Posted: May 31, 2010
8:55 pm Eastern
By Bob Unruh
© 2010 WorldNetDaily
Editor's note: This is another in a series of monthly "Freedom Index" polls conducted exclusively for WND by the public-opinion research and media consulting company Wenzel Strategies.
Americans' confidence about freedom ticked upward by a fraction of a point for the second straight month in May but remained stuck in negative territory, where it plunged while the White House was strong-arming the nation over the president's nationalization plan for health care months ago, according to a new poll.
The WND Freedom Index poll from Wenzel Strategies reveals the index was 48 for May, up just a nudge from the 47.2 for April. But it also revealed that the divisions between those who believe the Obama administration is opening the doors to freedom and those who see their freedoms being lost is widening.
The poll was conducted using an automated technology calling a random sampling of listed telephone numbers nationwide.
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"Americans grew more polarized in May over whether their personal freedoms have increased or decreased under the presidential administration of Barack Obama, resulting in an increase in the percentage who said they felt freedoms had increased," Fritz Wenzel concluded in an analysis of the results.
That's how the overall freedom index ticked upward.
But, he noted, still more people than not said they've seen their freedoms cut under the Obama administration, with half saying their freedoms had decreased and about one-third – 37 percent – saying they've increased.
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The increase largely was among Democrats, who moved from 58 percent to 65 percent in the number saying their freedoms had increased. The increase among independents was from 25 percent in April to 30 percent in May.
But any statistical increases were overshadowed by the fact that 44 percent of independents still said there had been a "big decrease" in their personal freedoms.
Further, the results weren't always tied to party affiliation. In response to the question "Do you believe that you are free to express what you truly think about any subject without fear of harm, punishment, government investigation, or some other penalty?" 11.4 percent of the GOP said "Not at all free."
But 13 percent of the Democrats adopted the same position – and that rocketed to 29.5 percent for independents. Overall, 16.9 percent of the nation responded "Not at all free" to the question, and another 8.5 percent responded "Not very free."
On the question of government intrusion into personal lives through technology, such as cameras, scanners, electronic health records, 46 percent of Americans, including nearly one Democrat in four and a majority of 62 percent of independents, said there is some intrusion or great intrusion.
"On most questions regarding freedom of speech, religion, and assembly, a general trend in this month's survey shows that there were fewer people with middling views, and that those fearing a loss of freedoms increased but so did those who felt freedoms were increasing," Wenzel said.
"American opinions of core issues – such as freedom – tend to move slowly at times, and May has been a month where there has been little going on in the political world," he explained.
But he also had a warning.
"The balance of the year … promises to be a tumultuous one as new, more restrictive legislation pertaining to energy and the financial sector will be debated in Congress, along with the projected impact on the average citizen," he said.
"Another factor to remember is that details of just how dramatically Americans will be affected by the new health care law will become clear this year. This will very likely re-ignite public outrage as new taxes and fees are imposed and restrictions on health care freedoms begin to be imposed," he said.
The WND Freedom Index is based on a 100–point scale based on poll respondent answers to 10 questions which sample different aspects of freedom in America, including freedom of speech, association, worship, assembly, and more. An index rating of 50 is dead level even, with ratings above that point signaling positive feelings about freedom in America, and ratings below that point signaling negative feelings.
"It is important to note that in the 12 months of this Freedom Index survey, the rating today stands at nearly 10 points lower than in June 2009 when it first began," Wenzel said.
He said it's also significant that the index has been "remarkably sensitive to legislative movements in Washington."
"The Freedom Index appeared nervously stable through last fall, but then fell off a cliff in December amidst the legislative strong-arming by congressional Democrats pushing to get passage of the health care bill. Now stuck at a lower level, the Index can be expected to reflect voter sentiment toward congressional action on sweeping proposals now moving through the halls of the Capitol," he said.
Under the primary question about an increase or decrease in personal freedoms, 50 percent of the population has seen some or big decreases, including almost four in five Republicans, 16 percent of the Democrats and nearly 58 percent of the independents.
Questioned about concern whether there will be repercussions for the way they choose to worship, 45 percent said they had no fear. But more than 20 percent said they had some or great fear in the land that assures freedom of religion in its founding documents.
One American in five even had concerns over putting their own choice of political bumper stickers on their vehicle, including nearly 28 percent of independents. One American in five feels constrained by the idea of sharing a personal political or religious belief in public.
More than 45 percent of independents sometimes or always censor their own thoughts over concerns about penalties.
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