As the 2008 political new year kicks off the countdown to Election Day, the Jim Self Center on the Future at Clemson University reports what is on the minds of South Carolinians.
What is the most important issue facing South Carolina over the next 10 years?
Clearly, the most important issues facing the state according to survey participants are education (19.7 percent), the economy (19.4 percent) and health care (18.8 percent). The environment and growth and development issues are the next most frequently cited issues.
Has quality of life improved, stayed the same or worsened?
Almost half (48.1 percent) of the respondents said that quality of life is about the same as it was five years ago. The remaining respondents are split with slightly more than half of the remaining respondents saying that life has improved rather than worsened. Jobs are noted as the primary reason quality of life has improved or worsened.
Do you prefer a higher, lower or about the same level of growth?
Almost half (47.2 percent) preferred the same level of growth currently experienced. Of the other participants, more of the remaining respondents wanted a lower growth rate than wanted a higher rate of growth.
Will the next generation of South Carolinians be able to compete in the global economy?
More than half (55.7 percent) of the survey takers are optimistic about the next generation's competitiveness. The youngest respondents are the most optimistic about the competitiveness of the next generation. Persons with the lower levels of education also are more optimistic than respondents with a college experience or degree, which runs somewhat counter to the idea that the next generation will need to be still better prepared with unique skill sets to compete in the new global economy.
Is South Carolina headed in the right direction?
A clear majority of participants (65.6 percent) believe that the state is headed in the right direction. Race, income and age are all factors. Out of all of the demographic characteristics, race has the highest variance with 70.3 percent of whites, 55.6 percent of blacks and 47.2 percent of other races indicating that the state is moving in the right direction.
How interested are you in South Carolina political issues?
A majority of the respondents responded that they are interested in state politics with 38.6 percent indicating that they are very interested and 42.3 percent indicating that they are somewhat interested. For participants over 65, 45.9 percent are very interested in state politics compared to 20.0 percent for respondents in the 18-29 age category. Likewise, the higher the level of education attainment, the more interested respondents are in state politics.
How much of the time can you trust the state government?
Survey respondents generally are trusting of state government. Slightly more than half (54.6 percent) said they trust state government some of the time and 34.8 percent of the participants noted trust in state government just about always or most of the time. A racial divide appears with whites more trustful than blacks or other races.
How do you get most of your information about South Carolina?
Newspapers and television are the primary information sources for news about South Carolina. To a lesser extent, respondents got it via the Internet.
The questions were asked during a random phone survey targeting South Carolina citizens 18 and older. There was a 43 percent response rate and 821 completed interviews. The sampling error averages plus or minus 3.5 percent.
For a complete report of the findings, contact Donna London, director of the Jim Self Center on the Future at the Strom Thurmond Institute at (864) 656-4700 or via e-mail [email protected].
"Self Portrait: How Are We Doing in South Carolina?" is a twice-a-year survey intended to provide insight into citizens' concerns, understanding of where needs are going unmet and where there is optimism. The survey is a collaborative effort between Clemson University's Jim Self Center on the Future and University of South Carolina's Institute for Public Service and Policy Research.
"The Self Center is committed to promoting awareness of the issues facing South Carolina," said Donna London, director of the center. "This survey can help focus attention on concerns and trends, enabling decision-makers and opinion-shapers to understand what's on the minds of South Carolinians."
The Jim Self Center on the Future at the Strom Thurmond Institute of Government and Public Affairs serves South Carolina and its communities by promoting awareness of important issues and trends facing the state. The Center advances public and private commitment to policies and actions that support the state's well being through collaborative research and information exchange among the state's citizens and leadership.
(Image provided by SC.gov.)
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