Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Political Issues

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    Public Holds Conflicting Views of Press Reports about Government Monitoring Bank Records

    Summary of Findings The public is of two minds about news reports that the government has been secretly examining the bank records of American citizens who may have ties to terrorist groups. By a margin of 50%-34%, Americans think that news organizations have hurt rather than helped the interests of the American people with these […]

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    Pragmatic Americans Liberal and Conservative on Social Issues

    Summary of Findings Americans cannot be easily characterized as conservative or liberal on today’s most pressing social questions. The public’s point of view varies from issue to issue. They are conservative in opposing gay marriage and gay adoption, liberal in favoring embryonic stem cell research and a little of both on abortion. Along with favoring […]

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    Americans’ Support for Israel Unchanged by Recent Hostilities

    Summary of Findings Israel’s offensive into Lebanon has not resulted in a public opinion backlash in the U.S. so far. A new Pew poll conducted July 6-19 finds little change in public sympathy for Israel in its dispute with the Palestinians. A 44%-plurality of U.S. adults say they sympathize more with Israel, while 9% sympathize […]

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    The Revival of Shia Islam

    Washington, D.C. Recent violence between Hezbollah, a Shiite Muslim guerrilla group, and Israel; sectarian conflict in Iraq and escalating tensions around Iran’s nuclear ambitions have drawn urgent attention to the resurgence and politicization of Shiite Islam and its relationship to Sunni Islam. The Pew Forum and the Council on Foreign Relations invited Vali Nasr, author […]

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    The Death Penalty Today: Defend It, Mend It or End It?

    National Press Club Washington, D.C. Since the Supreme Court lifted its moratorium on the death penalty 30 years ago, 38 states and the federal government have reinstated capital punishment. In recent years, there has been a nationwide debate over the proper application, morality and constitutionality of the death penalty. Some argue that there are systemic […]

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    The Heat Over Global Warming

    New findings from a Pew Research Center for the People & the Press poll show that public attitudes about global warming are deeply divided along partisan lines. But even among Democrats, global warming ranks low relative to other issue priorities.