Public Wants Changes in Entitlements, Not Changes in Benefits
The public sees the need for changes to improve the performance and finances of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid but does not support reductions in benefits. Republicans have divisions in their ranks on entitlement reforms.
In Two Years of Economic Recovery, Women Lost Jobs, Men Found Them
During the sluggish two-year recovery from the Great Recession, men have gained 768,000 jobs while women have lost 218,000 jobs. This new gender gap in employment trends represents a sharp turnabout from the recession itself, when men lost more than twice as many jobs as women. The current recovery is the first since 1970 in which women have lost jobs while men have gained them.
Obama and Bachmann Drive Economic and Election Coverage
The partisan differences stalling deficit reduction talks was the top story for the second week in a row, and coverage of the presidential race ranked second, fueled largely by the entry of Michele Bachmann into the race.
Majority Sees U.S. Leadership in Space as Essential
Fifty years after the first American manned space flight, nearly six-in-ten say it is essential that the U.S. continue to be a world leader in space exploration and a majority say it has been a good investment for the country.
Are Republicans Ready Now for a Mormon President?
An important group within the Republican base, white evangelical Protestants, is more uncomfortable with the idea of a Mormon candidate than are other Republicans.
For a Second Straight Week, It’s the Debt Crisis and Tabloid Scandal
Two stories that have become fixtures in the headlines — the deadlocked debt debate and the intensifying News of the World phone hacking scandal — accounted for more than half of last week’s newshole, relegating other significant events to secondary status in the media.
U.S. Seen as Among the Greatest Nations, But Not Superior to All Others
Despite the struggling economy and broad dissatisfaction with national conditions, the public has a positive view of the United States’ global standing. But more think that the U.S. is one of the greatest countries in the world than say it stands above all other countries.
By Nearly 3-To-1, Bloggers Criticize Obama’s Withdrawal Plan For Afghanistan
Bloggers, last week, responded strongly to President Obama’s June 22 speech about the U.S. role in the Afghan war, and, while half were neutral, negative comments outnumbered positive by a margin of almost 3-to-1.
Economy, Afghanistan Top News Interest, Coverage
Americans focused most closely last week on news about the nation’s struggling economy and President Obama’s plans to draw down U.S. troops in Afghanistan, two stories that also topped news coverage last week.
Four Years After Walter Reed, Government Still Faulted for Troop Support
As President Obama begins to draw down U.S. forces in Afghanistan, most Americans continue to say that government support for troops returning from war is falling short.
