THE TIMES POLL : Americans Give High Marks to Quality of Life

Heading into the 1990s, Americans seem satisfied with their own lives but fret about conditions in the nation and the world--and especially about what they see as a decline in moral values, according to The Times Poll.

People likewise feel good about their personal finances but are less optimistic about the nation’s economy.

Measuring attitudes across a broad range of issues as Americans enter the final decade of the 20th Century, The Times Poll questioned people about themselves and their communities, as well as the nation and world.

Among the diverse findings:

--With the Iron Curtain disintegrating, Americans want to cut back on defense spending and declare a “peace dividend.” But they are deeply divided over how to spend the savings.

--Nearly one-third of Americans favor legalizing drugs.

--Concerned about the quality of life, people overwhelmingly prefer protecting the environment over promoting economic growth.

--Most Americans do not view traffic congestion as a big problem, but it is a major headache in California.

--Most married people think it is wrong to have sex before marriage. Perhaps not surprisingly, most single people disagree.

--Most Americans think immigrants take more from the nation’s economy than they give back.

--The vast majority approve of euthanasia.

--Half of those asked have a gun at home.

The Times Poll, directed by I.A. Lewis, interviewed a randomly selected cross section of 2,095 American adults by telephone from Dec. 16-20. The margin of error for this size survey is three percentage points in either direction.

Pollster Lewis said his aim was to find out “how Americans feel about the quality of their lives, their standard of living and the state of their nation.”

People were found, on the average, to be at peace with themselves but uneasy about changes across the country and throughout the world.

Nine out of 10 said they are generally satisfied with how their lives are going. The same number expressed satisfaction specifically with their jobs and their communities. Eight out of 10 said they are satisfied with their overall standard of living.

But when it came to conditions in the nation and world, people were divided almost equally between those who are satisfied and dissatisfied.

And asked about “moral values these days,” people from all regions and classes expressed dissatisfaction by more than 2 to 1.

Other major findings of the survey, by category:

Quality of Life

As congestion clogs living space--the nation’s population rose roughly 10% in the 1980s--and Americans become more aware of toxic poisoning and other environmental destruction, ecological issues are certain to become increasingly important politically.

As an indication, those surveyed--by more than 2 to 1--said they favor “protecting the environment even if that means some people will lose their jobs and the government will have to spend a great deal of money.” This attitude is especially prevalent among younger people and the upscale respondents--those who are better educated, have the best jobs and earn more money.

On the other hand, blue-collar workers and minorities--especially blacks--more so than the average, favor “providing more jobs and expanding the economy even if that means some destruction of the environment.”

Local traffic congestion is considered bad by only roughly one-third of Americans. But in California, the roadways are far more crowded and six out of 10 Californians regard the traffic in their community as bad.

Regardless of all the environmental problems, only 5% of Americans consider themselves to be in poor health, the survey showed. The vast majority of these people are on the low end of the socioeconomic scale.

Sex and Marriage

Married people, by roughly 3 to 2, said it is “always” or “sometimes” wrong “if a man and woman have sex relations before marriage.” But single people, by 3 to 2, said that premarital sex is always or at least sometimes right.

There is a clear generation gap on this issue. People under age 44 approve of premarital sex by roughly 5 to 4. People older than that disapprove of it by nearly 2 to 1.

Being “happily married” is the “main goal in life” for nearly half of Americans, according to this survey. And asked to name “the two or three main reasons” why people get married, nearly three-fourths of all those interviewed answered “love.” More than half replied “companionship.” Less than a third said it was to raise children.

Ranking below a successful marriage as main goals in life are “helping others,” “a successful career” and “raising children.”

Other Private Views

Americans oppose legalizing drugs by 2 to 1, the survey found. But three out of 10 have joined the controversial chorus of people advocating legalization, agreeing that “decriminalizing drug use may be the only way to bring the drug crisis under control.” The most support for legalization comes from younger people.

