Just a quarter of the public knows that it takes 60 votes to break a filibuster in the Senate.

While a majority of Americans believe that next year will be better than 2010, there was far more optimism at the beginning of the year.

Only about a third of Americans in a fall survey expected better economic conditions a year hence. By contrast, in the midst of the Great Depression, and with another downturn in the offing, half of Americans still expected general business conditions to improve over the next six months.

In a poll conducted at the very beginning of President George W. Bush’s first term in office, nearly two-thirds of Americans said that if his proposed tax cuts were passed they would benefit some people much more than others.

Most Americans (55%) — but not most Republicans — say that Republican leaders in Congress should work with President Obama.

Only about one-in-five Americans expect relations between Republicans and Democrats to improve in the coming year.

Fewer than half of Americans approve of Republican plans and policies in a post-election poll.