CBS News Monthly Poll #3, March 2005

This special topic poll is a part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions about the most important problems facing this country, abortion, who should have the ultimate decision about a feeding tube of a patient in a vegetative state, the Terri Schiavo case, the Schiavo case being sent to the United States Supreme Court, congressional and presidential involvement in the Schiavo case, government decisions on life support issues, reasons the Schiavo bill was passed, future involvement of Congress in the lives of United States citizens, and physician assisted suicide. Respondents were also asked their opinions about the president's handling of his job, the economy, and the situation in Iraq, as well as Congress's handling of its job. Other questions inquired about the respondents' following of the Schiavo case, the degree of the respondents' feelings toward issues related to the Schiavo case, their possession of a living will, respondents' religious service attendance, and views of themselves as evangelical Christians. Background information includes political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration status, which candidates they voted for in the 2004 presidential election, religion, age, race, education, marital status, income, and whether the respondents were parents.