HISPANIC STRENGTH SIGNALS COMING CHANGE IN AMERICAN POLITICS

July 26, 2001

CONTACT:
  ROBERT DePOSADA, Hispanic Business Roundtable
    (202/546-0008)
  CHIP MERTZ, Senior Vice President, McLaughlin & Associates
    cmertz@mclaughlinonline.com (845/353-4700)
  STUART POLK, Vice President, McLaughlin & Associates
    spolk@mclaughlinonline.com (703/518-4445)

NATIONAL MEDIA RELEASE

A recent poll conducted among 1,000 Hispanic-American adults by Opiniones Latinas, an affiliate of McLaughlin & Associates and Rodriguez & Co., shows that the growing Hispanic community is not just changing America demographically, but is about to change American politics.

In this survey, the most important issue facing the Hispanic community is discrimination (16%) followed by education (13%), unemployment/jobs (9%), immigration (9%), the language barrier (6%), wages/benefits (2%), and health care (2%).  There is clearly an importance in breaking down the obstacles of discrimination and creating positive opportunities for Hispanics.  This national survey also probed the key issues of health care, Social Security, education and economic issues.  In each case, prevailing Hispanic opinion called for reform, protection of individual rights, and more choices and opportunities.

Key Health Care Findings:

Latino Americans clearly have a need for better health care and insurance.  Cost is the primary concern and most Latinos want Medicare and Medicaid improved and strengthened through choice and coverage.

• Eight in ten, 84%, have a doctor and 15% don't have a doctor.  Of those who have a doctor 70% are satisfied with the their doctor and 14% are not satisfied.
• The plurality, 32%, are covered through a PPO or HMO, 22% have private insurance, 10% are on Medicare and 6% are on Medicaid.  One-quarter, 27%, have no health insurance coverage at all.
• Among those who don't have health insurance, 63% said the reason why is because it is too expensive (17% said their employer doesn't provide insurance, 6% said they feel they don't need it and 5% said they were denied insurance).
• More than 4 in 5, 85%, are in favor of the US Congress giving workers who don't get health insurance in their jobs up to $3,000 a year so they can buy their own health insurance.  Only 9% oppose this proposal.
• More than 4 in 5, 85%, believe Medicaid should pay for any prescription drugs low income patients need.  Only 12% believe the government should try to save money by limiting the prescription drugs Medicaid will pay for.
• An overwhelming 89% believe that low income families in the Medicaid program, and senior citizens on Medicare should have the same rights as those whose doctors can prescribe whatever medication they need without government intervention.  Only 6% disagree.
• If a doctor was required to call a government bureaucrat several times to get approval before the doctor could prescribe the medication, 60% think their doctor would just prescribe another medication, regardless of what they may really need.  One-quarter, 28%, think their doctor would take the time to call the government for approval.
• Less than one-quarter, 23%, think the Medicare is run well. Nearly two-thirds, 63%, think Medicare needs to be reformed.
• If Medicare starts paying for prescription drugs for seniors, 32% believe it should pay for all seniors and two-thirds, 66%, believe it should focus the assistance on those who have a low income and can't afford prescription drugs.
• Nearly two-thirds, 64%, say the Medicare program should be changed to allow senior citizens to choose between different plans with different benefits, depending on what they need and modeled after the program federal employees, including members of Congress currently use.  Nearly 3 in 10, 29%, say Medicare should be left as it is, with the same benefits for every senior citizen.

Key Social Security Findings:

There is real support for improving Social Security.  Most Latinos are not confident that they will actually receive all of their Social Security when they retire.  Only one-third of Latinos have even just $5,000 saved for their retirement.

• Nearly half, 47%, are not confident they will actually receive all of their Social Security benefits when they retire (38% are confident and 10% already receive Social Security).
• The majority, 52%, say we need to make fundamental reforms to Social Security so it won't run out of money.  Two in five, 40%, say we should leave it alone and allow Congress to raise taxes to raise ore money to put into Social Security if we need to.
• According to most observers, Social Security faces long-term financial problems.  Under the current guidelines, it is predicted that Social Security will be paying more in benefits than it collects in taxes in fourteen years, and estimated that the Social Security Trust Fund will be totally bankrupt in 38 years.  Knowing this made 63% less confident that they will receive all of their Social Security benefits when they retire (17% were more confident and 14% said it made no difference).
• Outside of Social Security, only one-third, 35%, have $5,000 or more saved or invested for their retirement.
• More than 3 in 5, 62%, favor changing the Social Security system so that they can voluntarily put some of the money they pay now in Social Security taxes into a personal retirement account in their own name, like an IRA or a 401K program, and invest it in as they see fit.  One-quarter, 24%, oppose this proposal.

