Ethics Newsline®

From the Gallup News Service:

“In a year filled with partisan bickering, it may come as some solace that Republicans and Democrats agree on at least one thing: the state of moral values in the country. Unfortunately, the consensus is not good. Roughly four in five Republicans and Democrats alike rate moral values in the United States as ‘only fair’ or ‘poor.’ Just one in five in either group thinks morals are ‘excellent’ or ‘good.’

“Naturally, then, national adults’ perceptions follow a similar pattern. Overall, just 19 percent of Americans characterize moral values in the United States as excellent or good, while 80 percent consider them only fair or poor.

“These findings come from Gallup’s annual ‘Values and Beliefs’ survey, conducted May 2-4. The question is a recent addition to the survey, and was first asked in May 2002. However, historical measures on this subject suggest that Americans have traditionally been concerned about the state of moral values in the nation….

“Not only is the public critical of the state of moral values in the United States today, but most Americans are pessimistic about the direction in which morals are headed. Just 16 percent believe moral values in the country as a whole are getting better, while 77 percent say they are getting worse….

“While criticism of moral values in the United States is high across the board, it is particularly high among older Americans. More than half of adults aged 65 and older (53 percent) consider moral conditions poor, versus only 27 percent of adults under 30 who feel this way.”