Partisans say respect and compromise are important in politics – particularly from their opponents
Republicans and Democrats set higher standards for politicians in the other party than in their own when it comes to respect and compromise.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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Politics
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Public Highly Critical of State of Political Discourse in the U.S.
Majorities of Americans say the tone of political debate in the country has become more negative, less respectful, less fact-based and less substantive in recent years.
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Only 2% of federal criminal defendants went to trial in 2018, and most who did were found guilty
Trials are rare in the federal criminal justice system: Just 2% of criminal defendants went to trial in fiscal 2018. Acquittals are even rarer.
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Nearly Half of Democrats Say the Best Age for a President Is ‘In Their 50s’
Most Democrats say gender, race of 2020 nominee won’t change their enthusiasm.
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From police to parole, black and white Americans differ widely in their views of criminal justice system
Attitudes vary considerably by race on issues including crime, policing, the death penalty, parole decisions and voting rights.
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Trump’s Staunch GOP Supporters Have Roots in the Tea Party
Republicans who did not agree with the tea party during Obama era were somewhat less likely to remain affiliated with GOP years later. Republicans who had positive views of the tea party movement in 2014 or 2015 were among Trump’s most enthusiastic backers during the 2016 campaign.
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6 facts about U.S. political independents
Partisan divides in America are as wide as they’ve ever been in the modern political era. But what about those who identify as independents?
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Majority of Public Favors Same-Sex Marriage, but Divisions Persist
A majority of Americans (61%) favor allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally, while about half as many (31%) oppose same-sex marriage. Republicans and Democrats remain deeply divided over legal marriage for gays and lesbians – though support has increased significantly in both parties over the past 15 years.
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In year of record midterm turnout, women continued to vote at higher rates than men
Over half of women and men who were eligible to vote cast ballots in 2018. Compared with 2014, turnout increased by double digits among both genders.
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The gap between the number of blacks and whites in prison is shrinking
Blacks have long outnumbered whites in U.S. prisons. But a significant decline in the number of black prisoners has narrowed the gap.
