🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Dec30.230013.4102@aio.jsc.nasa.gov> Dr. Norman J. LaFave <lafave@ial4.jsc.nasa.gov> writes:

>> The *relative* support of the space program is not very high.

> Another Dietz assertion-without-proof... Please
> provide data which shows the relative support.


Okay!

From Gallup Report #289, October 1989, pages 4-10.

This poll asked 1,234 Americans what categories of public spending
they would like to see increased.  The results:

	Education			76%
	Drugs				75
	Homeless			71
	Health Care			67
	Pollution			59
	AIDS				59
	Job Training & Placement	56
	Help low-income families	56
	Aid farmers			48
	Health insurance		48
	Aid college students		44
	Child care services		41
	First-time home buyers		37
	Space exploration		21
	Defense spending		17

When a subgroup was asked if they were willing to pay additional taxes
to increase federal spending for an item, suport for space exploration
was also next to last, at 13% (the top 4 categories in the list
remained above 50%).

Another poll conducted July 1990 (The Gallup Poll Monthly, Sept. 1990,
pages 44-45) showed a decline in support for the space program.
In response to the question

   "On the whole, do you feel our investment
   in space research is worthwhile or do you think it would be better
   spent on domestic programs such as health care and education?",

the response was:

	Year		Worthwhile	Domestic	No opinion
	1989		   43%		  52		  5
	1990		   39		  57		  4

In response to the question

  "I am going to ask you a question about government spending.
   In answering, please bear in mind that sooner or later all
   government spending has to be taken out of the taxes that you
   and other Americans pay.  Thinking about the US space program,
   tell me whether the amount of money now being spent for that purpose
   should be increased, kept at the present level, reduced, or ended
   altogether?"

	Year		Increase       Same   Reduce   End    No Opinion
	1984		   21%		48	23	5	3
	1986		   26		50	14	5	5
	1989		   27		42	22	4	5
	1990		   17		37	32     10	4

I imagine the jump in 1986 was a result of the Challenger disaster.

The polling data does show that the public favors manned (48%) over
unmanned (34%) programs.

	Paul F. Dietz
	dietz@cs.rochester.edu