From BarackObama.com to Change.gov
A new survey finds that voters expect that the level of public engagement they experienced with Obama during the campaign, much of it occurring online, will continue into the early period of his new administration.
Bush and Public Opinion
Just 11% say Bush will be remembered as an outstanding or above average president — by far the lowest positive end-of-term rating for any of the past four presidents. Yet Bush’s impact on public opinion over the past eight years is seen in ways that go well beyond his personal unpopularity.
Many Americans Say Other Faiths Can Lead to Eternal Life
Most American Christians, including evangelicals, have more than just other Christian denominations in mind when they say there are many paths to salvation. Also, roughly one-third of Americans believe that whether one achieves eternal life is determined by what a person believes, with nearly as many saying eternal life depends on one’s actions.
American Mobility: Movers,Stayers, Places and Reasons
Americans are settling down: Only 13% of the U.S. population changed residences between 2006 and 2007, the lowest share since the 1940s. A new Pew Research Center survey looks at the reasons people move and stay put, and explains why 23% of adults aren’t living in the place they consider home. Also, an interactive set of maps with detailed regional and state data shows that Texas is the nation’s “stickiest” state and Nevada is the most “magnetic.” Visit the maps to find stats on all 50 states.
Latino Workers in the Ongoing Recession: 2007 to 2008
The current recession has seen a small but significant decline in the percentage of Latino immigrants active in the U.S. labor force; however, the absolute number of immigrant Latinos working or seeking work still increased slightly over the last year.
Hillary’s New Job Better Known than Dow Jones Average
While just about everyone knows Obama’s new secretary of state, fewer than half were generally aware of where the Dow is trading these days. A new Pew News IQ survey provides an updated look at the public’s knowledge of political and world affairs. Test your own knowledge of current affairs against that of the broader public before you read the report.
Future of the Internet III: How the Experts See It
A survey of internet leaders and analysts finds they expect the phone to become a primary device for online access, artificial and virtual reality to become more embedded in everyday life, and the architecture of the internet itself to improve. But they disagree about whether this will lead to more social tolerance or better home lives.
Bearish Outlook Fuels Consumer Cutbacks
Nearly six-in-ten who say they are cutting back or delaying purchases report they are doing so because they worry things might get worse. Fewer than one in four say they are cutting back because their own financial situation has worsened. Lower fuel and food costs do not appear to have had a positive impact on the public so far.
Video Games: Adults are Players Too
Video games aren’t just child’s play; more than half of adults and about a quarter of seniors are digital gamers too.
Americans Claim to Like Diverse Communities but Do They Really?
People express pro-diversity attitudes to pollsters but U.S. neighborhoods have grown more politically and economically homogenous in recent decades, according to analyses of election returns and U.S. Census data.
