December 21, 2007 | Read Time: 2 minutes
An online poll on the influence and trustworthiness of 16 large, high-profile organizations involved in Washington politics and business found that the American Red Cross once again ranked at the top as most recognizable, with 96 percent of those surveyed saying they were familiar with it. The percentage was the same as in last year’s poll.
The poll, conducted by Harris Interactive, a market-research firm in Rochester, N.Y., surveyed 2,455 adults ages 18 and older nationwide between November 7 and 13.
Consumer Reports was the next most-familiar organization, followed by the AARP and then the National Rifle Association.
In terms of trustworthiness, 91 percent of respondents stated that they had “a great deal” or “a fair amount” of trust in the publisher Consumer Reports. The American Red Cross ranked second, with 86 percent among those surveyed reporting they trusted the charity. Other nonprofit groups that had high rates of trust were the AARP and the Nature Conservancy, both at 83 percent and tied for third.
Three think tanks were rated among the least-familiar organizations. Just 33 percent of respondents were well-acquainted with the Heritage Foundation, followed by the Brookings Institution (22 percent), and the American Enterprise Institute, which had the fewest number of those polled reporting it as familiar, at 12 percent.
Advocacy groups noted for their controversial stances on political issues were named among the least-trusted groups. The American Civil Liberties Union, a group known for its championing of liberal causes, was ranked third, with only 50 percent of those surveyed saying they had a great deal or fair amount of trust in the organization. For the conservative American Enterprise Institute, 48 percent of respondents said they had trust in the think tank. The liberal advocacy group Moveon.org was the least trusted out of all 16 organizations, with just 45 percent of those polled reporting they trusted them.
However, some of these groups were also named among the most-powerful organizations in Washington, with those polled saying they believed the groups had “a great deal” or “fair amount” of power. The ACLU tied for third, at 81 percent, with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The American Enterprise Institute drew 77 percent, despite rating the lowest in familiarity.
The most-powerful group was the labor union AFL-CIO, netting 84 percent, narrowly topping the National Rifle Association, which garnered 83 percent of respondents who said they believed the group had at least a fair amount power.
Three groups that promote environmental conservation were named as some of the least-powerful organizations. The Sierra Club had 54 percent of respondents rating it as wielding significant power. Greenpeace and the Nature Conservancy, which tied at 45 percent, received the lowest ratings in terms of their perceived power.