Abortion is opposed across America by 5 to 4, with women much more opposed than men. But in California, abortion is supported by 3 to 2.

Euthanasia is backed overwhelmingly by nearly 9 out of 10 Americans, who agree that “life-sustaining medical treatment should be withheld or withdrawn from terminally ill patients, provided that is what the patients want, or what the family wants if the patients are not able to express their wishes.”

One in 10 reported that they have “considered suicide.” This is more prevalent among younger people, Westerners and those of Scottish-Irish ancestry.

Roughly one-third confessed to an occasional inferiority complex, conceding that “there have been times when I have given up doing something because I thought too little of my ability.” Women acknowledge this more than men.

Two-thirds said they “favor most of the efforts to strengthen the status of women in society.” This view is shared equally by men and women.

Work Ethic

Americans--especially Southerners and Midwesterners--tend to think that “working hard and doing what is expected of you” is more important in life than “doing the things that give you personal satisfaction and pleasure,” the survey found. But Californians are an exception. They lean toward pleasure.

The part of their job that gives them “the most satisfaction,” those interviewed said, are the colleagues they work alongside.

Older people, Anglos and men believe that individuals “are responsible for their own well-being and have an obligation to take care of themselves when in trouble.” Blacks and Latinos, on the other hand, contend that “the government is responsible for the well-being of all its citizens and has an obligation to help people in trouble.” Younger people and women, as groups, are divided on this question.

Just half of those interviewed thought that “most poor people are hard-working.” One in five--even among the downscale--said the poor mostly are “lazy.”

Minorities, Racism

Only one third of the Anglos--but half the Latinos and three-fourths of the blacks--said that the federal government “hasn’t been paying enough attention to the problems of minorities.” Combining all groups, those who believe Washington has not been concentrating enough on minority problems outnumber those who think it has been concentrating too much by 2 to 1.

By 3 to 1, Americans agree that immigrants “take more from the U.S. economy through social services and unemployment than they contribute through taxes and productivity,” the survey showed. Blacks feel this way by 5 to 1. But Latinos--presumably many of them or their parents immigrants themselves--are split about evenly on the question.

One in five blacks, and one in six Latinos, said they “often” feel discriminated against.

Racism clearly is a fact of political life, the poll reaffirmed. By mixing up the descriptions of mythical presidential contenders and offering them randomly to different groups in the survey, it was found that being black costs a candidate a whopping 19 percentage points.

Urgent Problems

Americans regard crime as “the single most urgent problem facing this country today,” the survey showed. One fourth said they feel unsafe walking alone at night in their own neighborhood. One in 10 reported that they or a member of their household have been the victim of a serious crime in the past year. Half said a gun was kept at their home, mainly for hunting, but also for protection.

Ranking far below crime as urgent national problems are--in order--education, “moral decline,” government spending and the environment.

But at the community level, the agenda is more mixed. Crime still leads the list of urgent problems, but just barely over “job opportunities” and education. People give their schools a grade of only C-plus.

Politically, the Republican Party is thought best able to handle the problems of crime, moral decline and government spending. Democrats are considered better at both protecting the environment and creating jobs.

Economics

Four times more people feel good about their financial situations as feel bad. And they feel even better about their financial prospects in the new year, the survey showed.

Across America, according to those interviewed, the average monthly housing cost is $426. The average minimum living cost is $1,369. But in California, the figures are significantly higher--$690 and $1,761 respectively.

People feel a bit dour about the nation’s finances, however. More think the economy is in bad shape than think it is in good condition.

Foreign Affairs

As nations of the Western alliance and the Soviet Bloc rapidly improve relations, Americans are demanding a reduction in the $300 billion-plus annual U.S. defense budget. Nearly half the people in this survey advocated spending less on the military, while just one in 10 wanted to spend more.

