THE TIMES POLL : O.C. Voters Give Congressmen Good Reviews

Orange County voters give their five conservative congressmen favorable reviews, but they tend to disagree with the delegation on the lightning-rod issues of abortion and homosexual rights, a new Times Orange County Poll has found.

At the same time, the poll shows that voters agree with their congressional representatives that there is no need to increase defense spending, given the current world climate, and that the identities of people who test positive for the virus that causes AIDS should be reported to public health authorities.

Orange County’s federal lawmakers, all Republicans, oppose the use of federal funds for abortions, have deep reservations about efforts to specifically protect the rights of homosexuals and strongly believe that health authorities should attack AIDS as they have other epidemics involving sexually transmitted diseases.

In contrast, 50% of the 600 registered Orange County voters who were polled by telephone May 21 through 23 said they support the use of federal funds to pay for abortions for poor women, and 51% said they favor local legislation that prohibits discrimination against homosexuals. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4%.

On the question of AIDS reporting, however, 55% agreed with their congressmen that doctors should provide the names of infected patients to public health authorities.

The furious national debate over obscenity and the National Endowment for the Arts has left the congressional delegation divided. Among those polled, 57% said the government should not set content standards for federally funded artwork.

“Orange County voters differ markedly from some of their congressional representatives on a number of key issues,” said Mark Baldassare, whose Irvine-based firm, Mark Baldassare & Associates, conducted the poll for The Times Orange County Edition.

However, Baldassare said the congressmen appear to earn generally favorable ratings because “on other issues, the voters feel they do a pretty good job of representing their point of view, particularly on taxes and the economy. That’s critical.”

Charles S. Hibbard of Fountain Valley, one of the voters who was polled, said in an interview that he concurred with Baldassare’s analysis.

“The social issues are so split that it’s very difficult for any elected representative,” said Hibbard, 52, who owns an electronics company.

“I think the monetary aspect is the No. 1 concern of the people. . . . Obviously, they want people who are going to vote against more and more taxes.” And when it comes to taxes, Hibbard said of members of the delegation, “generally, they vote the conservative viewpoint.”

But Donald Prime, 41, an Irvine physician, said he thinks the delegation is out of step with the voters.

“I just find from what I’ve been reading about a lot of the representatives that they are way off the beaten path, as far as even the real conservative people,” Prime said. “They seem to have extreme views on things--very, very right wing.”

Voters, Prime suggested, “tend to vote more on whether the person is a Democrat or Republican, conservative or liberal. . . . When you actually talk to people . . . some of them are very shocked on the views that the congressmen hold.”

The congressmen offered their own interpretations of the survey results.

“I think there may be some issues in which members of the delegation differ from each other, and also from their constituents,” said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Lomita), who represents the coastal section of Orange County south through Huntington Beach.

“But by and large, Orange County is a very conservative county, and the makeup of the delegation reflects the values and morals and attitudes of the people of Orange County.”

Said Rep. Ron Packard (R-Carlsbad), who represents southern Orange County: “I think most of us feel that we’re not elected to ape the views, even of the majority. . . . I believe we were elected to exercise our good judgment.

“If our good judgment gets so far out of sync with the wishes of the people, then they’ll replace us.”

That apparently is not likely in this election year, when none of the five face a serious challenge.

Overall, 40% of the poll respondents said the delegation is doing a good or excellent job of representing the views and interests of Orange County in Washington. An additional 33% rated the delegation’s performance as fair. Only 12% said their congressmen are doing a poor job, while 15% said they did not know enough about the members to give them a rating.

Voters were polled countywide and asked for their opinion of each congressman, regardless of whether the congressman represented their district.

Individually, the highest favorable rating went to Rep. William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton), who represents northeastern Orange County. A third of the people said they have a favorable opinion of Dannemeyer, 18% said they have an unfavorable opinion, and 49% said they did not know.

Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove), who represents the north-central section of the county, was rated favorable by 32% and unfavorable by 24%, while 44% were uncertain.

For Rep. C. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach), whose district spans the central section of the county, 23% rated him favorable, 8% marked him unfavorable, while 69% were uncertain.

Packard, whose district also includes northern San Diego County where constituents were not polled, was rated favorable by 20% and unfavorable by 8%, while 72% were uncertain.

