The following is a national survey of likely voters published by The Heartland Institute, a national free-market think tank, and Rasmussen Reports, one of America’s leading polling firms, on the topic of free speech, socialism, and Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
Conducted November 13-14, 2019
By The Heartland Institute and Rasmussen Reports
1*Should federal or state governments ban speech by individuals that a majority of Americans believes to be offensive, including speech considered to be racist or sexist?
27% Yes
50% No
24% Not sure
2*Should those who violate such bans against offensive speech be punished with jail time?
48% Yes
35% No
17% Not sure
3*Should those who say or write things a majority of Americans believes to be offensive, including speech considered to be racist or sexist, be banned from holding public office, such as becoming a member of Congress or president of the United States?
38% Yes
44% No
18% Not sure
4* Would you vote for a presidential candidate who identifies himself or herself as a socialist?
26% Yes
50% No
24% Not sure
5* Do you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable impression of Bernie Sanders?
18% Very favorable
29% Somewhat favorable
17% Somewhat unfavorable
31% Very unfavorable
5% Not sure
6* Do you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable impression of Elizabeth Warren?
17% Very favorable
25% Somewhat favorable
15% Somewhat unfavorable
34% Very unfavorable
9% Not sure
Free Speech and Supporters of Bernie Sanders
- 51% of those who say they have a “very favorable” view of Bernie Sanders said federal or state governments should “ban speech by individuals that a majority of Americans believes to be offensive, including speech considered to be racist or sexist.” 36% of those who say they have a “somewhat favorable” view of Sanders say “offensive” speech should be banned.
- Of those who said “offensive” speech should be banned by government (see question above), 58% of those with a “very favorable” view of Bernie Sanders said “those who violate such bans against offensive speech” should “be punished with jail time.” 45% with a “somewhat favorable” view of Sanders held the same opinion.
- 61% of those who say they have a “very favorable” view of Bernie Sanders also said “those who say or write things a majority of Americans believes to be offensive, including speech considered to be racist or sexist” should “be banned from holding public office.” 55% of those who say they have a “somewhat favorable” view of Sanders held the same view.
Free Speech and Supporters of Elizabeth Warren
- 49% of those who say they have a “very favorable” view of Elizabeth Warren said federal or state governments should “ban speech by individuals that a majority of Americans believes to be offensive, including speech considered to be racist or sexist.” 37% of those who say they have a “somewhat favorable” view of Warren say “offensive” speech should be banned.
- Of those who said “offensive” speech should be banned by government (see question above), 56% of those with a “very favorable” view of Elizabeth Warren said “those who violate such bans against offensive speech” should “be punished with jail time.” 45% with a “somewhat favorable” view of Warren held the same opinion.
- 67% of those who say they have a “very favorable” view of Elizabeth Warren also said “those who say or write things a majority of Americans believes to be offensive, including speech considered to be racist or sexist” should “be banned from holding public office.” 51% of those who say they have a “somewhat favorable” view of Warren held the same view.
How Other Demographics Answered These Questions
- More than one in three (37%) of Democrats said federal or state governments should “ban speech by individuals that a majority of Americans believes to be offensive, including speech considered to be racist or sexist.”
- Of those Democrats who said “offensive” speech should be banned by government (see question above), 46% said “those who violate such bans against offensive speech” should “be punished with jail time.”
- 42% of respondents who said they are employed by the government also said federal or state governments should “ban speech by individuals that a majority of Americans believes to be offensive, including speech considered to be racist or sexist.”
- Of those government workers who said “offensive” speech should be banned by government (see question above), 62% said “those who violate such bans against offensive speech” should “be punished with jail time.”
- 54% of government workers said “those who say or write things a majority of Americans believes to be offensive, including speech considered to be racist or sexist” should “be banned from holding public office.”
- 50% of respondents who said they would “vote for a presidential candidate who identifies himself or herself as a socialist” also said federal or state governments should “ban speech by individuals that a majority of Americans believes to be offensive, including speech considered to be racist or sexist.”
- Of those respondents who said they would vote for a presidential candidate who self-identifies as a socialist and that federal or state governments should “ban speech” considered to be offensive (see question above), 68% said “those who violate such bans against offensive speech” should “be punished with jail time.”
- Of those respondents who said they would vote for a presidential candidate who self-identifies as a socialist, 60% said “those who say or write things a majority of Americans believes to be offensive, including speech considered to be racist or sexist” should “be banned from holding public office.”
NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence, except question 2, which has a sampling error of +/- 6%.
For questions about the survey or to book a policy expert to discuss the results of the survey, contact Heartland Editorial Director Justin Haskins at [email protected].
Stopping Socialism is a project of The Heartland Institute and The Henry Dearborn Center for Human Rights, a nonprofit association of professionals and scholars.
