FORWARD THINKING

ET CETERA

AMERICANS AREN'T OVERLY SENTIMENTAL FOR THE DAYS OF GEORGE W. BUSH. AND THEY HAVE NO DESIRE TO TURN BACK THE CLOCK AND LIVE "OFF THE GRID."

THE60 MINUTES/VANITY FAIRPOLL

This month, Americans are taking Satchel Paige’s advice not to look back (“something might be gaining on you”) to heart. We’re not nostalgic for the presidency of George W. Bush—only 18 percent felt the phrase “I sure do miss him” applies. (It would be interesting to hnd out more about those 2 percent of Democrats who apparently do sure miss him. Or maybe not.) And, it would seem, we’re not much for recalling our bright high-school days, as two-thirds of us don’t know who Harper Lee is. (But it was fun being asked about her, as it has led to equal numbers of us identifying the author of To Kill a Mockingbird as a “martial-arts expert” and a “famous pastry chef.”) Similarly, nearly two-thirds of us don’t daydream about chucking it all and living “off the grid,” suggesting a disinclination to look back to, say, the Bronze Age. Nor do we indulge in fond remembrances of those happy days when our kids were still at home, maybe because, for many, there’s nothing to look back on yet: more than half of parents say their children are never too old to live at home and are always welcome.

But the backward glance appeals in two instances. A vast majority of us are curious about our ancestors, even unto the point of research. And the same number shows enthusiasm for another type of investigation: into the behavior of bankers during the financial crash of 2008. (Maybe those explorations can be combined: What did your great-uncle do during the bailout?)

@vf.com SEE THE COMPLETE POLL RESULTS.

This poll was conducted at the CBS News interviewing facility among a random sample of 1,020 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone May 20-23, 2011.

If you had to live in a country that was uled by a corporation, which one of the following would you want it to be?

Google.21 %

Microsoft.17

Ben & Jerry's.10

Walmart.10

Goldman Sachs. 3

I already live in such a country. 23

It has been two years since President George W. Bush left office. Looking back, which of the following best expresses your view?

ALL REPS DEMS INDS

He was bad, but there have been worse 13%...44%....34%

His presidency looks worse than ever 24 5 38 25

He seems wiser now than I thought before.19 30 19

I sure do miss him.1 8 46 2 13

Suppose you needed some cash and you came to an A.T.M. that charges a fee. At what point would the A.T.M. fee be so high that you would turn around and walk away?

ALL $50K $50K-$100K $100K

$ 1 -$ 1.99.15%. 17%. 13 %. 14%

S2 S2.99.18 17....21 18

$3-4.99.22 22 ....25 19

$5 or more.21 14....20 37

Do you ever fantasize about living "off the grid"—that is, without any utilities and away from the government's reach?

ALL REPS DEMS INDS TEA PARTY

Yes. .37%. 38%..28%..43% .47%

No. .60.61.69.53.52

New investigations have been launched and lawsuits filed regarding many of Wall Street's major institutions and the crash of 2008. Do you think more bankers or members of high finance should be investigated?

ALL REPS DEMS INDS

Yes 80%. 69%..88%..80%

No 11.21. 5.10

Generally speaking, at what point do you think children are too old to be living at home with their parents?

ALL PARENTS OF KINDS OF ALL AGES

When they get married.21 % ...20

When they get a full-time job.1 8.15

When they finish school.1 1.1 1

No set point.49.54

How curious are you about your own ancestry?

Very, have done research.34%

Somewhat, asked my relatives.44

Not very, I'll let someone else do it. 9

Not at all, know all I want to know.12

When it comes to voting, how much does a political candidate's marital status matter to you?

ALL LIBS MODS CONS

A lot 14% 11 7 19

Some 17 13 17 20

Not much 66 74 74 58

Have you ever looked up a map of registered sex offenders to see if there are any in your neighborhood?

ALL PARENTS OF KINDS UNDER AGE 18

Yes 51 70

No 49 30

If you could choose, would you rather be the navy SEAL who pulled the trigger and killed Osama bin Laden or the commander in chief who gave the order?

ALL MEN WOMEN

& The commander in chief who gave the order 42% ...36%...48% The navy SEAL who pulled the trigger 33 42 24 Neither 17 4 20

From what you know, who is Harper Lee?

Pulitzer Prizewinning author.35%...41%... 33%....1 8%

Martial-arts expert 5 5 7 5

Famous pastry chef. 5. 5. 5. 6

Female comicbook hero 2 3 2 0

Don't know 53 46 53 71