Mixed Grades for a Federal Education Law
As Congress prepares to debate reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act, Americans express mixed views about the nation’s signature education law. Among those who have heard about the law, 34% say it has made schools better; 26% say it has made them worse; and 32% say it has had no impact.
Mixed Views on Immigration Bill
The public is ambivalent about the immigration bill being debated in the Senate, but a majority favors one of its key goals – providing a way for illegal aliens to become citizens. The public supports such a provision even when it is described as “amnesty,” a new Pew survey finds.
Public Wants to Know More about Darfur and Many Favor U.S. Involvement
As world leaders gather in Germany for the annual G-8 meeting, the humanitarian crisis in Darfur will be high on their agenda. Pew’s latest surveys find nearly half of Americans believing the United States has a moral obligation to do something about the ethnic genocide there, and a modest plurality thinking the U.S. should send troops.
Thompson Demonstrates Broad Potential Appeal
A new Pew Research Center for the People & the Press survey finds broad potential appeal among Republicans for the all-but-announced candidacy of former Sen. Fred Thompson; meantime President Bush’s approval rating has sunk to an all-time low of 29%.
Political Divide in Views of Campaign Coverage
About half the public believes that press coverage of 2008 presidential candidates has been fair, but there are partisan differences in these evaluations. A plurality of Republicans say the press has been too easy on Democratic candidates.
Gas Prices Grab the Public’s Attention
Interest in news about inflation at the pump goes beyond learning where to find the cheapest gallon and extends to impacts on the national economy.
Baker-Hamilton Redux
Four months after the bipartisan Iraq Study Group proposed a number of new policy options for dealing with the Iraq conflict, these proposals remain broadly popular with the public.
Growing Up With the News
In an era when war, tragedy and scandal often dominate the headlines, America’s parents are more likely to encourage children to follow the news than they are to shield them from it.
Four-in-Ten Americans Have Close Friends or Relatives Who are Gay
A new survey also finds that those with homosexual or lesbian relatives or friends are more likely to accept gay marriage and oppose the firing of gay teachers.
Who’s Watching American Idol?
In spite of the fact that the show has topped the television ratings throughout the season, as American Idol Season 6 comes to a close the latest news interest survey finds three-quarters of the public paying little or no attention to it.
