Vested Interest - Trends - December 1997 Issue

Republican Polling Shows "Gender Canyon" with Democrats

A poll conducted by Republican pollster Linda DiVall found that a plurality of men, 47% to 37%, tend to support Republican candidates over Democratic candidates. But among women, the numbers are reversed: 47% of women tend to support Democrats against 38% for Republicans. Among the 35-59 age group, that gulf widens: men support Republicans, 51% to 33%, while women support Democrats 53% to 33%. The survey found that women were most likely driven away by Republican policies on gay rights and school prayer, and that women were more likely than men to be put off by talk of dismantling the Department of Education. (AP, October 28, 1997)

Investors Optimistic Despite Shaky Dow Industrials

An ABC News/Washington Post poll of 1,515 adults nationwide taken two weeks before the Dow Industrials experienced its biggest ever one-day drop asked, "Just your best guess: In the next year, do you think the stock market is more likely to go up or down?" A plurality of the respondents (42%) said it would go up a little, while 11% said it would go up a lot. Another 26% said it would go down a little, and 12% predicted a large decline. A follow up question asked, "what do you think are the chances of a stock market crash in the next year or two?" A strong majority (77%) said it was not likely; 18% said there was a "good chance". (The Polling Report)

Ate Tu, Brute?

A survey by Market Facts, Inc, for KFC restaurants found that many American workers have no time for lunch. Among the survey’s findings: half of the nation’s workers spend no more than 15 minutes at lunch. Two of three workers skip lunch at least once a week. Two of five workers eat at their desk or on the go. And half of all workers report that making time for lunch is a source of stress. (Chicago Tribune, November 5, 1997)

British Royalty in the Doghouse

On the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, the Sex Pistols released an unflattering version of "God Save the Queen." The song was promptly banned on British radio, but the sentiment seems to have won out. A British Social Attitudes poll commissioned for Queen Elizabeth’s 50th wedding anniversary found that support for the royal family has fallen from 65% in 1983 to 32% today. Among younger respondents, only a fifth believe the royal family are important. The public divorces of three of the four royal children and a sense that the royal family failed to mourn Princess Diana properly contributed to the decline.. (Reuters, November 19, 1997)

Casual Friday Explodes Over the Week

A survey of 900 white collar workers commissioned by clothing maker Levi Strauss found that a slight majority can wear casual clothing every day of the week, up from 33% in 1995. Workers on the west coast were most likely to go full-time casual (61%), followed by southern and midwestern workers (52%) and northeastern workers (50%). A third of respondents said their office attire has become more casual in the past year, and a fifth say that they wear suits and ties less often than they did a year ago. (Business Wire, November 19, 1997)