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Some people believe that we should spend much less money for defense. (1996,2004: Suppose these people are at one end of a scale, at point 1.) Others feel that defense spending should be greatly increased. (1996,2004: Suppose these people are at the other end, at point 7.) (2004: And, of course, some other people have opinions somewhere in between, at points 2,3,4,5, or 6). Where would you place yourself on this scale or haven’t you thought much about this? (7-POINT SCALE SHOWN TO R)
Defense spending scale · Asked in 15 waves, 1980–2024 · 38,675 responses · weighted estimates computed from individual responses
Dropped as not asked: -1 'Inapplicable (unlisted code)'. Dropped only in years where the codebook names a design split (alternate form, half sample, abbreviated or web instrument): 0 in 2000, 2008. Kept and flagged: 0 (no_answer), 9 (dk). Codebook notes: GENERAL NOTE: See also VCF0828. 2000 NOTE: This variable represents 7-point scale data from interviews conducted face-to-face. Respondents interviewed by telephone were asked a branching series and are not represented here. 2008 NOTE: This question was administered to a random half sample of respondents using verion ‘OLD’; the remaining respondents (version ‘NEW’) were administered a branching series of questions. 2012 NOTE: The 7-point scale used in 2012 was not comparable.
Dashed lines mark changes in how interviews were done, which can shift answers: 1. → mixed mode (2016).
Shares of people who gave an answer. Each column is one wave, evenly spaced rather than to scale in time; hover for exact shares.
| Poll | Field dates | Mode | Respondents | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANES 2024 Time Series Study Source variable: V241242. | 2024-08-03 to 2025-02-17 | mixed | 5,521 | 5,276 |
| ANES 2020 Time Series Study Source variable: V201249. | 2020-08-18 to 2021-01-04 | mixed | 8,280 | 8,280 |
| ANES 2016 Time Series Study Source variable: V161181. | 2016-09-07 to 2017-01-09 | mixed | 4,270 | 4,270 |
| ANES 2008 Time Series Study Source variable: V083112. | 2008-09-02 to 2008-12-30 | face to face | 2,322 | 1,153 |
| ANES 2004 Time Series Study Source variable: V043142. | 2004-09-07 to 2004-12-19 | face to face | 1,212 | 1,212 |
| ANES 2000 Time Series Study Source variable: V000581. | 2000-09-05 to 2000-12-22 | mixed | 1,807 | 1,005 |
| ANES 1996 Time Series Study Source variable: V960463. | 1996-09-03 to 1997-01-02 | mixed | 1,714 | 1,714 |
| ANES 1994 Time Series Study |
Dashed lines mark changes in how interviews were done, which can shift answers: 1. → mixed mode (2016).
Shares of people who gave an answer. A group’s column is left blank in waves where its effective sample is under 50; hover for exact shares.
| Group | Greatly decrease defense spending | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Greatly increase defense spending | n | MoE |
|---|
| All respondents | 8% | 6% | 11% | 26% | 20% | 14% | 15% | 5276 | ±2 | |
| Protestant | 4% | 3% | 7% | 25% | 23% | 20% | 20% | 1640 | ±4 | |
| Catholic | 7% | 4% | 10% | 21% | 23% | 16% | 18% | 974 | ±5 | |
| Jewish | 5% | 4% | 15% | 33% | 13% | 12% | 19% | 116 | ±13 | |
| Other faith | 7% | 5% | 10% | 30% | 20% | 14% | 14% | 1206 | ±4 | |
| None | 14% | 13% | 18% | 25% | 15% | 7% | 6% | 1340 | ±4 |
ANES 2024 Time Series Study · US citizens 18+ (face-to-face samples: contiguous 48 states and DC; web samples: 50 states and DC). Shares of people who gave an answer. n is unweighted; ± is the 95% margin of error at 50% from the weighted effective sample. Groups with an effective sample under 50 are grayed; under 20, hidden.
| 1994-11-09 to 1995-01-08 |
| mixed |
| 1,795 |
| 1,795 |
| ANES 1992 Time Series Study Source variable: V923707. | 1992-09-02 to 1993-01-16 | mixed | 2,485 | 2,485 |
| ANES 1990 Time Series Study Source variable: V900439. | 1990-11-06 to 1991-01-21 | face to face | 1,980 | 1,980 |
| ANES 1988 Time Series Study Source variable: V880310. | 1988-09-06 to 1989-01-23 | face to face | 2,040 | 2,040 |
| ANES 1986 Time Series Study Source variable: V860405. | 1986-11-05 to 1987-02-07 | face to face | 2,176 | 2,176 |
| ANES 1984 Time Series Study Source variable: V840395. | 1984-09-04 to 1985-01-24 | mixed | 2,257 | 2,257 |
| ANES 1982 Time Series Study Source variable: V820407. | 1982-11-02 to 1983-01-31 | face to face | 1,418 | 1,418 |
| ANES 1980 Time Series Study Source variable: V800281. | 1980-09-02 to 1981-02-07 | face to face | 1,614 | 1,614 |