A new online poll conducted by Harris Interactive and Logo indicates LGBT people, like their straight counterparts, arereallyfreaking out about the economy. In fact, economic issues, unemployment and health care ranked significantly higher than gay rights. (Of course, those issues can involve LGBT equality: Just ask anyone whose been fired for being a lesbian and has no legal recourse.)
A total of 1,367 registered voters were surveyed earlier this month to reflect the general populace, with an additional 1,190 LGBT voters representing the gay community. Below is a ranking of issues by order of importance, both to LGBT voters and the general population. (Statistically significant differences indicated by **)
|
|
Percentage of LGBT Voters |
Gen Pop Voters |
| Economic issues |
18 |
24** |
| Unemployment/jobs |
14 |
15 |
| Health care |
12 |
12 |
| Gay rights in general |
9** |
1 |
| Social Security |
7 |
7 |
| Federal budget deficit |
6 |
11** |
| Same-sex marriage |
6** |
1 |
Other questions focused on support for LGBT issues among the general electorate.
Q. Are you more likely or less likely to vote for a candidate who supports the following issues, or would it have no effect on your voting behavior?
|
|
General Population Voters |
||
|
|
More Likely |
Less Likely |
More – Less |
| Legislation to define and prevent bullying of LGBT students |
49 |
12 |
+37 |
| Laws that prohibit workplace discrimination of gays and lesbians |
48 |
14 |
+34 |
| Continuing to allow gays to openly serve in the military |
41 |
19 |
+22 |
| Legal recognition of same-sex marriage |
38 |
31 |
+7 |
| Adoptions by gay parents |
36 |
23 |
+13 |
The data revealed support for marriage equality gained more than 20 percentage points in the past five years alone, from 31% of the general population in 2007 to 52% in 2012. Among independents, that number went from 36% to 55%. “LGBT rights are no longer a wedge issue in American politics. Instead, support for LGBT rights is now a mainstream position and candidates stand to benefit from their support for LGBT rights,” said Kenneth Sherrill, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Hunter College.
Not surprisingly, those polled leaned toward reelecting President Obama over voting for Mitt Romney, 48% to 42%. Amog LGBT voters that split was 67-23. (Seriously? C’mon, people!)
“The findings in this survey demonstrate what many Americans, gay and straight, have been feeling intuitively: we have reached an historic turning point in the lives of Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Transgender Americans,” said Logo general manager Lisa Sherman. “To see numbers indicating such dramatic support among significant segments of the voting public for LGBT people is heartening—America is filled with allies and champions of gay Americans.”
Results from the survey will be discussed during Logo’s campaign specials, NewNowNext Vote with Wanda Sykes on September 10 and November 5.
Neo
The stimulus is working, there is consistent growth and the US markets are recovering, America needs to allow Obama and the Democrats to continue their work.
Republicans destroyed your economy and if you have seen and actually read what they are planning to do they are gutting everything lower than the super rich, Romney is a man who said “I’m not concerned about the very poor”, they want to cut food stamps by over 50%, increase taxes on the middle and working classes by 25-35% and cut the super riches tax to less than 1%.
They are theological nutters, and they are everything that is wrong with the United States.
Myles.
23% seems a little high.What is the margin of error?
With that percentage,at least half a million gays would vote Republican.As a collective,could we be that stupid?
Of course there will always be some people who will deny their sexuality by saying”I’m not gay,hell I vote Republican!”
Hope gets shot in the foot,again!
Myles.
P.S.
Was it Calvin Cooledge who said “There are liars,damn liars and then there are statisticians!”
Neo
@Myles.: They are not, the link to the poll was posted on some Right Wing newsgroups we monitor and they all went over and voted. These stats are fake, as all stats inevitably are.
