Americans see 'hope and change' become 'fear and worry'

Editor's note: This is another in a series of monthly "Freedom Index" polls conducted exclusively for WND by the public opinion research and media consulting company Wenzel Strategies.

President Obama's campaign mantra of "hope" and "change" actually has turned into "fear" and "worry" for Americans who believe their freedoms are slipping away little by little, according to a new WND Freedom Index poll from Wenzel Strategies.

"Asked specifically if, under the presidency of Barack Obama, respondents feel they are losing freedoms, 52 percent now say 'yes,' up from 47 percent last month," said Fritz Wenzel.

"What is most notable is that percentage is up from 40 percent just two months ago, an indication that people feel the specific policies of the Obama administration are squelching freedom in America today."

The WND Freedom Index poll was conducted by telephone from Jan. 14-17 using an automated telephone technology calling a random sampling of listed telephone numbers nationwide. The survey included 30 questions and carries a 95 percent confidence interval. It included 823 likely voters and has a margin of error of 3.65 percentage points.

The Freedom Index, an assessment on Americans' perspectives on a basketful of liberties, nudged upward only slightly to 47.5 for January. It was 46.3 in December, its lowest point ever. But even January's mark fit into an overall downward trend since the poll was launched in the middle of last year. June's level was 57.6, it was 53.2 in July, 54.2 in August, 56.4 in September, 52.2 in October and 53.6 in November.

"When the index is below 50, it means more Americans than not feel freedom is on the wane," Wenzel said. "When the index is above 50, it means Americans are optimistic about their freedoms."

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"The bottom line is that Americans are still reeling from a year under President Obama in which they have seen dramatic legislative proposals challenge their views of the role of government and the sanctity of individual rights," Wenzel said.

"They clearly appear to be fearful that the wide-ranging changes now under consideration in Washington may soon have a very real impact on the way they live their lives. It is this sentiment of uncertainty that has caused such political volatility as we have witnessed in New Jersey, Virginia, and Massachusetts, and that undermines sweeping Democratic initiatives on Capitol Hill. Americans are used to their federal government as a lumbering behemoth who moves slowly and predictably," he said.

"When it acts like a tiger on the prowl, voters get very nervous."

The poll revealed some interesting subsets. Among voters who supported Obama, 42.2 percent said there's been some decrease in freedoms under the president, among black voters it was 31 percent and among Hispanic voters it was 38 percent.

In the key age group of under 30, nearly two in three agreed there had been a loss of freedoms under President Obama.

Wenzel noted the "spike" in concern about freedoms "comes just as Democrats in Washington have put the pedal to the metal to pass a sweeping health care reform measure, holding congressional votes late at night and on weekends."

"The process has also proceeded mostly behind closed doors, far from the eyes of the press, the public, and even Republican members of Congress," he said. "The fallout can be seen in the falling job approval numbers that Obama and Democrats have seen across the country, and in the difficulty Democrats have faced in elections in places they should be winning without breaking a sweat – including New Jersey and Massachusetts."

The poll said men led the skepticism over the loss of freedoms, with 57 percent feeling a loss of freedom on Obama. That was up from 42 percent a month ago.

"There was a big movement among … young respondents from a neutral position just a month ago – perhaps a reflection of the fact that those younger Americans will have no choice but to pay health insurance premiums under the new health care reform plan," Wenzel's analysis of the poll results explained. "They will be responsible to pay off the huge federal debt likely to be incurred to implement the proposed health care plan."

The poll also showed more Americans now believe their fellow citizens risk punishment, penalty or some sort of public retribution for speaking their minds freely.

Asked if they thought governments in general were using technology, such as cameras, electronic health records and scanners to intrude into the privacy of Americans, nearly half – 46 percent – agreed such intrusiveness exists. Just 31 percent said they do not think government is using technology to peer into the lives of its citizens.

"While it should be alarming that fewer than one in three Americans believe the government is not trying to spy on them, this percentage has remained remarkably stable compared to last month, considering that the Christmas Day bomber has triggered widespread discussions about airport scanners that can display every private part of the human body," he said.

The poll also reveals that more than one in five Americans "self-censor" thoughts based on fears of punishment, 29 percent express reservations about stating their own opinions, nearly one in five pulls punches when expressing his or her own religious opinions in a public place and about the same number were concerned about punishment or other retaliation over the way they worship.

Some 36 percent said they were worried about retribution over the people with whom they associate.

If you are a member of the media and would like to interview Fritz Wenzel about this story, please e-mail.

See detailed results of survey questions:

Do you believe that, under the Obama administration, America has seen an increase or a decrease in freedom?

Do you believe that today Americans can speak their minds freely without fear of punishment, penalty or retribution?

Do you believe that today Americans can associate with anyone they want, no matter who they are, without fear of penalty, government investigation or retribution?

Do you believe that today Americans can worship in any manner they choose without fear they will be punished, ostracized, investigated or face some other penalty?

Do you believe that the government today is using technology, such as cameras, scanners, and electronic health records, to become too intrusive into the lives of citizens?

If there were a controversial cause about which you felt strongly, would you be afraid to attend a local rally to voice your opinion because of fear of retribution, penalty, or government investigation?

How free do you feel to put a bumper sticker on your car or to wear a button expressing your political or religious beliefs?

How free do you feel to discuss political or religious beliefs in a public place, such as in a restaurant or on a bus or train?

Do you feel you are free to express what you truly think about any subject without fear of harm, punishment, government investigation, or some other penalty?