Poll: U.S. Uneasy With Patriot Act

Public Reluctant To Let Government Monitor Ordinary Americans

(CBS) 
THE USA PATRIOT ACT IS A …
(Among those who've heard a lot or some about the USA Patriot Act)

Necessary tool
Now
49%
4/2004
52%

Threat to civil liberties
Now
45%
4/2004
42%

There are partisan differences on this question. Republicans say the Patriot Act is a necessary tool for fighting terror, while Democrats and Independents think it threatens civil liberties.

The Patriot Act includes a mechanism to make monitoring telephone calls and internet traffic of suspected terrorists easier.

The public remains reluctant to allow government monitoring of ordinary Americans in order to prevent terrorism. 29 percent are willing to allow government agencies to monitor the telephone calls and emails of ordinary people, but two-thirds are not willing. Majorities have consistently opposed the monitoring of ordinary Americans by the government. Even shortly after the 9/11 attacks, 51 percent were NOT willing to allow the government to monitor the communications of ordinary individuals.

ALLOW GOVERNMENT MONITORING OF ORDINARY AMERICANS

Yes
Now
29%
5/2003
27%
9/2001
45%

No
Now
66%
5/2003
69%
9/2001
51%

Americans, however, are willing to permit monitoring if the government suspects the individual may be a threat. 56 percent would be willing to allow the government to monitor communications of those of whom it is suspicious; 39 percent would not allow this. The number who supports monitoring people that the government deems suspicious is down from May 2003, when, 63 percent were willing to allow it.

ALLOW GOVERNMENT MONITORING OF SUSPICIOUS INDIVIDUALS

Yes
Now
56%
5/2003
63%

No
Now
39%
5/2003
31%

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This poll was conducted among a nationwide random sample of 1,149 adults interviewed by telephone April 13-16, 2005. The error due to sampling could be plus or minus three percentage points for results based on all adults. Error for subgroups may be higher.

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