Political scientists long assumed that U.S. institutions were more open and sturdier than those in other countries. One manifestation of that robustness, the theory went, was that U.S. politics appeared largely free from troubling symptoms like conspiracy thinking. Foreigners — particularly in less-developed countries — might attribute the actions of […] Read more »
What Happens to the Democratic Party After Obama?
… Through two terms, Obama deepened the Democrats’ connection with a constellation of growing groups, namely minorities, the millennial generation, and college-educated whites, especially women. That coalition allowed him to join the ranks of Andrew Jackson and Franklin Roosevelt, the only Democrats to win a presidential popular-vote majority at least […] Read more »
Americans Say History Will Be More Kind Than Unkind to Obama
As President Barack Obama prepares to leave the Oval Office, Americans are more likely to believe history will judge his presidency positively than negatively. Overall, 47% say he will be remembered as an “outstanding” or “above average” president, while 35% believe he will be judged as “below average” or “poor.” […] Read more »
How America Changed During Barack Obama’s Presidency
Barack Obama campaigned for the U.S. presidency on a platform of change. As he prepares to leave office, the country he led for eight years is undeniably different. Profound social, demographic and technological changes have swept across the United States during Obama’s tenure, as have important shifts in government policy […] Read more »
Americans Assess Progress Under Obama
Asked about the state of the nation over the past eight years, Americans say the U.S. gained ground in four of 19 policy domains, and they say it lost ground on 14 and held steady on one. More Americans see progress than decline on the situation for gays and lesbians, […] Read more »
Obama’s Legacy as President: Depends on Who You Ask
As President Barack Obama prepares to leave the White House after nearly eight years, most Americans have positive views of him and his administration, albeit with lukewarm opinions about some aspects. But, according to the latest Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll, there are deep divisions among the […] Read more »