Summary
This poll, conducted December 12, 2002, is part of a continuing series of monthly polls that solicit opinions on the presidency and on other political and social issues. Respondents were asked their opinions of President George W. Bush and his handling of the economy, Iraq and Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, education reform, Social Security, prescription drug coverage, health insurance, the environment, Homeland security, taxes, and the war against terrorism. Respondents were also asked to give their views on President Bush's priorities for the country, the individuals who influenced his policymaking, and the amount of blame or credit that should be attributed to President Bush for the economy. Respondents' opinions were elicited on taking military action against Iraq, whether the reasons given by President Bush were sufficient to justify military action, whether Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, the level of threat Iraq posed to the United States, and whether the government was doing enough to battle terrorism and protect civil liberties. In addition, respondents were queried about the Catholic Church and its handling of recent abuse allegations brought against clergy, and the overall political and economic outlook for the country and the world in 2003. Background information on respondents includes age, sex, ethnicity, education, political orientation, religious orientation, level of religious participation, household income, and whether the respondent lived in an urban, suburban, or rural area.Cf: http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR03769.v1