Growing Old in America: Expectations vs. Reality
Getting old isn’t nearly as bad as people think it will be. Nor is it quite as good. A new Pew Research social trends survey finds a sizeable gap between expectations and actual experiences.
Who’s Your Favorite Republican?
While Sarah Palin is a GOP favorite, it is Mitt Romney who now enjoys a positive balance of opinion among the general public. Newt Gingrich remains a divisive figure and Michale Steele is still mostly unknown.
Public More Optimistic About the Economy, But Still Reluctant to Spend
Increasingly, Americans express the view that the nation’s economy will improve in the next year, and a growing number also expect their personal finances to get better. But this has not caused people to open their wallets.
Obama’s High Ratings Hold Despite Some Policy Concerns
A solid majority of Americans continue to approve of Barack Obama’s job performance, although they express mixed views of several of his policies. Only about one-in-five Americans (21%) say the U.S. is less safe from terrorism under the Obama administration than under the Bush administration
Home Broadband Adoption 2009
Strong growth among senior citizens and rural residents has pushed the number of Americans with high-speed internet connections to 63%, up from 55% in 2008. But African Americans experienced their second consecutive year of below-average broadband adoption growth.
The Shared Search for Health Information on the Internet
While most Americans still turn to a doctor for health information, a growing number research and discuss medical issues on the internet. Fully 61% have gone online for health info — up from 25% in 2000 — and most report positive experiences. More adults are turning to the internet for fitness and exercise information as well.
Latino Children: A Majority Are U.S.-Born Offspring of Immigrants
Hispanics now make up 22% of all children under the age of 18 in the United States — up from 9% in 1980 — and as their numbers have grown, their demographic profile has changed.
Online Classifieds Climb
The number of online adults to use classified ad websites, such as Craigslist, more than doubled from 2005 to 2009 devastating a key revenue source for traditional newspapers
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Independents Take Center Stage in the Obama Era
Centrism has emerged as a dominant factor in public opinion as the Obama administration begins. Republicans and Democrats are even more divided than in the past, while the growing political middle is steadfastly mixed in its beliefs about government, the free market and other values that underlie views on contemporary issues and policies. Both political parties have lost adherents since the election and an increasing number of Americans identify as independents.
Not Your Grandfather’s Recession — Literally
Relatively speaking, older Americans’ attitudes and lifestyles have been less affected by the economic slump than have those of younger Americans. Meantime, the “Threshold Generation,” people nearing retirement, have been hardest hit, as they’ve seen their nest eggs shrink the most.
