… We have long been told that anyone in this country who wants to succeed, can. Casting aside the increasing impediments to social mobility, such as high college tuition costs and the loss of high-paid, blue-collar jobs, the onus is entirely on the individual. Surveys show that Americans strongly believe […] Read more »
These political scientists may have just discovered why U.S. politics are a disaster
… Working with political scientist Boris Shor and economist John Voorheis, [Nolan] McCarty has released a new study that shows that the growing ideological gap between the Republican and Democratic parties — a common obstacle to getting anything done in Washington — is not just due to politicians’ incompetence or […] Read more »
How Did the Democrats Become Favorites of the Rich?
… The gulf between the two parties on socially fraught issues like abortion, immigration, same-sex marriage and voting rights remains vast. On economic issues, however, the Democratic Party has inched closer to the policy positions of conservatives, stepping back from championing the needs of working men and women, of the […] Read more »
Getting America to Rewrite the Rules of the Economy
… After hearing a candidate’s pointed message attacking trickle down economics and promising to level the playing field for the middle class and America, the disengaged get more engaged and voters get more supportive of that leader. But that campaign context understates the possible moment and opportunity. The public is […] Read more »
How Pope Francis Clashes With Both Democrats And Republicans, In 1 Graphic
When Pope Francis addresses Congress on Thursday, watch in the background on the C-SPAN feed for some uncomfortable fidgeting. That’s because he has plenty of material to make both Democrats and Republicans squirm. Since becoming pope in 2013, Francis has made one controversial statement after another on all kinds of, […] Read more »
How do American Catholics view Pope Francis and the Catholic Church?
As Pope Francis plans his first visit to the United States since becoming Pope, most American Catholics give him high marks for his leadership. Eight in 10 American Catholics approve of the direction Pope Francis is leading the Church, including more than half (53 percent) who say they approve strongly. […] Read more »