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Americans Earn A Failing Grade On Civics Survey

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 24, 2008

TAMPA - Can you name all three branches of the U.S. government? Do you know who Susan B. Anthony was? Do you know what rights the First Amendment guarantees?

Most Americans don't.

That's according to a report from the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, a nonprofit organization based in Washington that surveyed about 2,500 randomly selected citizens, asking them 33 basic questions about history, government and economics.

More than 1,700, or about 70 percent, failed to correctly answer questions that high school graduates and new citizens are expected to know, according to the report.

Elected officials surveyed scored even lower than their constituents.

"It is disturbing enough that the general public failed ISI's civic literacy test, but when you consider the even more dismal scores of elected officials, you have to be concerned," said Josiah Bunting III, chairman of the institute's National Civic Literacy Board. "How can political leaders make informed decisions if they don't understand the American experience?"

Some highlights of the results:

•Thirty percent of elected officials do not know that "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" are the inalienable rights referred to in the Declaration of Independence, and 20 percent falsely believe that the Electoral College "was established to supervise the first presidential debates."

•Almost 40 percent of all respondents falsely believe the president has the power to declare war.

•Forty percent of those with a bachelor's degree do not know business profit equals revenue minus expenses.

•Only 54 percent with a bachelor's degree correctly defined free enterprise as a system in which individuals create, exchange and control goods and resources.

•Twice as many people knew Paula Abdul was a judge on television's "American Idol" than knew the phrase "government of the people, by the people, for the people" comes from President Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address."

•About 20 percent of Americans falsely believe that the Federal Reserve can increase or decrease government spending.

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (813) 259-7679.

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