60 Minutes/Vanity Fair Poll: August Edition
As the dog days of summer reach their zenith, the 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair Poll comes to the rescue with some cool questions.
As Americans anxiously await better times on several fronts, the poll provides an opportunity to take the nation's pulse on a wide variety of topics, issues and ideas.
The results please:
Finally, a question that Americans of all persuasions can agree on. Only 24 percent think that BP will stop the leak by August.
Two-thirds of Americans regardless of their political affiliation don't believe they will.
It would be nice if we could get a similar consensus not just on disasters, but on many other issues currently challenging the country.
A third of those Americans that were asked chose Internet entrepreneurs. They're creative, they employ people, and they often educate or help people. Yeah, they deserve what they get.
Pro athletes 15 percent and film stars eight percent just make us pay way more for tickets than we would like to, and bankers, 12 percent, aren't very popular these days (even the ones that did nothing wrong).
But the least deserving of all according to our respondents were lobbyists and the millions of dollars they flood into Congress on issues that usually seem to favor Goliath over David.
Nearly 40 percent of Americans will take the money and run. Twenty five percent would take the college degree (but would they get the knowledge that goes with it?).
Twenty percent would love to be fluent in another language, while less than 10 percent would shave a year off their life or 10 pounds off their body.
The moral of the story is that it's more fun to spend 10 grand than to lose 10 pounds.
And the winner is: don't know, with 40 percent. Next with 27 percent is movie director, probably confusing England's new Prime Minister David Cameron with mega director James Cameron.
Fourteen percent chose correctly, and another 20 percent were split between a singer and a soccer player.
By the way, just how well known was he in England before his surprise election?
Two thirds of Americans think it would be a good idea to have a similar policy in their town and only 28 percent disagree.
The highest percentage of those who disagree are between 18 and 29 years old, as would be fitting for an age group known for their liberality.
Stewie (17 percent) nips Homer (16 percent) and Dora (16 percent) at the wire in a photo finish. Sponge Bob (13 percent), Hank (11 percent) and Eric (eight percent) bring up the rear.
Oh, and that guy "Don't Know" led everyone again with 19 percent. Twenty three percent of women favored Dora the Explorer while 21 percent of men favored who else but Homer Simpson. Dohhh!
Seventy five percent of Americans say leave it to the pros to find Osama bin Laden, while only 20 percent would give the green light to personal missions.
With over $25 million in total reward money being offered for information on his whereabouts, this is one of the biggest manhunts in history and a story in search of an ending.
It's no wonder that a lot of people would like a crack at that jackpot.
As Shakespeare said, "What's past is prologue" and 61 percent would travel back to see the past.
Thirty four percent would go forward to see the future. There seems to be an inverse relation with the age of each group of respondents.
Seventy one percent of young Americans would travel to the past, while 40 percent of older Americans want to glimpse the future.
As is the case in many instances, the heart often wants that which is most difficult to possess…
Who said you can't take it with you? Well if you could, 47 percent of Americans would take the family photo album to remind them of their loved ones.
Twenty five percent would take Rover or Fluffy as company. Very few perceive any need or use for machines or gadgets in the afterlife.
Too bad there isn't a better understanding of that sort of consciousness now among the living.
Seventy one percent of Americans like things as they are now with our current neighbors. Let's get this straight: 71 percent would take the frozen hockey ponds of Canada and the searing Mexican deserts over Swedish beauties and French food and culture? Maybe they should all be getting out a little more.
Americans think that Generation Y's quality of life will be worse by a margin of 2 to 1.
People over 30 (who are racking up record deficits for future generations to pay) are more prone to think it will be worse.
Forty three percent of Gen Y'ers themselves think their lives will be better. Ah youthful optimism, what a pity it's wasted on the young...
This poll was conducted at the CBS News interviewing facility among a random sample of 1,167 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone July 5-8, 2010. Phone numbers were dialed from random digit dial samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.