These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
39% Say Government Not Focusing Enough on Threat of Domestic Islamic Terrorism
Thursday, March 10, 2011
A House committee is expected to begin controversial hearings today about the potential danger of domestic Islamic terrorism, and a sizable number of voters think the government is not paying enough attention to this possible threat. Most voters still worry, too, about homegrown terrorist attacks.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the federal government does not focus enough on the potential threat from domestic Islamic terrorism, although nearly as many (38%) say the government's anti-terrorism focus is about right. Just 14% believe the government pays too much attention to potential homegrown Islamic terrorists. (To see survey question wording, click here .)
However, 64% are at least somewhat concerned that people who have become U.S. citizens will attempt to commit terrorist acts against the United States, with 33% who are Very Concerned. Thirty-five percent (35%) do not share that concern, but that includes only eight percent (8%) who are Not At Al Concerned.
Still, the level of concern is down from early last May just after an unsuccessful terrorist bombing effort in New York City's Times Square. At that time, 80% were at least somewhat concerned that people who have attained U.S. citizenship would attempt to commit a terrorist attack against America.
But 53% of voters are also at least somewhat concerned that efforts to identify and arrest domestic terrorists will end up violating the civil rights of some U.S. citizens, including 21% who are Very Concerned. Forty-three percent (43%) express little concern about this possibility, with 11% who are Not At All Concerned.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 8-9 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 .
Eighty percent (80%) of voters now think terrorism is a bigger threat to the country than traditional wars. Seventy-three percent (73%) fear a terrorist threat more than a nuclear attack .
Sixty percent (60%) of Republicans say the government does not focus enough on the potential threat of domestic Islamic terrorism, a view shared by just 19% of Democrats and 38% of voters not affiliated with either of the major parties. Today's hearings were initiated by the GOP chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Republicans also express more concern than Democrats and unaffiliateds that people who have become U.S. citizens will attempt to commit terrorist acts against the United States, although majorities of all three groups share this concern.
Sixty-one percent (61%) of Democrats and 58% of unaffiliated voters are concerned that anti-domestic terrorism efforts will violate the civil rights of some U.S. citizens. Fifty-six percent (56%) of GOP voters don't have that concern.
A plurality (40%) of the Political Class thinks the federal government already focuses too much on the potential threat from domestic Islamic terorrism. The plurality (45%) of Mainstream voters believe there isn't enough focus on this possible threat.
But then 75% of those in the Mainstream express concern about U.S. citizens attempting terrorist attacks here at home, while 54% of Political Class voters don't share that concern. Ninety-three percent (93%) of the Political Class have civil rights concerns about domestic terrorism efforts, compared to only 50% of Mainstream voters.
Forty-four percent (44%) of voters think the United States is safer today than it was before the 9/11 terrorists attacks nearly 10 years ago. Thirty-six percent (36%) disagree with that assessment, and another 20% are not sure. In early January 2010, following an unsuccessful terrorist bombing attempt on a U.S. airliner, confidence in the safety of the country fell into the mid-30s and remained there for several months. After the Times Square bombing attempt in May, it hit a low of 31%. Since August, confidence in the safety of the United States has risen back into the 40s.