New America Foundation Releases New Report on Public Opinion and Political Culture
Today the New America Foundation's Next Social Contract Initiative and Pollster Cliff Zukin released new findings on how public opinion shapes national values and informs the potential for policy reform, particularly in the areas of health care, education, taxes and economic security. The new report, entitled "The American Public and the Next Social Contract: Public Opinion and Political Culture in 2007," is available here.
"The report notes that there is an increasing acceptance of the need for mutual support and an active role for government, coupled with continuedfield.These tensions shed light on the perpetual interplay between the enduring American values of independence, opportunity and security." skepticism of government programs," said Mark Schmitt, Senior Fellow with New America Foundation who also wrote the foreword in the report. "But as [Zukin] points out, the data show a deep commitment to the 'golden value' of equality and opportunity. Americans favor self-reliant entrepreneurs over gargantuan corporations, but they mistrust the government to set a level playing
The report identifies core values characterizing the American public, based on an extensive review and comparison of available survey data. It says that Americans value individualism and self-reliance and that any new social contract must take these core values seriously.
The paper also identifies three noteworthy changes in the political culture of late:
- There has been a significant change since 1994 in social attitudes and values, with the country moving to the left.
- Younger Americans are different from older generations in that they see a more expansive role for government, are less suspicious of the motivations of public officials, and view the government as able to solve problems. They are also less ideological and judgmental.
- We feel less confident about America's power in the world.
The report concludes with an assessment of public opinion and lists keys to success for making progress on the reform agenda such as the New America Foundation's Next Social Contract. Those conclusions and the complete report are available here: http://www.newamerica.net/files/NSCZukinPublicOpinion.pdf.
The Next Social Contract Initiative aims to reinvent American social policy for the twenty-first century. Through a program of research and public education, the initiative will explore the origins of our modern social contract, articulate the guiding principles for constructing a new contract, and advance a set of promising policy reforms. For more information: http://www.newamerica.net/issues/next_social_contract.
The New America Foundation is a nonprofit, post-partisan public policy institute whose purpose is to bring exceptionally promising new voices and new ideas to the fore of our nation's public discourse. Relying on a venture capital approach, the Foundation invests in outstanding individuals and policy solutions that transcend the conventional political spectrum. Headquartered in our nation's capital, New America also has offices in California and New York. More information is available at www.newamerica.net.
Please direct media inquires to Erin Drankoski, 202-997-8727, Drankoski@newamerica.net.
