A new PRRI/The Atlantic survey of American attitudes about the health of our nation’s Democratic institutions reveals that partisan divisions over racial diversity and religious pluralism have Americans split, but most are optimistic divisions can be overcome except those that are political. This survey, the latest in a series of […] Read more »
The American Dream Is Alive and Well
I am pleased to report that the American dream is alive and well for an overwhelming majority of Americans. This claim might sound far-fetched given the cultural climate in the United States today. Especially since President Trump took office, hardly a day goes by without a fresh tale of economic […] Read more »
The Struggle Comes Home: Attacks on Democracy in the United States
… The great challenges facing US democracy did not commence with the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Intensifying political polarization, declining economic mobility, the outsized influence of special interests, and the diminished influence of fact-based reporting in favor of bellicose partisan media were all problems afflicting the health of American […] Read more »
Poll asks what makes a ‘real American?’
The trait most important to being a “real American” is to believe in treating people equally, according to a Grinnell College poll released on Monday. Offered a list of traits, 90% of respondents said treating people equally is very important, followed by taking personal responsibility for one’s actions (88% said […] Read more »
Which Americans support the Second Amendment? The answer depends on whether whites or blacks have the guns.
… Much political science research has found that attitudes about racial groups influence public opinion on a wide range of topics and can inform voters’ decisions at the polls. Decades of research have also shown that the public finds it easier to extend free-speech rights to popular groups. Our findings […] Read more »
What Thomas Jefferson, Donald Trump and the American people think about freedom of the press
Jill Darling, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and Robert Shrum, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences “No government ought to be without censors and where the press is free no one ever will,” wrote Thomas Jefferson to […] Read more »