Rohrabacher, whose district includes sections of Los Angeles County where voters also were not polled, was rated favorable by 16% and unfavorable by 11%, while 73% were uncertain. Abortion, homosexual rights and the AIDS epidemic are issues on which all five congressmen strongly agree.

The entire Orange County delegation opposes allowing federal funds to be used for abortions.

Voters, however, were split. Half were in favor of using federal funds to pay for abortions for poor women, 42% said they opposed it, and 8% said they did not know.

“These people don’t have the money or education to use contraception,” said Caroline Schaffer, 41, a hairdresser from Santa Ana who told pollsters that she favored federal abortion funding.

“Why make them bring a child into the world when they can’t afford it? We’ve got a lot of kids out there that don’t have homes, and nobody wants them. We wind up paying either way. I’d rather pay for an abortion than what it costs to raise a kid. It’s cheaper.”

The delegation also is generally uncomfortable with the practice of enacting laws that specifically protect the rights of homosexuals.

“As a general matter, I am enthusiastically supportive of equal rights for all Americans, and I am not a fan of subdividing the American people into politically protected classes,” Cox said. “Milliners’ rights, haberdashers’ rights, there is no end to it.”

“I think a landlord should have the right in our society to say to somebody who openly espouses and practices a homosexual lifestyle, ‘I choose not to have you live here; please find someplace else to live,’ ” Dannemeyer said.

Packard said: “No one wants to discriminate. . . . (But) there are times that homosexuals can’t be looked on as standard, ordinary, typical people, because of the nature of the job, because of the nature of the problems it creates.”

But the poll found that 51% favor local legislation that specifically prohibits discrimination against homosexuals, while 39% said they oppose it, and 10% said they did not know.

“I just feel that no one should be penalized for being different,” said Pat Feeney, 47, of San Juan Capistrano, a librarian who told pollsters she favors such local legislation. “I feel it’s not their choice. People are the way they are, and I don’t think discrimination against them is fair.”

A third issue on which the congressmen concurred involves the AIDS epidemic.

All five supported an unsuccessful attempt by Dannemeyer to enact an AIDS-reporting law. The law would have penalized states that do not require doctors to report to public health officials, in confidence, the names of patients who test positive for the human immunodeficiency virus, which causes AIDS.

Many homosexual activists and public health officials have opposed such laws because they believe mandatory reporting--even in confidence--would result in fear of discrimination that would drive away from the health care system those most likely to be infected.

The Times Orange County Poll asked whether voters favor federal laws requiring doctors to report to public health authorities the names of patients who test positive for the AIDS virus, or whether they favor doctors keeping the names confidential.

Dannemeyer complained that “the premise of the question is that a doctor reporting to public health (the identities of HIV-infected patients) somehow breaches confidentiality. And that’s just absurd.”

The poll found that the majority of the voters concur with the congressmen, with 55% favoring mandatory reporting, 38% opposing it, and 7% saying they did not know.

Kingdon Lou of Tustin, a semi-retired scientist who helped research AIDS diagnostic tests in New York, was among those polled who favor mandatory reporting.

“If you want to get a handle on the spread of AIDS, you’ve got to know where it’s coming from,” Lou said. “If you keep it confidential, there will be continued transmission. Just for that reason alone it shouldn’t be kept hidden.”

On the question of defense spending, only Dornan, a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Select Committee on Intelligence, suggested that federal support for the military should remain constant.

The other members of the delegation said the apparent end of the Cold War has created opportunities for significant cuts in defense spending. However, they stressed that cuts must be made as part of a bilateral negotiating process with the Soviet Union.

The poll found half the voters agreed that defense spending should be reduced, while 38% said it should remain the same. Meanwhile, 9% favored increased defense spending, and 3% said they were unsure.

Remarked Dornan: “If the 50% sat with me on the (House) Intelligence Committee in closed sessions, they’d switch their vote; two-thirds of them would switch their vote.”

Perhaps the most divisive issue for the congressional representatives involves the National Endowment for the Arts.

Rohrabacher last year tried and failed to eliminate federal funding for the agency after it was disclosed that the NEA had funded exhibits including a photograph by Andres Serrano of a crucifix submerged in a jar of urine and a series of photographs by the late Robert Mapplethorpe featuring homoerotic themes.

