The changing face of America’s veteran population
Today, there are more than 18 million living veterans in the United States, representing about 6% of the country’s adult population.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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Americans’ Dismal Views of the Nation’s Politics
Americans’ views of politics and elected officials are unrelentingly negative, with little hope of improvement on the horizon. 65% of Americans say they always or often feel exhausted when thinking about politics. By contrast, just 10% say they always or often feel hopeful about politics.
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Fewer than 1% of federal criminal defendants were acquitted in 2022
In 2022, only 290 of 71,954 defendants in federal criminal cases – about 0.4% – went to trial and were acquitted.
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A Look Back at How Fear and False Beliefs Bolstered U.S. Public Support for War in Iraq
Twenty years ago this month, the U.S. launched a major invasion of Iraq. President George W. Bush and his administration at first drew broad public support for the use of military force. Yet the campaign soon left Americans deeply divided, and by 2019, 62% said the Iraq War was not worth fighting.
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New Congress will have a few more veterans, but their share of lawmakers is still near a record low
The new House will have 80 members who’ve served in the military, or 18.4% of members. That’s up from 75, or 17.2%, in the 117th Congress.
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Around one-in-five candidates for Congress or governor this year are veterans
21% of the roughly 1,000 candidates for U.S. Senate, House or state governor on the fall ballot claim some degree of military experience.
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Lack of Preparedness Among Top Reactions Americans Have to Public Health Officials’ COVID-19 Response
Overall, 46% of Americans say the statement “public health officials were unprepared for the outbreak” describes their views extremely or very well, including similar shares of Republicans and Democrats.
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Partisans tend to cite different ideas for what more the government should do for parents and children
Asked what more the government should do to support parents and children, Americans often mention forms of social or direct financial support.
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Americans’ Views of Government: Decades of Distrust, Enduring Support for Its Role
65% say most political candidates run for office “to serve their own personal interests.”
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Americans’ Trust in Scientists, Other Groups Declines
Trust in scientists and medical scientists has fallen below pre-pandemic levels, with 29% of U.S. adults saying they have a great deal of confidence in medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public. This is down from 40% in November 2020 and 35% in January 2019, before COVID-19 emerged. Other prominent groups – including the military, police officers and public school principals – have also seen their ratings decline.
