The exact question wording is, “Now I am going to read you a series of statements that will help us understand how you feel about a number of things. For each statement, please tell me if you completely agree with it, mostly agree with it, mostly disagree with it, or completely disagree with it…Government regulation of business usually does more harm than good.”

This question was asked in polls conducted in April 1987, May 1988, May 1990, May 1992, July 1994, November 1997, September 1999, July 2002, July 2003, December 2006, March 2009, September 2011, and September 2012.