ABC/WaPo poll of various hot-button issues

[Verily]

There's a whole ton of interesting stuff here. Gun control support continues to decline, gay marriage support spikes, Cuba is popular, people don't think too hard about the environment, etc.

http://abcnews.go.com/images/PollingUnit/1089a6HotButtonIssues.pdf

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Diplomatic relations with Cuba?

Yes: 66% (+5 on 2008)
No: 27% (-2)

End the Cuba trade embargo?

Yes: 57% (+13 on 2002)
No: 36% (-12)

Allow travel to Cuba?

Yes: 55% (+6 on 2002)
No: 40% (-5)

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Consider using torture sometimes?

Yes: 48% (+8 on January 2009)
No: 49% (-9)

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Regulate greenhouse gas emissions?

Yes: 75% (no previous poll)
No: 21%

Concerned that regulation of greenhouse gases might increase prices?

Yes: 77% (no previous poll)
No: 22%

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Stricter gun control?

Yes: 51% (+1 on 2008)
No: 48% (+3)

Would stricter gun control reduce crime?

Yes: 42% (-7 on 2007)
No: 57% (+7)

Best way to curb gun crime?

Enforce current laws: 61% (+9 on 2007)
Enact new laws: 27% (-2)

Anyone in your house own a gun?

Yes: 41% (-1 on 2008)
No: 58% (nc)

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Support gay marriage?

Yes: 49% (+13 on 2006)
No: 46% (-12)

Recognize out-of-state gay marriages in your state?

Yes: 53% (no previous poll)
No: 43%

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Gov't. doing enough to stop illegal immigration?

Yes: 23% (+6 on 2007)
No: 74% (-7)

Support path to citizenship if fine is paid and requirements met?

Yes: 61% (+12 on 2007)
No: 35% (-11)

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Support legalizing marijuana? [Note: not medical specifically]

Yes: 46% (+7 on 2002)
No: 52% (-1)

[Verily]

Support gay marriage?

Yes: 49% (+13 on 2006)
No: 46% (-12)

Very. Awesome.

Support for gay marriage generally overpolls by 5-10 points (depending on demographics, closer to 10 points nationally but at a miniscule level in some locales), of course.

[Verily]

But they said that gun control is at an all time low, right? Seems to be a trend nowadays.

Well, sort of. The gap between support and opposition is at an all-time low. But support for stricter control was a point lower in 2008, although opposition was lower in that poll, too.

[Verily]

Why do you say people "don't think too hard about the environment"? The right position, after all, on carbon regulation is that it is needed even though it will probably raise prices on certain things, at least in the short term before economies of scale get going on renewable generation, more energy-efficient transportation and manufacturing, etc.

True to some extent, but "concern" implies that it is a significant factor against greenhouse gas restrictions while the people widely support those. I agree that in principle it is correct that greenhouse gas restrictions should be implemented and that they would raise prices--but I disagree that raising prices is a "concern".

Whatever, maybe I'm a semantic stickler.

[Verily]

Why do you say people "don't think too hard about the environment"? The right position, after all, on carbon regulation is that it is needed even though it will probably raise prices on certain things, at least in the short term before economies of scale get going on renewable generation, more energy-efficient transportation and manufacturing, etc.

Also, any idea why allowing travel to Cuba polls worse than trade or diplomatic relations with it?

The trade and travel questions were asked to half-samples (the diplomatic relations was asked to the full sample), so the half-sample for travel might have just skewed a bit more anti-Cuba than the half-sample for trade. (Diplomatic relations shouldn't be surprising; people widely support diplomatic relations with everyone.)