JOINT CENTER News Room
Joint Center Releases 2000 National Opinion Poll and Analysis of Impact of Bush and Gore Proposals on Blacks
October 23, 2000
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - With the presidential elections just a fortnight away, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies is today releasing its 2000 National Opinion Poll on politics and an overview of six papers that analyze the impact of Vice President Gore's and Governor Bush's economic proposals on African Americans. One key finding in the poll is Gore's growing popularity among African Americans and a deepening unfavorable view of Bush. Since the last poll in 1999, more African Americans (86 percent) view Gore favorably, a 17 percentage point increase. In contrast, Bush's favorable ratings among African Americans fell from 43 percent to 29 percent. Gore's favorable ratings now near the immense popularity of President Clinton who is viewed favorably by 91 percent of African Americans.
The findings will be released during a press briefing today, 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., at the National Press Club (Zenger Room), 529 14th Street, NW, Washington, D.C.
"Last year, most African Americans knew little or nothing about Governor Bush," said Eddie N. Williams, president of the Joint Center. "This poll indicates that as they have become more familiar with him over the presidential campaign season, they have become less inclined to see him in a favorable light."
The poll, which was conducted under the supervision of David A. Bositis, the Joint Center's senior research associate, also shows concurrence between African Americans and the general population on the need to improve the quality of care from HMOs and divergence in their support for the Gore and Bush proposals for the future of Social Security. A majority of both groups also voice reservations about the administration of capital punishment. As in past Joint Center polls, African Americans were more likely to support vouchers than the general population.
"The lower incomes and higher poverty rates among African Americans leave them more reliant on government programs designed to alleviate economic hardship and improve individuals' work readiness," said Andrew F. Brimmer, chair of the Joint Center's board of governors. "Hence, they are more likely to be disproportionately affected by the proposals being debated in this election."
Gore's proposals for targeted tax cuts and Retirement Savings Plus seem to be more beneficial to African Americans who tend to be in the middle- and lower-income brackets and rely more on Social Security as retirement income. Apart from Bush's proposal for a federal voucher program, both education proposals are strikingly similar and seem to offer varying benefits to African Americans.
The poll findings and the overview analysis of the Bush and Gore proposals will be available on the Joint Center's website, www.jointcenter.org, at 2 p.m on Monday, October, 23, 2000. The separate economic studies will be available on Tuesday, October 24, 2000.
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The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies informs and illuminates the nation's major public policy debates through research, analysis, and information dissemination in order to: improve the socioeconomic status of black Americans and other minorities; expand their effective participation in the political and public policy arenas; and promote communications and relationships across racial and ethnic lines to strengthen the nation's pluralistic society.
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