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Political
Climate This year, we took an in-depth look at the political climate in Orange County. We also compared Orange County's attitudes to the nation's. Within the county, we looked at differences between Democrats, Republicans, independents and other party members, and those who are not registered to vote. In addition, we took the pulse of the rapidly growing and increasingly influential Latino population and compare this group's attitudes to non-Hispanic whites. Graph: Political Profiles Orange County residents tend to describe themselves as middle-of-the-road to somewhat conservative in their political ideology (60%). Relatively few say they are liberals (28%) or very conservative (12%). In the 1990s, there has been a trend toward the middle-of-the-road position (26% to 31%), while fewer residents call themselves conservatives (46% to 41%). The majority of Republicans (64%), Democrats (53%), independent and other party voters (68%), and those who are not registered to vote (56%) consider themselves middle-of-the-road to somewhat conservative. Most Latinos say they are middle-of-the-road to somewhat conservative, and their political orientation is similar to non-Hispanic whites (55% to 62%). Next, we look at three measures of political involvement which all indicate that large numbers of Orange County residents are politically disengaged, and more so than the nation. Four in 10 have little or no interest in politics, compared
to 25 percent in the national survey. About a third of Republicans (32%)
and Democrats (37%), 42 percent of other registered voters and 56 percent
who are not registered to vote are politically disinterested. Nearly
half of Latinos (49%) and 36 percent of non-Hispanic whites have little
or no interest in politics. Three in 10 say they vote only part of the time, seldom or never (31%), compared with 16 percent in the national survey. Few Republicans (11%) or Democrats (15%), but many voters belonging to other parties (23%) and most of those who are not registered to vote (86%) say they do not typically participate in elections. Six in 10 Latinos say they are infrequent voters, compared with 20 percent of non-Hispanic whites. In fact, 42 percent of Latinos say they never vote in elections. Next, we look at a range of attitudes to help us develop
a political profile of Orange County residents. Compared to the nation,
Orange County tends to be much more conservative on fiscal and economic
issues and also more liberal on social issues. Residents are divided on whether government regulation of business does more harm than good, but this is also found in the national survey (44% to 46%). Republicans (53%) are more sympathetic to business than Democrats (36%), other voters (41%) or those who are not registered to vote (40%). Latinos and non-Hispanic whites have similar views (43% to 46%). Two in three believe that stricter environmental laws
are worth the cost, the same as in the national survey (63% each). Democrats
(73%) have more pro-environmental views than Republicans (57%), other
voters (67%) and those who are not registered to vote (59%). Latinos
are less likely than non-Hispanic whites to support stricter environmental
laws (57% to 65%). Fifty-five percent say the government should reduce taxes, even if it means spending less on social programs, which is considerably more than the 31 percent who hold this opinion nationwide. Republicans (66%) are much more likely to want to reduce taxes than Democrats (40%), other registered voters (58%) and those who are not registered to vote (56%). Latinos and non-Hispanic whites have similar positions on this issue (56% to 57%). Six in 10 feel that federal income taxes are too high, similar to the national trends (64%). Democrats (52%) are less likely to complain about high taxes than Republicans (64%) and other registered voters (66%), while about half of those who are not registered to vote have this view (53%). There are no differences between Latinos and non-Hispanic whites (55% to 58%). About one in three Orange County residents thinks that
immigrants are a burden on our country, compared to over half of those
nationwide (36% to 54%). Fewer than half of Republicans (42%), Democrats
(35%), other registered voters (38%) and those who are not registered
to vote (26%) hold this negative view. Few Latinos see immigrants as
a burden on the country, compared to about four in 10 non-Hispanic whites
(25% to 41%). More than half of county residents believe the government cannot afford to do more to help poor people, compared to fewer than half holding this view nationally (54% to 44%). A large majority of Republicans have this opinion (71%), while fewer than half of the Democrats (40%), other registered voters (49%) or those who are not registered to vote (45%) agree. Latinos are much less likely to say the government can't afford to do more to help the needy than are non-Hispanic whites (41% to 59%). Four in 10 say that businesses make too much profit, which is significantly fewer than the number who hold this opinion in national surveys (41% to 51%). The majority of Democrats (51%) and those who are not registered to vote (54%) have this view, while few Republicans (27%) and independents or other party members (36%) hold this anti-business perspective. Latinos are much more likely than non-Hispanic whites to say business makes too much profit (54% to 36%). Fifty-six percent agree that homosexuality as a way
of life should be accepted by society, while fewer Americans share this
perspective (44%). Democrats (67%) are the most likely to say that homosexuality
should be accepted, though about half of Republicans (49%), other registered
voters (58%) and those who are not registered to vote (56%) also have
this view. There are no differences between Latinos and non-Hispanic
whites (55% to 59%). |
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