Thank you for participating in the Bright Line Watch survey of political scientists. The purpose of this survey is to measure expert opinions about the state of American democracy. Your responses will be anonymous. Your participation in this study is voluntary, and you are free to skip any questions or withdraw from the study at any time. No information that identiﬁes you will be collected or retained by the researchers, and all of the information we collect will be stored securely. However, any online interaction carries some risk of being accessed. Please contact the Social & Behavioral Sciences IRB at the University of Chicago with any questions or concerns (by phone at 773-834-7835 or by email at sbs-irb@uchicago.edu). If you have any questions or comments about this survey, or if you would like to be removed from the mailing list for future surveys, please email survey@brightlinewatch.org.
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Government officials are legally sanctioned for misconduct
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Government officials do not use public office for private gain
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Government agencies are not used to monitor, attack, or punish political opponents
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - All adult citizens enjoy the same legal and political rights
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Government does not interfere with journalists or news organizations
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Government effectively prevents private actors from engaging in politically-motivated violence or intimidation
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Government protects individuals’ right to engage in unpopular speech or expression
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Political competition occurs without criticism of opponents’ loyalty or patriotism
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Elections are free from foreign influence
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Parties and candidates are not barred due to their political beliefs and ideologies
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - All adult citizens have equal opportunity to vote
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - All votes have equal impact on election outcomes
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Elections are conducted, ballots counted, and winners determined without pervasive fraud or manipulation
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Executive authority cannot be expanded beyond constitutional limits
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - The legislature is able to effectively limit executive power
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - The judiciary is able to effectively limit executive power
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - The elected branches respect judicial independence
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Voter participation in elections is generally high
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Information about the sources of campaign funding is available to the public
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Public policy is not determined by large campaign contributions
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Citizens can make their opinions heard in open debate about policies that are under consideration
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - The geographic boundaries of electoral districts do not systematically advantage any particular political party
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Even when there are disagreements about ideology or policy, political leaders generally share a common understanding of relevant facts
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Elected officials seek compromise with political opponents
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Citizens have access to information about candidates that is relevant to how they would govern
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Government protects individuals’ right to engage in peaceful protest
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Law enforcement investigations of public officials or their associates are free from political influence or interference
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Government statistics and data are produced by experts who are not influenced by political considerations
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Government officials are legally sanctioned for misconduct
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Government officials do not use public office for private gain
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Government agencies are not used to monitor, attack, or punish political opponents
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order All adult citizens enjoy the same legal and political rights
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Government does not interfere with journalists or news organizations
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Government effectively prevents private actors from engaging in politically-motivated violence or intimidation
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Government protects individuals’ right to engage in unpopular speech or expression
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Political competition occurs without criticism of opponents’ loyalty or patriotism
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Elections are free from foreign influence
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Parties and candidates are not barred due to their political beliefs and ideologies
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order All adult citizens have equal opportunity to vote
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order All votes have equal impact on election outcomes
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Elections are conducted, ballots counted, and winners determined without pervasive fraud or manipulation
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Executive authority cannot be expanded beyond constitutional limits
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order The legislature is able to effectively limit executive power
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order The judiciary is able to effectively limit executive power
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order The elected branches respect judicial independence
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Voter participation in elections is generally high
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Information about the sources of campaign funding is available to the public
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Public policy is not determined by large campaign contributions
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Citizens can make their opinions heard in open debate about policies that are under consideration
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order The geographic boundaries of electoral districts do not systematically advantage any particular political party
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Even when there are disagreements about ideology or policy, political leaders generally share a common understanding of relevant facts
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Elected officials seek compromise with political opponents
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Citizens have access to information about candidates that is relevant to how they would govern
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Government protects individuals’ right to engage in peaceful protest
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Law enforcement investigations of public officials or their associates are free from political influence or interference
How well do the following statements describe the United States as of today? - Display Order Government statistics and data are produced by experts who are not influenced by political considerations
On a scale from 0 to 100, where 0 is least democratic and 100 is most democratic, how would you rate the political system of the United States as of today? - United States today
Now we'd like to ask you a question about democracy in your state. In which state is the academic institution where you work located? This information will not be used to identify you.
