The States of Marriage and Divorce
Marriage, divorce and remarriage rates vary significantly among states as do average education and income levels. Analysis of new Census data reveals some interesting patterns.
Swine Flu News Gets a Shot in the Arm
Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say the media are overstating the danger of the swine flu and that they would not get vaccinated.
Updated Demographic Profiles of U.S. Hispanics by Country of Origin
Five demographic profiles of Hispanic populations in the U.S. by country of origin — Guatemalan, Colombian, Honduran, Ecuadorian and Peruvian — have been added to the profiles of the five largest Hispanic populations — Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Salvadoran, and Dominican — posted earlier in the year by the Pew Hispanic Center.
Email, Nobel and Dave
News of an email scam that compromised thousands of passwords animated the blogosphere until late in the week, when the focus shifted abruptly to Barack Obama’s surprising Nobel Peace Prize. On YouTube, a Letterman mea culpa drew the most hits.
Afghanistan No Longer a Forgotten War
After years of being ignored by the media — the war accounted for only 1% of the newshole in 2008 — Afghanistan has emerged atop the news agenda.
What Does the Public Know?
There is a lot to keep up with in the news right now. Many Americans know key facts about health care and the economy, but questions about Afghanistan and environmental legislation in Congress stump the public.
But What Do the Polls Show?
Perhaps the best way to think about public opinion and its relationship to politics and policymaking is that the American public is typically short on facts, but often long on judgment.
Most Still Oppose Gay Marriage, but Support for Civil Unions Continues to Rise
A 57% majority of Americans support civil unions, continuing a long-term trend of increasing support, but a majority still opposes same-sex marriage. The issue continues to sharply divide religious and political groups.
Obama’s Nobel Prize
News that President Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize is another sign of his international appeal, as his election effectively turned around America’s negative image in many countries.
Public Renews Rx for Health Care News
Health care has been the public’s top story for weeks, and few say it has received too much media coverage. But a large majority still finds the topic hard to understand.
