Poll: No Role for Government in Schiavo Case

ABC News ^ | March 21, 2005 | GARY LANGER

[Dog Gone]

Federal Intervention in Schiavo Case Prompts Broad Public Disapproval

Analysis by GARY LANGER

Mar. 21, 2005 - Americans broadly and strongly disapprove of federal intervention in the Terri Schiavo case, with sizable majorities saying Congress is overstepping its bounds for political gain.

The public, by 63 percent-28 percent, supports the removal of Schiavo's feeding tube, and by a 25-point margin opposes a law mandating federal review of her case. Congress passed such legislation and President Bush signed it early today.

That legislative action is distinctly unpopular: Not only do 60 percent oppose it, more -- 70 percent -- call it inappropriate for Congress to get involved in this way. And by a lopsided 67 percent-19 percent, most think the elected officials trying to keep Schiavo alive are doing so more for political advantage than out of concern for her or for the principles involved.

This ABC News poll also finds that the Schiavo case has prompted an enormous level of personal discussion: Half of Americans say that as a direct result of hearing about this case, they've spoken with friends or family members about what they'd want done if they were in a similar condition. Nearly eight in 10 would not want to be kept alive.

Intensity

In addition to the majority, the intensity of public sentiment is also on the side of Schiavo's husband, who has fought successfully in the Florida courts to remove her feeding tube. And intensity runs especially strongly against congressional involvement.

Included among the 63 percent who support removing the feeding tube are 42 percent who "strongly" support it -- twice as many as strongly oppose it. And among the 70 percent who call congressional intervention inappropriate are 58 percent who hold that view strongly -- an especially high level of strong opinion.

GOP Groups

Views on this issue are informed more by ideological and religious views than by political partisanship. Republicans overall look much like Democrats and independents in their opinions.

But two core Republican groups -- conservatives and evangelical Protestants -- are more divided: Fifty-four percent of conservatives support removal of Schiavo's feeding tube, compared with seven in 10 moderates and liberals. And evangelical Protestants divide about evenly -- 46 percent are in favor of removing the tube, 44 percent opposed. Among non-evangelical Protestants, 77 percent are in favor -- a huge division between evangelical and mainline Protestants.

Conservatives and evangelicals also are more likely to support federal intervention in the case, although it doesn't reach a majority in either group. Indeed, conservative Republicans oppose involving the federal courts, by 57 percent-41 percent.

Conservatives and evangelicals hold these views even though most people in both groups -- 73 percent and 68 percent, respectively -- say that if they personally were in this condition, they would not want to be kept alive.

Should Feeding Tube Be Removed?
	Support	Oppose
Non-evangelical	77%	18
Evangelical	46	44
Catholics	63	26
Liberals	68	24
Moderates	69	22
Conservatives	54	40
Democrats	65	25
Independents	63	28
Republicans	61	34
Conservative Reps.	55	40

Regardless of their preference on the Schiavo case, about two-thirds of conservatives and evangelicals alike call congressional intervention inappropriate. And majorities in both groups, as in others, are skeptical of the motivations of the political leaders seeking to extend Schiavo's life.

Should Federal Government Intervene?
	Support	Oppose
Non-evangelical	26%	71
Evangelical	44	50
Catholics	38	56
Liberals	34	62
Moderates	29	67
Conservatives	48	49
Democrats	34	63
Independents	31	61
Republicans	39	58
Conservative Reps.	41	57

Preference and Experience

Public views on this issue are informed in part by Americans' preferences for their own care if they were in a similar situation: Sixteen percent would want life support; as noted, 78 percent would not. While still a very large majority, that's down from 87 percent in an ABC News/Washington Poll last week.

Among people who favor removing Schiavo's life support, 94 percent say that's also what they would want for themselves. By contrast, people who oppose removing the feeding tube in Schiavo's case divide about evenly on what they'd want for themselves: Forty-five percent would want life support, 41 percent would not.

Some speak from experience: A third of Americans say they've had friends or family members who passed away in a hospital or other care facility after life support was removed; nearly two in 10 say they were personally involved in that decision. People who've been personally involved in such a decision are more apt than others to support removing Schiavo's feeding tube and to say they personally would not want life support.

