Poll: Concerns over civil liberties, security flip

Fifty percent of people believe the government’s anti-terrorism policies have not gone far enough to protect the United States, according to a new poll, a 15-point shift since last year. 

The Pew Research poll shows the public growing increasingly concerned about the threat of Islamic extremism following the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and with attention less focused on National Security Agency surveillance programs. 

{mosads}The poll found only 35 percent believe anti-terrorism policies have gone too far in restricting the civil liberties of people in the United States. That number stood at 47 percent a month after former NSA contractor Edward Snowden first leaked information on secret surveillance practices.

Similarly, the number of people who say U.S. policies have not gone far enough stands at 50 percent today, up from 35 percent a month after the Snowden leaks.

The poll found 62 percent are very concerned about the threat of Islamic extremists, while 22 percent are somewhat concerned. 

Fifty-six percent believe the government is doing a good job of reducing the threat of terrorism — down 16 points since last year. 

Forty-two percent believe the government is not doing a good job of reducing terror threats, the second highest figure for that question since the 9/11 attacks more than a decade ago. 

The poll comes as President Obama is slated to outline the U.S. strategy against ISIS during a prime-time address Wednesday.

A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released late Tuesday showed Americans taking a more hawkish stance, with 61 percent saying it was in the nation’s interest to fight ISIS. The poll also found President Obama with his lowest foreign policy approval rating, at 32 percent.

The Pew poll surveyed 2,002 people and has a margin of error of 2.5 percent.