Congress ultimately enacted language barring the NEA from financing “obscene” art.

The battle is set to resume next month, when the House will consider legislation that would reauthorize the NEA for the next five years.

Rohrabacher, Dannemeyer and Dornan said that, in principle, they oppose any federal funding for the arts. And if the federal government is to support the arts, then the government has a right to impose content standards, they said.

Packard said he continues to back federal support for the arts but said the NEA must impose high standards on its own grant-making process to win back the confidence of Congress.

Cox said the current debate over the NEA misses the point.

“Once the federal government is involved in funding art, there are either implied or explicit content standards,” Cox said. “The trouble with getting involved with new or different standards is that it suggests there is an answer somewhere in there, and there isn’t.”

Instead, Cox said, the federal government should become a “patron of the arts” by revising its tax laws to encourage substantial new private contributions to the arts through a more aggressive system of tax credits and deductions.

Such a plan would make available to arts organizations far more than the $170 million or so the NEA spends each year and allow taxpayers to make their own decisions about which arts organizations to support, Cox said.

The poll asked voters: “Do you approve or disapprove of the federal government setting content standards to decide what artwork to fund and what artwork not to fund because it is controversial or obscene?”

Fifty-seven percent said they disapprove of setting such standards, 32% said they approved, and 11% said they did not know.

Rohrabacher criticized the question, contending that it did not make clear that the standards would cover art projects financed with taxpayers’ money.

“I cannot believe that 57% of the people of Orange County don’t want to have any restrictions being placed on the NEA that would prevent their tax dollars from subsidizing (a depiction of) a man shoving his arm up another man . . . ,” Rohrabacher said.

Carl Ekberg, a 43-year-old salesman from Mission Viejo, was among the 57% who disapproved of setting such standards. “I don’t think government is in a position to do that,” he said. “Just because you elect someone doesn’t mean he’s artistic or tasteful. I’d rather the courts or local communities handle it.”

“I have a tough time with the idea of censorship,” he said. “Common sense has to prevail, but I don’t know how you’d do it.”

Times staff writer Steve Emmons contributed to this story.

COUNTY CONGRESSMEN AT A GLANCE

Robert K. Dornan

Born: April 3, 1933, New York City

Marital status: Married, five children

Education: Loyola University, Los Angeles (1950-1953)

Military: U.S. Air Force 1953-1958, fighter pilot

Home: Garden Grove

Religion: Roman Catholic

First elected: 1976 (in old 27th Congressional District, Los Angeles County)

1984 (in 38th Congressional District)

Resume: Television producer, talk show host

38th Congressional District: North Central Orange County, including Stanton, Tustin, Westminster and parts of Santa Ana, Anaheim, Buena Park and Garden Grove; also Cerritos in Los Angeles County.

1988 GENERAL ELECTION:

Dornan (Republican): 60%

Jerry Yudelson (Democrat): 36%

Committees: Armed Services

Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Control

Priorities: Strongly opposes use of federal funds for abortions; supports a strong military; advocates legislation to give full college scholarships to students who agree to serve in local police forces for a minimum of four years.

Comment: Although he resists the label, Dornan is indisputably one of the most flamboyant members of Congress. A vigorous opponent of abortion, supporter of the military and friend of Oliver North, Dornan is sure to have an opinion on almost any subject and is usually eager to share his views. Critics suggest his legislative agenda is sometimes scattershot, but supporters point with pride to a well-functioning district office and a well-honed direct mail fund-raising machine.

William E. Dannemeyer

Born: Sept. 22, 1929, Los Angeles, Calif.

Marital status: Married, three children

Education: Valparaiso University (B.A.-1950), Hastings School of Law (J.D.-1952)

Military: Army (1952-54), counterintelligence corps

Home: Fullerton

Religion: Lutheran

First elected: 1978

Resume: Attorney, former member of California Assembly (1963-67, 1977-79)

39th Congressional District: Northeastern Orange County, including Fullerton, Yorba Linda, La Habra, Placentia and parts of Anaheim and Santa Ana.

1988 GENERAL ELECTION:

Dannemeyer (Republican): 74%

Don E. Marquis (Democrat): 23%

Committees: Energy and Commerce

Judiciary

Priorities: Strongly supports law to require doctors to report to public health authorities the identities of people infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS; supports re-establishing gold standard for U.S. currency by issuing government bonds backed by gold; strongly opposes abortion.

