Partisan Bickering Is Back, Says Public
Obama continues to inspire confidence on economic matters, as majorities believe his policies will both improve economic conditions (66%) and reduce the budget deficit over time (54%). There has been no improvement in the GOP’s image.
Hispanics and the Criminal Justice System: Low Confidence, High Exposure
Latino confidence in the U.S. criminal justice system is closer to the low levels expressed by blacks than the high levels expressed by whites.
Public Knows Basic Facts About Financial Crisis
High percentages of Americans know that the government assistance to banks is aimed at getting them to lend more money, not less money and that China is the foreign country holding the most U.S. government debt. Notably, more Americans know the current unemployment rate than the current level of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Americans Favor Carbon Cap, Gays in the Military and Renewing U.S.-Cuba Ties
New polling finds public favors setting limits on carbon emissions, allowing gays to serve openly in the military and re-establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba.
Internet Typology: The Mobile Difference
Glance at any coffee shop, train station or airport boarding gate, and it is easy to see that mobile access to the internet is taking root in our society. A new Pew Internet Typology study divides information and communication technology users into 10 groups ranging from the “Digital Collaborators” and “Media Movers” to “Tech Indifferent” and “Off the Network.”
Most Support Health Care Overhaul — But it’s Not 1993
While the public still favors government-guaranteed health insurance for all citizens, there is currently less support for rebuilding the system than there was at the beginning of the Clinton administration. Opinion about stem-cell research remains stable after lifting of the ban.
Obama’s Approval Rating Slips Amid Division Over Economic Proposals
Most people think the new president is doing as much as he can to fix the economy, but the public expresses mixed views of his many major proposals to fix the economy. The public overwhelmingly supports Obama’s plan to remove most combat troops from Iraq by the end of August but a much narrower majority supports his planned troop buildup in Afghanistan.
Obama Faces Familiar Divisions Over Anti-Terror Policies
Obama receives positive ratings for his handling of terrorism but the public remains deeply divided over how best to defend the nation against the threat.
A Rising Share: Hispanics and Federal Crime
Sharp growth in illegal immigration and increased enforcement of immigration laws have dramatically altered the ethnic composition of offenders sentenced in federal courts.
Jobs Worries Climb the Economic Ladder
For the public, the continuing financial crisis has been overtaken by a jobs crisis; the proportion citing jobs or unemployment as the nation’s most important economic problem has more than quadrupled to 42% since early October and concern about job loss has climbed steeply among affluent Americans.
