Middle Class, By the Numbers
The plight of Middle Americans has been much invoked by candidates from both parties this election year. Who are these folk? Here’s a self-portrait painted in statistics.
Shortly after President Bush took office in February 2001, no single issue stood out as the top national problem, though morality and ethics were mentioned most frequently (at just 12%); fewer than 1% cited terrorism. There was no clear public consensus about the nettlesome issue that was confronting policymakers – how to spend the federal […]
The public takes a somewhat less cynical view of government today than it did in 2007. Americans are less likely to say that government is wasteful and inefficient (57%, compared with 62% in 2007) and more likely to believe that government is “really run for the benefit of all the people” (49%, compared with 45% […]
Abortion Barack Obama Obama supports abortion rights. On Jan. 23, during his first week as president, Obamasigned an executive order restoring federal funding for international organizations that perform or promote abortions in foreign countries. During the October 15, 2008 presidentialdebate, Obama expressed a willingness to support a ban on late-term abortions “as long as there’s an […]
Background Hometown Green Tree, Pa. Age 74 Religion Baptist Education Duke University School of Medicine, M.D., 1961 Gettysburg College, B.A., 1957 Candidate Website www.ronpaul2008.com Candidacy Status Formally declared candidacy March 12, 2007 Formally withdrew candidacy June 12, 2008 Political Experience U.S. Representative from Texas, 1976-1977, 1979-1985, 1997-present Professional Experience Founder and honorary chairman, Foundation for […]
Background Hometown Park Ridge, Ill. Age 62 Religion United Methodist Education Yale Law School, J.D., 1973 Wellesley College, B.A., 1969 Candidate Website www.hillaryclinton.com Candidacy Status Formally declared candidacy Jan. 20, 2007. Suspended campaign and endorsed Barack Obama June 7, 2008. Political Experience U.S. Senator from New York, 2001-present First Lady of the United States, 1993-2001 […]
