CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll, December 1994

This poll is 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 on Bill Clinton and his handling of his job as president, foreign policy, welfare, and the economy. They were also asked to identify the most important thing Republicans in Congress should concentrate on and the United States' most important economic partner and diplomatic partner in the next century. Specific questions on welfare included whether the respondent was willing to pay more in taxes to provide job training and public service for people on welfare, what is to blame when people are poor, whether there were jobs available for welfare recipients, whether these jobs paid enough to support a family, and whether the government should create work programs for people on welfare. Respondents were asked to describe the relations between Japan and the United States today and to comment on whether overall relations would get better or worse in the next few years. Specific questions on Japan included whether the respondent believed that most Japanese respect Americans, whether Japan would be an ally that the United States could depend on, whether Japanese companies were competing unfairly with American companies, and which country--Japan or the United States--was better able to develop new technology and make more technologically-advanced consumer products. Other topics included respondents' opinions on the federal budget, prayer in school, and whether Japan or Germany should be admitted into the United Nations Security Council. Background information on respondents includes voter registration status, household composition, vote choice in the 1992 presidential election, political party, political orientation, education, age, sex, race, religious preference, and family income.