Message on Government Compulsion Strongest

“Regardless of whether someone supports same-sex marriage or opposes it, everyone can agree that government shouldn’t compel Americans to violate their beliefs about marriage” is the most powerful message, garnering the greatest support and facing the least opposition. In fact, the proportion of those who agree to those who disagree is more than 4 to 1.

This message taps into a pervasive feeling that “government is infringing on my personal freedoms” (71% agree). Moreover, trust in government is low, with over half saying that they don’t “trust government to protect the interest of everyday Americans” (58% disagree).

Concern over Country’s Future Pervasive

The majority of Americans surveyed agreed they are “fearful for our country’s future—America is on the decline” (78% agree). Notably, the highest agreement was seen among Millennials, with 80% agreeing.

Similarly, many Americans think that “family values have gone downhill over the last several decades” (80% agree).

Source: Online survey using a national representative sample of 1,010 Americans conducted April 16, 2015 with a margin of error of ±3.1%.