Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) January 6, 2004 -- A new poll conducted by Zogby International for The O’Leary Report and The John Tower Center at Southern Methodist University of 1,200 Americans with a margin of error of + 2.9% found that the American public favorably views Vietnam’s efforts on human rights by a margin of 40% to 32%.

The poll found that 40% current and former members of the U.S. armed forces and their families had favorable impressions of the human rights progress being made in Vietnam over the past five years while only 32% had an unfavorable view. Fifty-six percent of those with an opinion on this question felt Vietnam had made progress on human rights. Similar favorable margins were evident among Catholics and Protestants. America’s investor class (those who invest in the stock market or have 401-K retirement plans) viewed Vietnam’s human rights progress favorably by a margin of 49% to 27% -- a finding of importance considering the country’s 80 million people and its emerging market economy.

The poll asked two other questions of importance to Vietnam:

1) “It has been 30 years since the end of the Vietnam War. Do you agree or disagree that it is time for the U.S. to put aside our past differences with Vietnam and begin an era of cooperation?”

Seventy-five percent of Americans agreed with this position.
Seventy-one percent of current military members and 70% of veterans agree that it’s time to put aside the past differences of the two countries. Seventy-five percent of the investor class felt the same way by a margin of 75% to 17%. In terms of ideology, 65% of Libertarians, 69% of conservatives, 76% of moderates, 83% of liberals and 96% of progressives agreed with this position. Ultra conservatives were the only ideological group to offer tepid support for this position with 48% in agreement.

2) “Vietnam and the U.S. recently signed a trade treaty. Our ambassadors there say that religious freedom exists and is growing. The American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam says free markets and free enterprise are growing and expanding. However, some U.S. Congressmen and American Vietnamese say we should encourage more contact. Others say we should hold off on trade and other forms of aid to Vietnam until they grant more religious freedoms and hold multi-party elections. With which position are you more likely to agree?” This question was asked in response to efforts by two American Congressmen, Republican Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey and Democratic Representative Loretta Sanchez of California, both of whom tried to pass legislation to hold off aid until Vietnam grants more religious freedoms and hold multi-party elections. The American public rejected that premise by a margin of 49% to 44%.

Fifty-six percent of America’s investor class rejected Smith and Sanchez’s position while current members of the U.S. armed forces rejected that position by a margin of 54% to 37%. Republicans rejected this position by a margin of 49% to 42%.

Supporting the position of Smith and Sanchez are conservative and very conservative voters, those without a high school education or less, and Hispanic voters.

About Zogby International, The Tower Center and The O’Leary Report
Zogby International (www.zogby.com) has been tracking public opinion since 1984 in North America, Latin America, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe and is a leader in the public opinion field and regularly conducts polling for Reuters and MSNBC.

Southern Methodist University’s The John Goodwin Tower Center for Political Studies (http://www.smu.edu/tower/) was established to support teaching and research programs in international studies and national security policy, focusing upon the institutions that structure national and international decision-making.

The O’Leary Report (www.olearyreport.com), authored by political veteran Brad O’Leary, began in 1997 as an outgrowth of the successful political newsletter, O’Leary/Kamber Report, that ran through much of the 1980s and 1990s. Brad O’Leary did point-counterpoint with Vic Kamber for USA Weekend and turned their newsletter into a weekly radio show on the NBC Mutual/Westwood One network for eight years. O’Leary and Kamber also published a popular series of point-counterpoint books entitled, “Are You a Republican or Democrat?” and “Are You a Conservative or a Liberal?” which were used by high schools and campuses across the nation to help educate students on the issues facing America. The O’Leary Report regularly surveys the American public on the issues of the day in cooperation with the polling firm of Zogby International.