Short Reads (Page 387)

short readsDec 13, 2013

Boehner takes on Tea Party at time when Republican views of him are more unfavorable

The point increase in unfavorable opinions of Rep. John Boehner since he became House Speaker.
short readsDec 13, 2013

Four-in-ten Chinese see U.S. military presence in East Asia as a threat

While only 12% of Chinese regard the U.S. as an enemy, 41% see the U.S. military presence in East Asia as a major threat to their country and 63% see the U.S. as the nation posing the greatest threat to China.
short readsDec 13, 2013

Chart of the Week: Most new gun laws since Newtown ease restrictions

In the year since the Newtown school shootings, most new state gun laws have loosened rather than tightened restrictions.
short readsDec 12, 2013

Eastern and Western Europe divided over gay marriage, homosexuality

Recent developments in Croatia and Scotland highlight a stark divide between Eastern and Western Europe on the topic of same-sex marriage.
short readsDec 12, 2013

A year after Newtown, little change in public opinion on guns

After the horrific shootings at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., a year ago claiming the lives of 20 children and six adults, there was a sense in the country – especially among gun-control supporters — that the tragedy would be different from similar ones in the past and push the nation to action. But ultimately, a sustained change in public opinion did not materialize, and a bill to tighten gun laws died in the Senate.
short readsDec 12, 2013

‘Merry Christmas’ or ‘Happy Holidays’?

When asked about how stores should greet their customers over the holidays, 42% of Americans prefer “Merry Christmas,” 12% prefer “Happy Holidays” and 46% say it doesn’t matter.
short readsDec 11, 2013

Pope Francis’ big year

Pope Francis began this year as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, an Argentine archbishop. He finishes it as Time magazine’s Person of the Year.
short readsDec 11, 2013

Who’s the boss? In U.S. business, it’s mostly men

Fewer than 5% of Fortune 1000 companies have women CEOs, and only 10% of women nationally say they’re a boss or top manager. Women are consistently less likely than men to say they want to be a boss someday.
short readsDec 11, 2013

Lawmakers compromise on budget deal — and that’s what the public says it wants

About six-in-ten of Americans say they want lawmakers to be more willing to compromise on budget issues even if it meant they “reached a deal you disagreed with.”
short readsDec 11, 2013

How Pew Research measured the gender pay gap

Women earned 84 cents for every $1 made by men in 2012, according to a Pew Research report. But in October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that women earned 81 cents to the dollar. The difference is not large, but what gives?