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Next, I am going to ask you to choose which of two statements I read comes closer to your own opinion. You might agree to some extent with both, but we want to know which one is closer to your (2000: own) views: ONE, the main reason government has become bigger over the years is because it has gotten involved in things that people should do for themselves; or TWO, government has become bigger because the problems we face have become bigger
Why government has grown: overreach or bigger problems · Asked in 7 waves, 1990–2016 · 17,130 responses · weighted estimates computed from individual responses
Codes that include 'no Pre/Post IW' were dropped for respondents without that interview. Dropped only in years where the codebook names a design split (alternate form, half sample, abbreviated or web instrument): 9 in 1990. Kept and flagged: 8 (dk), 9 (no_answer). Codebook notes: GENERAL NOTE: See notes VCF9131.
Dashed lines mark changes in how interviews were done, which can shift answers: 1. → mixed mode (2012).
Shares of people who gave an answer. Each column is one wave, evenly spaced rather than to scale in time; hover for exact shares.
| Group | Gotten involved in things | Problems we face are bigger | n | MoE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All respondents | 55% | 45% | 3648 | ±2 | |
| Democrats |
| Poll | Field dates | Mode | Respondents | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANES 2016 Time Series Study Source variable: V162183. | 2016-09-07 to 2017-01-09 | mixed | 4,270 | 3,648 |
| ANES 2012 Time Series Study Source variable: govrole_big. | 2012-09-09 to 2013-01-13 | mixed | 5,914 | 5,510 |
| ANES 2008 Time Series Study | 2008-09-02 to 2008-12-30 | face to face | 2,322 | 2,102 |
| ANES 2004 Time Series Study Source variable: V045150. | 2004-09-07 to 2004-12-19 | face to face | 1,212 | 1,066 |
| ANES 2000 Time Series Study Source variable: V001422. | 2000-09-05 to 2000-12-22 | mixed | 1,807 | 1,555 |
| ANES 1992 Time Series Study Source variable: V925731. | 1992-09-02 to 1993-01-16 | mixed | 2,485 | 2,255 |
| ANES 1990 Time Series Study Source variable: V900335. | 1990-11-06 to 1991-01-21 | face to face | 1,980 | 994 |
Dashed lines mark changes in how interviews were done, which can shift answers: 1. → mixed mode (2012).
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.
| 35% |
| 65% |
| 1250 |
| ±3 |
| Independents (incl. leaners) | 57% | 43% | 1342 | ±3 |
| Republicans | 77% | 23% | 1038 | ±4 |
ANES 2016 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.