The United States at 250: How the Country Has Changed in the Past 50 Years
Ahead of the nation’s birthday, Pew Research Center identified some prominent trends across key areas of American life: demographics, work, family and economics.
Economy & Work
A Year Into Trump’s Second Term, Americans’ Views of the Economy Remain Negative
Most Americans continue to hold negative views of the U.S. economy, as has been the case for the last six years.
About 1 in 5 U.S. workers now use AI in their job, up since last year
Workers younger than 50 and workers with a bachelor’s degree or more education are among the most likely to use AI in their job.
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More Blame Wars than Domestic Spending or Tax Cuts for Nation’s Debt
Overview Far more Americans say that the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has contributed a great deal to the nation’s debt than say that about increased domestic spending or the tax cuts enacted over the past decade. Six-in-ten (60%) say the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has contributed a […]
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’Staunch Conservatives’ Are Wary of Wall Street
Nearly three years after the financial crisis that sent the nation’s economy into a tailspin, the public expresses mixed views of Wall Street. Nearly half of Americans (47%) say that Wall Street hurts the U.S. economy more than it helps, while 38% say it helps more than hurts; 15% offer no opinion. These findings, from […]
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More Concern about Raising Debt Limit than Government Default
The public is concerned about both of the possible outcomes of the debt limit debate – raising the debt limit and failing to do so. But more say they are very concerned about the possible consequences of raising the debt limit than of not raising it. And by a 48% to 35% margin, Americans say […]
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Bush Lost Battle Over the Surplus, But Won Tax Cut War
A decade ago, Washington grappled with a problem that seems unreal in today’s economic climate – what to do with the budget surplus? In 2000, George W. Bush had campaigned on a pledge to return part of the surplus to taxpayers in the form of an across-the-board tax cut. Bush’s opponent, Al Gore, countered with […]
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Why Are Gas Prices Rising? A Mix of Reasons
As gas prices soar, many Americans pin the blame on greed or a push for higher profits among oil companies, speculators and oil-producing nations. About three-in-ten (31%) offer a variation on this theme – greed, oil companies or speculation – when asked what they think is the main reason gasoline prices have gone up recently, […]
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Deficit: More Concern, Less Optimism
The public increasingly views the federal budget deficit as a major problem the country must address now. But fewer predict the country will achieve significant progress in reducing the deficit in five years than did so in December. A new survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and The Washington […]
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The Deficit Debate – Where the Public Stands
With the initial skirmishing over this year’s budget now settled, President Obama and Congress are preparing for the main event – figuring out how to make substantial inroads on the country’s $1.5 trillion deficit. In a number of surveys over the past several months, the Pew Research Center has shown where the public stands on the […]