Trump gambles on cultural frustration over economic self-interest

Chaos may have seemed the only guiding principle in the White House last week. But amid President Donald Trump’s Twitter tirades; the vulgar rant from his new communications director; the open internecine sniping; and the White House staff shakeup, the President offered two revealing hints about the policy direction he […] Read more »

This survey is as murky as chocolate milk

LAST WEEK, A WASHINGTON POST headline provoked a collective groan of embarrassment: apparently “seven percent of all American adults” think that chocolate milk comes from brown cows. Unsurprisingly, The Internet took notice. … Those of us concerned with news literacy and public trust in media feel let down when one of […] Read more »

Americans Support Greater Federal Efforts to Reduce Poverty

As Congress begins to debate the FY2018 budget, a new study reveals strong support for greater federal efforts to reduce poverty. The study, conducted by the University of Maryland’s Program for Public Consultation (PPC), finds that majorities of Republicans and Democrats agree on numerous new options for federal poverty programs. […] Read more »

Hard-working taxpayers don’t support big cuts to food stamps, it turns out

Large-scale cuts to social safety net programs have emerged as one of the more controversial parts of the budget proposal the Trump administration released Wednesday, which Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney called “a taxpayer first budget.” … Mulvaney argued in an op-ed that the cuts mark a […] Read more »