But ordinary citizens are just as split over how to spend any “peace dividend” as are the politicians and the experts. Roughly a third of those interviewed said the savings should be poured into domestic programs. Another nearly a third want to use the extra money to reduce the federal budget deficit. And an equal number think it should go toward lowering taxes.

Americans still regard the Soviet Union as “the greatest threat to the United States over the next 10 years.” But Japan--presumably because of its growing economic strength--is considered the next greatest threat, followed by China.

Americans have a very low opinion of the Chinese government: two-thirds unfavorable. They overwhelmingly approved of the sanctions initially imposed by President Bush after the Chinese army’s violent repression of student pro-democracy demonstrators last spring.

But now that Bush has belatedly acknowledged high-level meetings between members of his Administration and Chinese leaders in Beijing, the American public still is not inclined to be critical of the President. A majority approve of his expanding contacts with the Chinese.

By roughly 3 to 2, people disagree with the assertion that “by kowtowing to the Chinese, President Bush and his Administration have betrayed the students who died in Tian An Men Square.”

Overall, Americans give Bush high marks for “the way he is handling his job as President”--73% approving and only 21% disapproving. This survey was conducted before the U.S. invasion of Panama, which boosted Bush’s approval rating to 80%, according to a subsequent Los Angeles Times Poll.

Into the ‘90s AMERICA’S MOODS These results which have a sampling tolerance of three percentage points in either direction, are from a Los Angeles Times Poll of 2.095 adults telephoned nationwide on the five days ending December 20, 1989. Regarding their satisfaction with different aspects of theie lives, respondents were asked, “All things considered, would you say you are satisfied or dissatisfied with-------These days?” They were also asked: “Which part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?”

Overall Satisfaction

Dissatisfied Satisfied The way your life is going 10% 89% Your work 9% 87% The community in which you live 12% 87% Your standard ofliving 14% 84% The national situation 46% 47% The world situation 47% 47% Moral values 65% 30%

Job Satisfaction (“Which part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?”) People you work for and work with: 46% Work is satisfying: 38% Pay: 27% Job security: 14% Benefits package: 12% Convenient travel to and from work: 9% Chance for advancement: 7% Prestige of job: 3% Other: 4% Don’t know: 2% 1) Pacific (Includes Hawaii & Alaska) Average amount of money needed each week to get by in this community: $376 Average monthly housing costs: $609 2) Mountain & Desert Average amount of money needed each week to get by in this community: $265 Average monthly housing costs: $446 3) Midwest Farm Average amount of money needed each week to get by in this community: $270 Average monthly housing costs: $324 4) Deep South Average amount of money needed each week to get by in this community: $348 Average monthly housing costs: $344 5) New South Average amount of money needed each week to get by in this community: $306 Average monthly housing costs: $387 6) Industrial Midwest Average amount of money needed each week to get by in this community: $298 Average monthly housing costs: $383 7) Mid-Atlantic Average amount of money needed each week to get by in this community: $307 Average monthly housing costs: $456 8) New England Average amount of money needed each week to get by in this community: $386 Average monthly housing costs: $603 The Work Ethic

Which do you think is more important in life: working hard and doing what is expected of you, or doing the things that give you personal satisfaction and pleasure?

Geographically By age East Midwest South West Younger Older Working hard 47% 51% 51% 46% 44% 55% Personal Satisfaction 46 42 43 48 49 38 Don’t know 7 7 6 6 7 7

Abortion

Considering all the arguments pro and con, would you say you find yourself more in favor of abortion or more opposed to abortion?

East Midwest South West Upscale Midscale Downscale Favor 49% 35% 32% 49% 56% 41% 27% Neutral 6 5 4 6 5 5 5 Oppose 42 57 60 42 36 51 64 No opinion 3 3 4 3 3 3 4

“Upscale” respondents are people who, on the average, are better educated, earn more money and have better jobs. Conversely, “downscale” respondents are less well educated, earn less money and have worse jobs. “midscale” people are in between.