5 facts about Iran
In something of a surprise, Hassan Rouhani was elected president of Iran last week, winning 50.71% of the vote in the first round. Within the context of Iran’s political system, dominated as it is by conservative clergy, Rouhani is generally considered relatively centrist and pragmatic. What sort of country will Rouhani inherit when he’s inaugurated [...]
‘Illegal,’ ‘undocumented,’ ‘unauthorized’: News media shift language on immigration
Even with several major news organizations deciding to reduce or ban its use, the term “illegal immigrant” is still the phrase newspapers most often use to describe foreigners living in the United States without proper documentation. But over time, there have been some shifts in the language applied to those at the heart of the [...]
Public Remains Opposed to Arming Syrian Rebels
About two-thirds (68%) say the U.S. is too overcommitted to get involved in another conflict, and just 27% disagree. The public also has questions about the opposition groups in Syria: 60% say that they may be no better than the current government.
Political views can drive wrong poll answers, unless there’s money involved
Do one’s political leanings blind people to the facts? Judging from decades of polling, the answer is sometimes yes—partisanship appears to lead some people to claim as facts things that aren’t particularly factual.
What’s news in 2013, so far
From leaks of NSA surveillance programs to the IRS and Benghazi controversies, Washington has been rife with revelations and high-profile investigations this year. But the public paid more attention to the debate over gun policy than any of those stories. In late January, 43% said they followed President Obama’s gun proposals very closely and 39% [...]
News Coverage Conveys Strong Momentum for Same-Sex Marriage
News stories focusing on support for same-sex marriage outnumbered those opposing it by roughly 5-to-1 in the two months marked by Supreme Court deliberations on the issues.
As this year’s term ends, little agreement on Supreme Court’s ideological leanings
In a March poll, a plurality of Americans described the Supreme Court’s ideology as middle of the road.
It’s Fathers’ Day for many American men, including 23% of those who are LGBT
About a quarter of LGBT men are fathers, and an additional 14% would like to have children someday.
Why there are more deaths than births among whites
The finding that made headlines from this week’s Census Bureau release of new national and state population estimates—that there are now more deaths than births among non-Hispanic whites—is a vivid illustration of the rapid long-term growth in the number of older Americans. But first, you might ask, how could there suddenly be more deaths than [...]
U.S. aid to Syrian rebels: Public has opposed American involvement in the past
Public opinion surveys have consistently shown Americans to have little interest in the Syrian conflict and have been opposed — or lukewarm, at best, — to getting involved.
