Although public opinion rarely determines the specifics of U. S. foreign policy, it typically defines the zone within which policies with public visibility can be sustained over time. Recent survey research has underscored a shift in Americans’ attitudes towards China that is far-reaching enough to sustain the most adversarial stance […] Read more »
Can this political moment of good feelings last?
In our partisan times, it’s hard to find polling results that go against the grain, so to speak. Over the past four years, then-President Trump’s position on any given issue cleaved public opinion along party lines, regardless of the merits. Democrats opposed opening schools simply because Education Secretary Betsy DeVos […] Read more »
Cyberterrorism Tops List of 11 Potential Threats to U.S.
As the Biden administration continues to explore how it will respond to Russia’s large-scale cyberattack against U.S. companies and federal agencies last year, 82% of Americans say cyberterrorism is a “critical threat” to the vital interests of the U.S. over the next decade. While cyberterrorism ranks atop a list of […] Read more »
Can Biden make it ‘the economy, stupid’ again?
Eight weeks in, President Joe Biden has overseen a huge Covid relief win, surging vaccinations and declining case counts. As Wall Street sets new records, forecasters predict an economic boom. And yet, from his sixth day in office to his sixtieth, Biden’s approval rating barely budged. … And history suggests […] Read more »
Biden approval grows as more Americans receive vaccinations
The number of Americans who approve of President Joe Biden has grown steadily since he took office, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling released on Friday, driven by concrete steps his administration has taken to address the public health and economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The March 17-18 national opinion […] Read more »
Americans more optimistic about the economy’s direction
Americans’ optimism about the economy’s direction reached its highest since before the pandemic began in the latest Consumer Comfort Index survey, with indications of possible gains ahead as stimulus checks land and COVID-19 restrictions lift. Thirty-one percent of Americans say the economy is improving, maintaining an 11-point jump from December […] Read more »