Comment: Dannemeyer, regarded as one of the most conservative members in Congress, has spent much of his time in recent years arguing that homosexual activists have persuaded public health authorities to treat the AIDS epidemic as a civil rights issue rather than a public health issue. His relentless campaign to require doctors to report to public health authorities the identities of those infected with the AIDS virus has earned him the enmity of the gay community. However, in recent months Dannemeyer has won some of his colleagues over to his side. A devout Lutheran, Dannemeyer’s campaign seems rooted in his strong religious beliefs.

C. Christopher Cox

Born: Oct. 16, 1952, St. Paul, Minn.

Marital status: Single.

Education: University of Southern California (B.A.-1973); Harvard Business School (MBA-1977); and Harvard Law School (J.D.-1977).

Military: None.

Home: Newport Beach.

Religion: Roman Catholic.

First elected: 1988.

Resume: Attorney, senior associate White House counsel for President Ronald Reagan.

40th Congressional District: Central Orange County, includes Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Fountain Valley and parts of Santa Ana, El Toro, Mission Viejo, Orange and Tustin.

1988 GENERAL ELECTION:

Cox (Republican): 67%

Lida Lenney (Democrat): 30%

Committees: Government Operations

Public Works and Transportation

Priorities: Advocates reform of federal budget process; supports private U.S. investment in former Communist nations in Eastern Europe; promotes legislation to provide special federal highway money to build roads in areas hardest hit by congestion.

Comment: Compared with Orange County colleagues Rohrabacher, Dornan and Dannemeyer, Cox is an unusually subdued legislator who has quietly pursued his goals of reforming the federal budget process, opening Eastern Europe to private investment by U.S. venture capitalists and increasing federal aid to congested areas such as Orange County. Cox is described by supporters as one of the brightest members of Congress, while some critics find in him a touch of arrogance.

Dana Rohrabacher

Born: June 21, 1947, Coronado, Calif.

Marital status: Single

Education: California State University at Long Beach (B.A.-1969); University of Southern California (M.A.-1975)

Military: None

Home: Lomita

Religion: Baptist

First elected: 1988

Resume: Speech writer for President Ronald Reagan, editorial writer for the Orange County Register, reporter for City News Service.

42nd Congressional District: Northwestern Orange County and southwestern Los Angeles County, including Seal Beach, Cypress, Los Alamitos and parts of Huntington Beach, Long Beach, Torrance and Los Angeles.

1988 GENERAL ELECTION:

Rohrabacher (Republican): 64%

Guy C. Kimbrough (Democrat): 33%

Committees: District of Columbia

Science, Space and Technology

Priorities: Supports decency standards for the National Endowment for the Arts; advocates development of the National Aerospace Plane; supports expansion and protection of employee stock ownership plans; seeks House resolution opposing discrimination against Asian-American students seeking admission to colleges.

Comment: Rohrabacher, a self-proclaimed rock ‘n’ roll Republican, has made a big mark during his first term, largely by advocating decency standards for the National Endowment for the Arts. He has complained that the media have ignored much of his other work, including efforts on behalf of the National Aerospace Plane, for which a large contract recently was awarded to the Rockwell International plant in his district. Rohrabacher throws himself into legislative fights with vigor. But critics say he has on occasion spent too much time having fun with an issue and not enough time mastering its subtleties.

Ron Packard

Born: Jan. 19, 1931, Meridian, Ida.

Marital status: Married, seven children

Education: Brigham Young University (1948-50); Portland State University (1952-53); University of Oregon Dental School (DMD-1957)

Military: U.S. Navy (1957-1959), dental corps

Home: Carlsbad

Religion: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

First elected: 1982

Resume: Mayor, city of Carlsbad, dentist

43rd Congressional District: Southern third of Orange County, northern San Diego County, including San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Capistrano Beach, Camp Pendleton and parts of Mission Viejo and El Toro.

1988 GENERAL ELECTION:

Packard (Republican): 74%

Howard Greenebaum (Democrat): 26%

Committees: Public Works and Transportation

Science, Space and Technology

Select Committee on Children, Youth and Families

Priorities: Wants NASA and U.S. Air Force to use private-sector procurement procedures to launch their rockets; seeks “spend-down” of federal highway and aviation trust funds to pay for more road-building and flight-safety improvements.

