The Public Religion Research Institute recently released the findings of their annual survey of American values. The 2011 survey of 1,505 adults was conducted from September 22 through October 5. The data includes:
- Two-thirds of voters say that it is very important (39%) or somewhat important (28%) for a presidential candidate to have strong religious beliefs.
- A strong majority (60%) of Americans agree that the country would be better off if the distribution of wealth was more equal, while 39% disagree.
- Seven-in-ten (70%) Americans favor “the Buffett rule,” a proposal to increase the tax rate on Americans earning more than $1 million per year, compared to only 27% who oppose it.
- Overall, two-thirds (67%) of Americans favor increasing the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.00 an hour.
So What?
Based on this data, it appears most Americans prefer a religious president and favor enacting measures that would lessen economic disparity. Do you find yourself in the majority on these issues or not? How does your faith contribute to your perspective?