An ‘Iron Hand’ Is No Substitute For Democracy
The experience of the former Soviet Union’s struggles to make the transition to a more open society holds an important lesson for the Middle East, a region in which the democratic tide still swells despite panicked opposition from some and the efforts of others to regulate its tempo.
Public and ‘Occupy Wall Street’ Movement Agree on Key Issues
In an analysis in the New York Times, Pew Research Center president Andrew Kohut writes that the American public is beginning to take notice of the “Occupy movement.” Polling this week finds a growing number of people paying attention to news about the movement.
Tea Party on Foreign Policy: Strong on Defense and Israel, Tough on China
The Tea Party has emerged as a political force on domestic issues, but Republican supporters of the movement have a distinct approach to national security and the U.S. role in the world. Tea Party Republicans favor an assertive foreign policy, are strong supporters of Israel and take a hard line against illegal immigration.
Jobs vs. Deficit — Where the Public Stands
When President Obama goes before a joint session of Congress on Thursday to lay out a plan for spurring jobs creation, one of the political and policy dynamics at work will be the tension that animated the debate in Washington all this year: the push to reduce federal spending and the government’s deficit competing against whether some kind of stimulus is needed to deal with a faltering recovery and the stubbornly-high unemployment rate.
The Debt Ceiling Showdown – Where the Public Stands
The nation is headed toward a possible government default on Aug. 2 if no agreement is reached to raise the debt ceiling.
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.
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.
Ideological Chasm Over Interpreting Constitution
Half of Americans (50%) say the Court’s rulings should be based on its understanding of what the U.S. Constitution means in current times, while about as many (45%) say rulings should be based on its understanding of what the Constitution meant as originally written.
In Shift from Bush Era, More Conservatives Say “Come Home, America”
The proportion of conservative Republicans supporting U.S. activism in world affairs has fallen substantially since 2004 — a shift that is part of a broader blurring of partisan differences in opinions about America’s role in the world. Still, Republicans remain more supportive than Democrats and independents of the war in Afghanistan.
‘Staunch Conservatives’ Are Wary of Wall Street
Nearly three years after the financial crisis that sent the nation’s economy into a tailspin, the public expresses mixed views of Wall Street.
