Democrats find themselves divided on Keystone pipeline
Some Democratic senators may join with Republicans to vote for building the Keystone XL pipeline. It’s an issue that divides Democrats, a Pew Research survey found in March.
Botched execution in Oklahoma renews death-penalty debate
Oklahoma’s botched execution of Clayton Lockett has renewed debate about how, and whether, the U.S. should impose the death penalty.
Americans agree inequality has grown, but don’t agree on why
Two-thirds of Americans say the gap between the rich and everyone else has increased, but when asked why they cite dozens of different reasons.
5 facts about the NRA and guns in America
#5: 37% of adults reported having a gun in their household in 2013.
Public strongly backs affirmative action programs on campus
The use of affirmative action programs in college admissions has roiled campuses and the public for years, leading to state-passed laws banning the practice to today’s Supreme Court ruling upholding a Michigan voter initiative banning the use of racial preferences. But while the debate and the battles continue, a new Pew Research Center poll finds that Americans overwhelmingly support these programs.
NSA coverage wins Pulitzer, but Americans remain divided on Snowden leaks
Percentage of the public saying in January that Edward Snowden’s leaks “served the public interest,” compared with 43% who say the leaks “harmed the public interest.”
On Tax Day, Americans’ views of taxes and the IRS
Five facts about how Americans feel about the tax system and the IRS
Gay marriage battle moves back to courts
A federal appeals court today will hear arguments in a constitutional challenge to Utah’s same-sex marriage ban – the first of five court challenges to state bans taking place over the next two weeks. This flurry of court activity comes on the heels of a number of other decisions striking down same-sex marriage bans in […]
WashPost/Kaiser: Many Iraq and Afghanistan veterans bring home the burdens of war
Veterans returning from serving in Iraq or Afghanistan say they have found re-entering civilian life to be difficult. A significant share says they have experienced outbursts of anger in daily life. Others say their mental or emotional health is worse since their time in the service, or that they have suffered post-traumatic stress disorder.
Feds may be rethinking the drug war, but states have been leading the way
Faced with overcrowded prisons and soaring correctional costs, states are rethinking how to define and punish drug crimes.