Comment: White-haired and soft-spoken, Packard has the look and demeanor of a kindly grandfather. Critics suggest he too often avoids confrontation. However, supporters insist that he has forcefully taken on bureaucrats at NASA and the Air Force who oppose his efforts to increase commercial aerospace procurement. Packard is probably less an ideologue and closer to center on many national issues than the rest of the Orange County delegation.

CONGRESSMEN AND ISSUES Registered voters tend to support federal funding of abortions for poor women, legislation prohibiting discrimination against homosexuals and mandatory AIDS reporting. And although they tend to differ from their elected officials on some issues, voters give local congressmen generally good marks. (Poll participants throughout the county were asked to rate each congressman, even if they do not live in the congressman’s district.) Popularity Poll “Do you have a favorable or an unfavorable opinion of each of these U.S. congressmen from Orange County?” Robert K. Dornan Favorable: 32% Unfavorable: 24% Don’t Know: 44% William E. Dannemeyer Favorable: 33% Unfavorable: 18% Don’t Know: 49% C. Christopher Cox Favorable: 23% Unfavorable: 8% Don’t Know: 69% Ron Packard Favorable: 20% Unfavorable: 8% Don’t Know: 72% Dana Rohrabacher Favorable: 16% Unfavorable: 11% Don’t Know: 73% Policy Issues “Do you favor or oppose the use of federal funds to pay for abortions for poor women?” Favor: 50% Oppose: 42% Don’t Know: 8%

Don’t Favor Oppose Know Democrats 59% 31% 10% Republicans 44% 50% 6%

“Do you favor or oppose local legislation that specifically prohibits discrimination against homosexuals?” Favor: 51% Oppose: 39% Don’t Know: 10%

Don’t Favor Oppose Know Democrats 60% 32% 8% Republicans 44% 44% 12%

“Do you favor federal laws requiring doctors to report to public health authorities the names of patients who test positive for the AIDS virus, or do you favor doctors keeping the namesconfidential?” Report names: 55% Keep confidential: 38% Don’t Know: 7%

Keep Report Confi- Don’t Names dential Know Democrats 44% 44% 12% Republicans 62% 32% 6%

Source: The Times Orange County Poll

WHERE THEY STOOD

KEY VOTES IN 101ST CONGRESS:

Robert C. K. Christopher Ron William E. Issue Dornan Cox Packard Dannemeyer Increase Minimum Wage DNV No No No Cut SDI Funding No No No No Put Stealth Bomber No No No DNV on Hold Cut Capital Gains Tax Yes Yes Yes Yes Strike Child Care Yes Yes Yes Yes Amendment Abortion Funding for Rape No No No No Oil Spill Liability No Yes Yes No Pay Increase and No No Yes No Ethics Package Clean Air Yes Yes Yes No

Dana Issue Rohrabacher Increase Minimum Wage No Cut SDI Funding No Put Stealth Bomber No on Hold Cut Capital Gains Tax Yes Strike Child Care Yes Amendment Abortion Funding for Rape No Oil Spill Liability Yes Pay Increase and No Ethics Package Clean Air Yes

DNV = Did Not Vote

1989 RATINGS:

Robert C. K. Christopher Ron William E. Issue Dornan Cox Packard Dannemeyer American Conservative 96% 96% 93% 100% Union Americans for 0% 5% 0% 5% Democratic Action League of Conservation Voters 10% 70% 10% 10% Competitive Enterprise 82% 90% 79% 88% Institute

Dana Issue Rohrabacher American Conservative 96% Union Americans for 10% Democratic Action League of Conservation Voters 30% Competitive Enterprise 93% Institute

Source: Congressional Quarterly, ratings organizations

How the Survey Was Conducted

The Times Orange County Poll was conducted May 21-23 by Mark Baldassare & Associates. The telephone survey of 600 registered voters was conducted on weekday nights using a random sample of listed and unlisted Orange County telephone numbers.

For a sample of this size, the margin of error is 4%.

Sampling error is just one type of error that can affect opinion polls. Results also can be affected by question wording, survey timing and other factors.

All responses were anonymous, but some agreed to be re-interviewed later for a news story.