Now using the same 0 to 100 scale as previously, how would you rate the political system of [QID300-ChoiceGroup-SelectedChoices]? You rated the political system of the United States today as [QID221-ChoiceNumericEntryValue-1]. - [QID300-ChoiceGroup-SelectedChoices] today
How important is it for you to live in a country that is governed democratically?  On this scale where 1 means it is “not at all important” and 10 means “absolutely important,” what position would you choose?
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A president acknowledges the right of political opponents to criticize his or her leadership
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A president endorses the legitimacy of an election in which he or she has been defeated
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A president respects established boundaries between civilian and military authority
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A president acknowledges the right of political opponents to criticize his or her leadership
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A president endorses the legitimacy of an election in which he or she has been defeated
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A president respects established boundaries between civilian and military authority
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A president says political opponents who criticize his or her leadership should be investigated and imprisoned
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A president attacks the legitimacy of an election in which he or she has been defeated
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A president compels active-duty military officers to promote his or her political agenda
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A president says political opponents who criticize his or her leadership should be investigated and imprisoned
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A president attacks the legitimacy of an election in which he or she has been defeated
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A president compels active-duty military officers to promote his or her political agenda
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A president intervenes in prosecutors’ decisions about whether to charge companies or individuals
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A government blocks an independent investigation into its own staff or Cabinet members
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A president uses emergency powers to circumvent institutional restrictions on his or her power
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A president intervenes in prosecutors’ decisions about whether to charge companies or individuals
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A government blocks an independent investigation into its own staff or Cabinet members
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A president uses emergency powers to circumvent institutional restrictions on his or her power
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Prosecutors decide whether to charge companies or individuals without interference from a president
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A government cooperates with an independent investigation into its own staff or Cabinet members
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A president respects institutional restrictions on his or her power
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order Prosecutors decide whether to charge companies or individuals without interference from a president
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A government cooperates with an independent investigation into its own staff or Cabinet members
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A president respects institutional restrictions on his or her power
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A government agency renews the broadcast licenses of media outlets even though they are critical of a president’s performance
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A president engages respectfully with journalists who are critical of his or her performance
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A government allows peaceful protests by its political opponents
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A government agency renews the broadcast licenses of media outlets even though they are critical of a president’s performance
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A president engages respectfully with journalists who are critical of his or her performance
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A government allows peaceful protests by its political opponents
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A government agency refuses to renew the broadcast licenses of media outlets that criticize a president’s performance
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A president threatens to imprison journalists who are critical of his or her performance
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - A government blocks peaceful protests by its political opponents
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A government agency refuses to renew the broadcast licenses of media outlets that criticize a president’s performance
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A president threatens to imprison journalists who are critical of his or her performance
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order A government blocks peaceful protests by its political opponents
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Voter registration and ballot access rules allow all groups equal access regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - The votes of every citizen carry equal weight in elections for Congress regardless of the total population of their state
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Every citizen is allowed to vote regardless of where they were born
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order Voter registration and ballot access rules allow all groups equal access regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order The votes of every citizen carry equal weight in elections for Congress regardless of the total population of their state
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order Every citizen is allowed to vote regardless of where they were born
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Voter registration and ballot access rules place a greater burden on some racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - The votes of citizens in states with small populations carry greater weight in elections for Congress than the votes of citizens in states with large populations
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Only native-born citizens are allowed to vote
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order Voter registration and ballot access rules place a greater burden on some racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order The votes of citizens in states with small populations carry greater weight in elections for Congress than the votes of citizens in states with large populations
How democratic or undemocratic are these scenarios? - Display Order Only native-born citizens are allowed to vote
