Public Opinion on Political Ethics: Inconsistency, Division, and Paradox

What guidance does U.S. public opinion offer about the appropriate role of government in promoting morality and promoting "traditional" values? Do partisanship and ideology influence responses? An analysis of surveys on these and related questions on politics, government, values, and morality reveals confounding inconsistencies and divisions. The analysis exposes a fundamental political paradox posed by U.S. public opinion. The findings suggest that public opinion on matters of morality and values is an impractical guide for political leaders making public policy but is important for understanding domestic politics, constraints on presidential power, and electoral political discourse.