By Patricia H. Kushlis
Seems to me that the foreign policy advisors for all three still-standing US presidential candidates should take a hard look at the results of the most recent 19 nation public attitudes poll formally released today at a Carnegie lunch by World Opinion.org and coordinated by the University of Maryland’s Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA). And in particular that section on how Americans see their government and this country’s relationship to others.
The read won’t take long, I assure you. The data’s all there on the website just waiting for readers. All in one tidy little section. To a certain extent its how one asks the question – because not all the responses are neat and tidy or play well with the others. But this survey does provide a comparative international snap-shot with which the data on Americans can be compared. Not surprisingly, it confirms that a strong majority of Americans think this country is not being governed by the will of the people. This, of course, corroborates with W’s in-the-tanks-poll ratings during much of his second term and his 66 percent unfavorable rating in an Washington Post/ABC news poll released today.
Less obvious, but far more interesting findings
But this is obvious. Three other perhaps even important findings, however, appear "below the fold:"
First, 80 percent, or four in five, Americans say the country is “being run by a few big interests looking out for themselves, rather than for the benefit of all the people.”
Second, “81% (of Americans surveyed) say that leaders should consider public opinion polls when making an important decision to get a sense of the public’s views, and an overwhelming 94% say that leaders should consider the views of the people as they make decisions in between elections.”
And third, “Asked how much their government should take into account world public opinion in developing its foreign policy, Americans give a response of 6.6 on a 0-10 scale (with 10 meaning “a great deal”), however when asked how much their government does take world public opinion into account, they give the lowest score (3.9) among all countries polled. Sixty-five percent say the government should consider world public opinion more than it already does.”
The first finding (big interests looking out for themselves) should be carefully revisited by campaign associated economists as well as those - hopefully - involved in reinstituting good government regulations, regulatory agencies and strengthening the work of Congressional oversite committees.
The sleeper question
But it is the third - almost sleeper - response that 65 percent of Americans surveyed thought that the US government should "consider world public opinion more than it does" that should give U.S. foreign policy campaign gurus the most pause for consideration. It should also spur a major rethink of how America should and could interact with the world.
This response should also give editorial boards, foreign policy columnists and the commentariat food for thought. Particularly those looking for more effective ways to pull this country back from its disastrous lead-with-the-tanks approach to foreign policy since 9/11. I’ll bet, however, this thought doesn’t find its way into Anne Applebaum, Robert Novak, Cal Thomas or Jim Hoagland’s writings – for instance. Doubtful it will make it into - let alone played up - in a FOX News or Christian right radio broadcast either. After all “winning hearts and minds” through non-military means doesn’t square with the ultra-right or the ultra-religious; but hello out there, maybe "rank-and'file" US citizens are on to something. If done right, listening to others first - before acting like Cesear's Roman Legions on the rampage - can be far more effective in the end – and lots cheaper, too.
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