Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

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Short Reads

Short-form data and analysis from Pew Research Center writers and social scientists. To view all our reports and publications, visit our main Publications page.

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  • short reads

    The Dark Side

    A small majority says torture is rarely or never justified.

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    Capitol Beat

    Since the 1980s, the number of U.S. wire services and newspapers covering Congress has fallen by 72%.

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    Candidate to President

    The most frequently used one-word descriptor of President Obama is intelligent.

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    Grass is Always Greener

    Almost half of Americans say they would rather live in a different type of community from the one they’re living in now.

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    Rich-Poor Gap

    A 28-point divide separates Democrats and Republicans on the question of losing ground with respect to the gap between rich and poor.

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    St. Patrick’s Day Drinking?

    St. Patrick's DayAs many head to the bars for St. Patrick’s Day, not everyone will be celebrating; more than six-in-ten Americans think drinking alcohol excessively is morally wrong.

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    Ditto Rush

    Rush Limbaugh has the most conservative audience of any network or program tested by Pew Research.

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    Gen X: Online Grown-Ups

    Two-thirds of those ages 33 to 44 do their banking online and 80% have gone shopping on the internet.