Key Education Findings:

Most Latinos give their public schools a negative rating. Violence and drugs are the leading problems in the schools.  Latinos want their children to learn English and they support educational choice.

• The majority, 58%, gave a negative rating of the quality of education in their local public schools (37% fair rating and 21% poor rating).  Over one-third, 38%, gave a positive rating (10% excellent and 28% good).
• The biggest problems facing public education are violence and drugs (38%), lack of quality teachers (18%), lack basic reading, writing and math skills (11%), overcrowding (11%), students being taught non-traditional values (9%), lack of bilingual education (4%) and lack of choice for parents (3%).
• Three-quarters, 76%, believe the purpose of bilingual education programs in the public school system should be to make sure that students learn English well.  One in five, 19%, believe the purpose of bilingual education should be to teach immigrant children in their native language.
• The majority, 54%, feel that too much of the current education money is spent on bureaucracy and not enough gets to our students and teachers.  Two in five, 40%, feel the federal and state governments need to spend more money to help students and teachers.
• Close to three-quarters, 73%, believe the government should provide taxpayer funded-vouchers to help low-income families send their children to a better public, private or church run school (22% are against this proposal).
• The majority, 58%, have children under the age of 18 in their household (41% don't have children under 18 in their household).

Key Economic Findings:

Most Latinos approve of President Bush's tax cut and the proposal to expand NAFTA to other Latin American countries.  Protecting and creating jobs is more of a priority to Latinos than protecting the environment.

• Six in ten, 60%, approve of President Bush's proposal to cut federal income taxes for all taxpayers.  One-quarter, 26%, disapprove of his tax cut.
• Three-quarters, 75%, approve of expanding NAFTA to include other countries in Latin America.  Only 16% disapprove of expanding NAFTA.
• Regarding "smart growth", which state and local governments use to preserve open space, 63% believe it is more important to have affordable housing and more opportunities for businesses and jobs.  Three in 10, 31%, believe we need to limit growth in order to protect the environment.
• When asked which is more important, increasing government regulations to protect the environment or leaving government environmental regulations as they are in order to protect and create jobs, the majority, 51% said leaving regulations as they are is more important and 42% said increasing regulations is more important.

Conclusion:

Latino adults appear to be ready to break down those barriers which are preventing them from fulfilling the American Dream.  On health care and Medicare issues, they want less expensive insurance and a Medicare program that is strengthened and improved through choice.  They are worried Social Security won't be there for them when they are old enough to retire.  The majority favors personal retirement accounts. Most Latinos give their local public schools a negative rating.  They want their children to be in a safer environment while getting a good education.  They want their children to learn English and they favor vouchers for needy parents to have school choice.  Latinos want more economic opportunity for them and their families.  They favor the President's tax cut, more free trade in Latin America and more jobs with less government regulations.

Methodology:  This national Hispanic survey was commissioned by The Latino Coalition in conjunction with the Hispanic Business Roundtable, and conducted by Opiniones Latinas (a McLaughlin & Associates/Rodriguez & Co. affiliate) between July 9-11, 2001 among 1,000 Hispanic adults.  All interviews were conducted by professional English- and Spanish-speaking interviewers via telephone.  Respondents were given the option of conducting the survey in English or Spanish (56% Spanish interviews to 44% English interviews).  Interview selection was at random within predetermined population units.  These units were structured to correlate statistically with actual adult Hispanic population census results nationwide.

The accuracy of this national survey is within ± 3.1%, at a 95% confidence interval.

You may also view a topline containing totals to relevant questions in this survey.  Click here to download; the data are viewable in Microsoft Word 2000 for Windows.

Click here to view a press release by the Hispanic Business Roundtable regarding this survey.

Click here to visit the Web site of The Latino Coalition.

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