Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Political Issues

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    The Tahrir Square Legacy: Egyptians Want Democracy, a Better Economy, and a Major Role for Islam

    Two years after Egyptians first poured into Cairo’s Tahrir Square chanting “Down with Mubarak” the legacy of the Arab Spring remains uncertain. Polling since the uprising shows that Egyptians want democratic rights and institutions, a major role for Islam in political life, and an improved economy – a challenging set of demands for the new cadre of Egyptian leaders.

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    Deficit Reduction Rises on Public’s Agenda for Obama’s Second Term

    Overview When Barack Obama took office four years ago, reducing the budget deficit was a middle-tier item on the public’s agenda. Only about half of Americans (53%) viewed it as a top policy priority in January 2009, placing it ninth on a list of 20 policy goals. But as Obama begins his second term, only […]

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    How Important is the Abortion Issue?

    The public is split on whether abortion is a critical or important issue or whether it is not that important an issue. But this masks stark differences in opinion between regular churchgoers and those who attend religious services less often.

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    Mixed Reactions to Obama’s Gun Proposals

    Overview With the public paying close attention to the national debate over gun control, Barack Obama’s gun proposals receive a mixed rating from the public. A 39% plurality say Obama’s proposals are about right while another 13% say they do not go far enough. About three-in-ten (31%) say the president’s proposals go too far; 17% […]

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    Public Opinion on Abortion and Roe v. Wade

    Public Opinion on Abortion and Roe v. Wade 2013-01-18 Jan. 22, 2013, is the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion. A quarter of the U.S. public (25%) sees abortion as morally wrong and would like to have the decision completely overturned, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.