Age and Attention

There are differences among age groups. Senior citizens are more apt than others to strongly support removing Schiavo's feeding tube, and also more apt to oppose federal intervention. And young adults are less likely to say that, as a result of the Schiavo case, they've discussed their own wishes with family or friends.

Just under six in 10 Americans are closely following the Schiavo case, including 16 percent who've been following it very closely -- a respectable albeit not overwhelming level of public attention. Young adults, age 18 to 29, are less than half as likely as their elders to be following the case closely -- just 27 percent are doing so. There's an irony in that result: Schiavo herself was stricken at age 26.

Methodology

This ABC News poll was conducted by telephone March 20, 2005, among a random national sample of 501 adults. The results have a 4.5-point error margin. Sampling, data collection and tabulation by TNS Intersearch of Horsham, Pa.

[SoFloFreeper]

How horrible. People who know the facts in this case feel differently.

[RexBeach]

ABC poll? Seems like they reached A LOT of Democrats.

[mlc9852]

I just wonder how much those polled actually know about this particular case? I would wager not much. I believe a poll among those who have followed this case closely for the last few months would be more telling.

[MarMema]

In Germany, parents of handicapped children broadly supported the euthanasia of their own children.

The US House of Representatives, however, has clearly spoken on the side of life. Thank God for them and their integrity, well, most of them.

[Brilliant]

Same guys who projected that Gore beat Bush, and then that Kerry beat Bush.

[Puppage]

The public, by 63 percent-28 percent, supports the removal of Schiavo's feeding tube

How nice...even thought there's NO written, or video taped wish on Teri's part, so LET'S JUST ERR ON THE SIDE OF DEATH

[pgkdan]

I'd like to see a poll conducted just among those who knew what they were talking about. These results are meaningless.

[rightandproudofit]

No, what's really bad is that people don't understand that congress has the right and obligation to set the jurisdiction of our Federal courts.

[bluefish]

This kind of poll only demonstrates who is winning the PR battle in the fight and does nothing to demonstrate where people really are on the issue.

I'm willing to bet 95% of the poeple polled here believe Terri is unconscious and in a coma, hooked up to breathing and heart apparatus, etc.

[B Knotts]

This poll is the Culture of Death on display for all. Disgusting. But not terribly surprising.

[Notwithstanding]

I bet the questions did not mention that:

1) the "husband" is living with his new common-law wife and kids and wants Terri out of his life for selfish reasons,

2) there is zero evidence that Terri ever said she would want her feeding tube removed, or

3) Terri is not a vegetable and in fact has been - at the express direction of her "husband" - denied therapy that would allow her to eat or progress in any way

[hflynn]

DNC: Hello ABC News. Yes, this is the DNC calling. We need a poll on Terri Schiavo by Monday Morning.

ABC News: Yes, we can have it by Monday morning. What would you like the results to be?

[Pikamax]

"This ABC News poll was conducted by telephone March 20, 2005, among a random national sample of 501 adults. The results have a 4.5-point error margin"

Large margin and sounds like a rush job at a poll.

[Saundra Duffy]

Call Gov Jeb Bush and demand that he take Terri into protective custody RIGHT NOW in order to investigate outstanding charges of abuse, neglect and exploitation by his very own Dept. of Children and Families.

Jeb Bush's # 1-850-488-4441 - Terri can't wait 'til 3 p.m. today.

[Cyclopean Squid]

Truth is always born in the minority of citizens, and only reaches majority status over time. In the future, a majority of citizens will look back on this as a heroic struggle. If a majority of this country truly feels this way now (that is, if the poll is accurate), I am disappointed and disgusted. But I am encouraged by the strength shown by the superior minorities.

[B Knotts]

I'm willing to bet 95% of the poeple polled here believe Terri is unconscious and in a coma, hooked up to breathing and heart apparatus, etc.

You're probably right, but it is nevertheless telling that most people have a presumption of death before other options.

[walden]

Yup. Even many conservatives who are ordinarily well-informed have passed on reading anything about this issue. Death makes people uncomfortable, particularly non-religious people, so they simply avoid the issue and will tend to side with what they perceive as the majority media opinion. Or with the courts.

[Dog Gone]

I was very surprised by this poll. I would have predicted an even split or perhaps a majority in support of Terry and the congressional action.

[MamaLucci]

If the MSM were revealing ALL of the facts in this case, this poll would look
quite different, IMHO. Even Fox is calling this a "right to die" case.