Oil Spill Increases Hold on Public’s News Interest
While most are not following Elena Kagan, the public wants the press to focus on credentials, not personal lives, when analyzing Supreme Court nominees. Meanwhile, the oil spill continues to dominate the public’s news interest.
Public’s Priorities for Congress: Jobs and Energy Top Immigration
Congress’s ratings are abysmal; Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan draws mixed ratings but half have no opinion.
Public Supports Arizona Immigration Law
A majority approves of the new law, and larger percentages support requiring people to produce identification documents for police and allowing authorities to detain people unable to verify their legal status.
Oil Tops Terror in Public Attention
Americans followed the worsening oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico more closely than other major news stories last week, while the media focused on both the underwater oil leak and the investigation into the attempted car bombing in New York’s Times Square. The public sees little change in the tenor of recent economic news.
Oil Spill Seen As Ecological Disaster
Americans are critical of the government’s response to the environmental disaster in the Gulf, but even more so of BP. Support for offshore oil drilling is down, though Republican opinion is unchanged.
Oil Spill Disaster Has Public’s Attention
About eight-in-ten Americans know that oil leak is off the coast of Louisiana and that the controversial immigration law was passed in Arizona; less than half know about Charlie Crist.
“Socialism” Not So Negative, “Capitalism” Not So Positive
Reactions to words and phrases frequently used in political discourse reveal some surprises: Among the young, “capitalism” and “socialism” are rated about equally; “militia” scores poorly among all groups.
Financial Regulation and Volcano Ash Grab Public’s Attention
Most Americans say financial institutions have paid back “only some” of the money provided by the federal government to help them survive the financial crisis.
Pessimistic Public Doubts Effectiveness of Stimulus, TARP
As has been the case for most of the past two years, about nine-in-ten rate national economic conditions as only fair or poor. As a political consequence, the Democratic Party has lost ground to the Republican Party on a wide range of issues, including the job situation.
Health Care Still Top Story, But Many Track Volcano
Awareness of the Tea Party movement is increasing, but when asked to give a one-word impression of the group, a plurality of responses are negative.