BJ McFrisky
For some reason, it seems that only Queerty and some of its more militant members are obsessed with gay marriage. Of COURSE we’re more concerned with the economy than with marriage, because marriage doesn’t put food on the table (unless you’re a sugar baby looking for a free ride). Ironically, of my gay friends who support the idea of marriage, all of them say they would never actually get married, they just don’t like being told they can’t do something. Is this movement really that shallow—or is it my friends who are?
the other Greg
@BJ McFrisky: “Is this movement really that shallow—or is it my friends who are?”
Well BJ, I’m sure you can convince us that your friends are pretty shallow! Feel free to give us some more examples.
Neo
@the other Greg: He won’t, he and his other accounts firmly post in the same style of citing “gay people” he knows, never providing names, or facts about them and always has them doing counter-intuitive and unintelligent things that only ultra conservatives do.
They troll LGBT news sites, it’s a group of people who are paid by the GOP and are based in the Carolina’s, it is the same people who poisoned Usenet decades ago.
doug105
How can anyone look at what Romney’s said he wants to do and not see Bush the third.
BJ McFrisky
@Neo: So, I’m a troll who’s “paid by the GOP and based in the Carolinas”? Wowza, the paranoia factor is through the roof in your neighborhood, dude. I’m no more a troll than you, for I have every right to visit this site and state an opinion—and I live in California. What’s frightening is people like yourself who want to stifle any opinion that differs from yours. And you want me to “provide names and facts” about gay people I know? On the Internet? Seriously? Are you on drugs? (I know, I know, stupid question—of course you are). But if you must know, before I settled down with Jim, I fucked Jack, Pat, Nick, Jason, Al, Josh, and Eli. So there are your names for you. Any questions?
brent
@Neo: What our economy needs right now is a little more Milton Friedman and a little less Paul Krugman.
brent
@Neo: Are you really that paranoid? Someone who expresses a view different from yours is part of a GOP plot to screw up polls for gay people. If republicans are that clever why didn’t they beat Obama?
unclemike
@BJ McFrisky: Queerty doesn’t own me, and neither am I “militant,” but I actually am more concerned about marriage equality than anything else.
I’m 48, and my partner has spent the last 10 years in Hong Kong due to visa issues. I sure would love to be able to marry him and legally have him stay in the states with me (before anything happens to either of us). And then he can contribute to the economy, pay his taxes, buy a car, etc., etc.
Frankly, my partner and I are more welcome in Canada than in my own country.
BJ McFrisky
@unclemike: And you absolutely have every right in the world to make gay marriage your priority when you vote. Your circumstances dictate as such, and I truly feel for you and your situation. But your cause represents a miniscule percentage of the gay population, i.e. having a partner from a different nation, while the economy effects everyone. And although we may have different agendas, I hope your partner finally makes it to the U.S., with or without a marriage certificate.
QJ201
YEAH 18% = really freaking out. Bullshit poll…by Logo..and we know how well that POS represents and serves the community.
Avenger
I doubt this. Gays tend to be “one issue” voters….and that one issue is always whether or not the candidate likes them. While the rest of the country is concerned about the economy, gays are self-interestedly pressed about marriage.
Kev C
Everyone knows this except the hyper-partisan political hacks. The real world >> pro-wrestling politics.
@BJ McFrisky: I wouldn’t say they are shallow but normal. Gay marriage is a niche group. They oppose anti-gay legislation on principle.
Spike
Logo partnered on this poll, the same LOGO that was behind the The A List?
Logo is about as legitimate as Fox News when it comes to . . . . news.
Until I see Rachel Maddox on Logo, Logo has best stick with the Rupaul and leave politics, polls, ect. to MSNBC.
BJ McFrisky
@Spike: Who’s Rachel Maddox?
LandStander
@Spike: “…and leave politics, polls, etc. to MSNBC.”
MSNBC is just another television channel who answers to sponsors like GE, Texaco, Morgan Chase & Co., Coca Cola, etc. As much as I appreciate their usually-liberal opinions, such a set-up is not a legitimate source of news since they are just as biased (and loyal to corporate sponsors) as FOX news is.
Try Democracy Now, or other programs on Free Speech TV, where they have no corporate sponsor injecting whatever they want into the news.