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - A majority party in either chamber of Congress refusing to raise the limit on the amount of money the U.S. government can legally borrow
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - The majority party in the Senate abolishing the filibuster rule so it can pass legislation without minority party support
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - The minority party in the Senate routinely using the filibuster rule to block legislation supported only by the majority party
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - Display Order A majority party in either chamber of Congress refusing to raise the limit on the amount of money the U.S. government can legally borrow
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - Display Order The majority party in the Senate abolishing the filibuster rule so it can pass legislation without minority party support
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - Display Order The minority party in the Senate routinely using the filibuster rule to block legislation supported only by the majority party
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - A President pardoning himself or herself
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - A President establishing important new government policy by executive order without passage of a law in Congress
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - A President directing the Department of Justice to open investigations into political opponents
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - Display Order A President pardoning himself or herself
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - Display Order A President establishing important new government policy by executive order without passage of a law in Congress
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - Display Order A President directing the Department of Justice to open investigations into political opponents
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - The majority party in the Senate refusing to consider any nomination by a President to fill an open seat on the Supreme Court
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - The majority party in the Senate abolishing the filibuster rule so they can confirm judges without minority party support
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - A party that controls Congress and the presidency creating and filling new seats on the Supreme Court to change the partisan balance of power
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - Display Order The majority party in the Senate refusing to consider any nomination by a President to fill an open seat on the Supreme Court
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - Display Order The majority party in the Senate abolishing the filibuster rule so they can confirm judges without minority party support
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - Display Order A party that controls Congress and the presidency creating and filling new seats on the Supreme Court to change the partisan balance of power
Please carefully read the information below, then indicate whether the actions that follow are appropriate or inappropriate:  Under the Constitution, a majority of the House of Representatives may impeach a President. If a President is impeached, a two-thirds vote in the Senate is required to remove him or her from office. - A majority of the House of Representatives seeking to impeach a president because they believe he or she is unfit for office rather than because of specific evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors
Please carefully read the information below, then indicate whether the actions that follow are appropriate or inappropriate:  Under the Constitution, a majority of the House of Representatives may impeach a President. If a President is impeached, a two-thirds vote in the Senate is required to remove him or her from office. - A majority of the House of Representatives impeaching a president they believe has committed a high crime or misdemeanor even if the Senate does NOT support removal
Please carefully read the information below, then indicate whether the actions that follow are appropriate or inappropriate:  Under the Constitution, a majority of the House of Representatives may impeach a President. If a President is impeached, a two-thirds vote in the Senate is required to remove him or her from office. - A majority of the House of Representatives impeaching a president they believe has committed a high crime or misdemeanor when the Senate supports removal
Please carefully read the information below, then indicate whether the actions that follow are appropriate or inappropriate:  Under the Constitution, a majority of the House of Representatives may impeach a President. If a President is impeached, a two-thirds vote in the Senate is required to remove him or her from office. - Display Order A majority of the House of Representatives seeking to impeach a president because they believe he or she is unfit for office rather than because of specific evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors
Please carefully read the information below, then indicate whether the actions that follow are appropriate or inappropriate:  Under the Constitution, a majority of the House of Representatives may impeach a President. If a President is impeached, a two-thirds vote in the Senate is required to remove him or her from office. - Display Order A majority of the House of Representatives impeaching a president they believe has committed a high crime or misdemeanor even if the Senate does NOT support removal
Please carefully read the information below, then indicate whether the actions that follow are appropriate or inappropriate:  Under the Constitution, a majority of the House of Representatives may impeach a President. If a President is impeached, a two-thirds vote in the Senate is required to remove him or her from office. - Display Order A majority of the House of Representatives impeaching a president they believe has committed a high crime or misdemeanor when the Senate supports removal
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - A party that controls both chambers of Congress granting statehood to Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - State governments signing a pact to guarantee that the popular vote winner is elected president
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - A state political party drawing Congressional districts that ensure it will receive a share of seats much larger than its share of votes
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - A state political party proposing measures that make it more difficult to vote, especially for members of the other party
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - Display Order A party that controls both chambers of Congress granting statehood to Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - Display Order State governments signing a pact to guarantee that the popular vote winner is elected president
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - Display Order A state political party drawing Congressional districts that ensure it will receive a share of seats much larger than its share of votes
Are the following actions appropriate or inappropriate? - Display Order A state political party proposing measures that make it more difficult to vote, especially for members of the other party
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