Republicans’ confidence in K-12 principals has fallen sharply during the pandemic
52% of Republicans say they have a great deal or fair amount of confidence in K-12 public school principals to act in the public’s best interests.
More members of Congress, especially Democrats, are talking about Black History Month on social media
64% of members of Congress mentioned Black History Month on Facebook or Twitter in February 2021, up from just 29% in 2015.
Public’s Top Priority for 2022: Strengthening the Nation’s Economy
Dealing with coronavirus has declined as a policy priority, especially among Republicans. This marks a shift from last year, when the economy and the coronavirus both topped the public’s policy agenda.
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.
Deep partisan divide on whether greater acceptance of transgender people is good for society
There is no public consensus on whether greater social acceptance of transgender people is good or bad for society.
One year in, Biden job approval down among Black Protestants, other Christians and religious ‘nones’
While Biden’s rating is still low among White Christians, positive ratings also fell among Black Protestants and the religiously unaffiliated.
Increasing Public Criticism, Confusion Over COVID-19 Response in U.S.
Americans are increasingly critical of the response to COVID-19 from elected officeholders and public health officials. Positive ratings of public health officials, such as those at the CDC, have fallen 10 points since August. And 60% of U.S. adults say they’ve felt confused as a result of changes to recommendations on how to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Fewer Americans now say Trump bears a lot of responsibility for the Jan. 6 riot
Americans remain deeply divided about the events of Jan. 6, 2021, and the ongoing congressional investigation into what happened.
Up until the postwar era, U.S. Supreme Court confirmations usually were routine business
It’s worth remembering that vacancies on the Supreme Court didn’t always devolve into partisan slugfests.
Visions of the Internet in 2035
Asked to "imagine a better world online," experts hope for a ubiquitous – even immersive – digital environment that promotes fact-based knowledge, offers better defense of individuals’ rights, empowers diverse voices and provides tools for technology breakthroughs and collaborations to solve the world’s wicked problems.
