Amerians Say Government Should Focus More on Security, Less on Civil Liberties

In the wake of the attempted bombing of a U.S. airliner on Christmas Day, Americans believe that the government is leaning too much in the direction of protecting civil liberties rather than guarding the public's security, according to two polls released today.

That was a view seemingly at odds with a point President Obama stressed when he acknowledged lapses in intelligence and security systems and vowed to fix them, but added, "We will strengthen our defenses, but we will not succumb to a siege mentality that sacrifices the open society and liberties and values that we cherish as Americans, because great and proud nations don't hunker down and hide behind walls of suspicion and mistrust. That is exactly what our adversaries want. And so long as I am president, we will never hand them that victory."

A Pew Research poll, conducted Jan. 6-10, found that 58 percent believe the government has not gone far enough to protect against terrorist attacks compared to 27 percent who believe it has gone too far in restricting civil liberties. That's a big change since November when 40 percent said the government was not concentrating enough on protecting against terrorists and 36 percent were more concerned about civil liberties.

Republicans hold that view more than Democrats or independents, but the percentage of Democrats and independents who now are more concerned about security efforts has risen dramatically. Sixty-eight percent of Republicans believes the government needs to concentrate more on anti-terrorism measures, up 11 points since November, and 55 percent of both Democrats and independents now hold that view,each up 20 points since November.

A Quinnipiac University poll, conducted Jan. 5-11, produced a similar result: Sixty-three percent said they were more concerned that the government had not gone far enough in taking steps to protect the country while 25 percent said it had gone too far in restricting civil liberties. That view was held by majorities across partisan lines.

Fifty-two percent said authorities should be allowed to single out people for search who look like they might be of Middle Eastern origin at airports and on subways, while 44 percent disagreed, with 4 percent undecided. A majority of Republicans and independents held that view, while a majority of Democrats opposed it. But that represents a fall-off in support for profiling. In August, 60 percent said such people should or could be singled out while 37 percent disagreed.

Those surveyed in Quinnipiac opposed Obama administration decisions in two other related areas. Fifty-eight percent disapproved of the decision to try the would-be Christmas Day bomber in a criminal court rather than before a military tribunal, and 60 percent oppose closing the detainee facility at Guantanamo.

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