Source: The Times-Picayune
On January 13, 2001, The Times-Picayune reported on a "new study by Public Agenda, a secular, nonpartisan think tank that interviewed 1,507 Americans in the three weeks after the presidential election." According to the researchers, many Americans fault "a general loss of religious influence" for family instability and loss of civility. The study showed that a majority of these same Americans say it does not matter which religion becomes more influential in America. It also showed that less than half of respondents think that a belief in God is required to have good values. The researchers reported that most Americans want a school-prayer policy "that is as inclusive as possible" of all creeds. The researchers also concluded that most are not interested in the religious affiliation of political candidates.