Organization by Party Affiliation in 2006
IV. Familiarity with Organization Trend
I. Introduction
National surveys concerning public opinion of the ACLU have been done by Harris Poll in 2005 and 2006. The 2006 poll was conducted online by Harris Interactive between Nov. 13-20 among 2,429 adults (aged 18 and over). The survey asked participants to “Please indicate your familiarity with the following organizations.” Those who were familiar with an organization were then asked “How much do you trust these organizations?” The poll results are provided below.
II. Methodology
Figures for age, sex, race, education, region, and household income were weighted by Harris to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online. The surveys were not based on a probability sample, and therefore no margin of error can be calculated.
III. Organization Familiarity
Organization
 

% Familiar

 

 

% Not Familiar

 

American Red Cross
96
4
AARP
88
12
NRA
87
13
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
78
22
Greenpeace
77
23
ACLU
76
24
AFL-CIO
67
33
Sierra Club
54
46
Heritage Foundation
32
68
Brookings Institution
22
78
Common Cause
18
82
Cato Institute
17
83
Business Roundtable
10
90

 

IV. Familiarity with Organization Trend
Organization
2005 % Familiar
2006 % Familiar
% Change
American Red Cross
NA
96
NA
NRA
90
87
-3
AARP
89
88
-1
Greenpeace
81
77
-4
ACLU
80
76
-4
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
76
78
+2
AFL-CIO
75
67
-8
Sierra Club
64
54
-10
The Nature Conservancy
47
40
-7
Heritage Foundation
33
32
-1
Brookings Institution
28
22
-6
Common Cause
24
18
-6
Cato Institute
21
17
-4
Business Roundtable
11
10
-1

 

V. Degree of Trust in Organization
Organization
 

Trust (Net)

 

 

Great Deal

 

 

Fair Amount

 

 

Don’t Trust (NET)

 

 

Not Very Much

 

 

Not at All

 

American Red Cross
84
43
41
16
12
4
AARP
84
33
51
16
12
4
The Nature Conservancy
80
26
54
20
16
4
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
77
14
63
23
20
4
Brookings Institute
73
14
58
27
23
4
Heritage Foundation
68
17
51
32
22
10
Sierra Club
65
19
46
35
24
11
Common Cause
64
16
49
36
28
8
Greenpeace
60
16
44
40
24
16
Business Roundtable
60
8
53
40
31
8
Cato Institute
58
11
48
42
32
10
NRA
54
19
36
46
27
18
AFL-CIO
51
10
41
49
36
13
ACLU
49
13
35
51
23
29

 

VI. Trust in Organization Trend
 

Organization

 

 

2005 Trust (NET) %

 

2006 Trust (NET) %
 

% Change

 

American Red Cross
NA
84
NA
The Nature Conservancy
79
80
+1
AARP
77
84
+7
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
70
77
+7
Brookings Institution
63
73
+10
Sierra Club
59
65
+6
Common Cause
58
64
+6
Business Roundtable
58
60
+2
Heritage Foundation
57
68
+11
Greenpeace
56
60
+4
Cato Institute
51
58
+7
ACLU  

49

 

 

49

 

 

0

 

NRA
48
54
+6
AFL-CIO
41
51
+10

 

VII. Trust in Organization by Party Affiliation in 2006
 

Organization

 

 

Trust (NET) %

 

 

Republican %

 

 

Democrat %

 

 

Independent %

 

American Red Cross
84
85
87
81
AARP
84
80
92
78
The Nature Conservancy
80
71
86
79
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
77
83
75
77
Brookings Institution
73
77
74
73
Heritage Foundation
68
84
66
63
Sierra Club
65
49
80
60
Common Cause
64
42
76
71
Business Roundtable
60
84
48
62
Greenpeace
60
42
79
56
Cato Institute
58
70
44
67
NRA
54
71
40
54
AFL-CIO
51
30
71
44
ACLU  

49

 

 

21

 

 

70

 

 

49

 

 

Source: Harris Poll , Nov. 13-20, 2006