The killing of nine black churchgoers by a white gunman, Dylann Roof, in Charleston, S.C., sparked a nationwide debate over the Confederate battle emblem. … Drawing on rare survey data on this subject, we can shed light on this question. We find that white Southerners who support the Confederate flag […] Read more »
A Momentous Week, and a GOP That Needs to Change
The momentous events of the last week can be interpreted in numerous ways. But one thing has become increasingly clear: The Republican Party needs to change. … Simply put, Republicans are loaded up in a car, racing toward a generational cliff with their eyes focused on the rearview mirror, with […] Read more »
Obama’s approval rating grows following memorable week
Could Barack Obama’s great week mark a turning point in his poll numbers? After months of stagnant approval ratings, a new CNN/ORC poll finds that for the first time in more than two years, 50% of Americans approve of the way Obama is handling the presidency. CONT. Jennifer Agiesta, CNN […] Read more »
Why Gun Control and Abortion Are Different From Gay Marriage
The legalization of same-sex marriage is a potent example of a dominant theme in American history: Over time, civil rights expand, and discrimination ebbs. … As a result, it’s fair to divide the major issues in American political life into two broad categories. In one category are the rights-based issues […] Read more »
Small Gains With Black Voters Could Boost GOP in 2016
When it comes to black voters, the Republican Party can’t do much worse than it has in the past two presidential elections: It won a paltry 4% of the black vote in 2008 and 6% in 2012. There’s a big upside for the GOP if it can do better: A […] Read more »
A Tale of Two Governors
In politics, you have two choices: you can get in front of a wave or get slammed by a wave. Earlier this spring we saw Indiana Governor Mike Pence get walloped by a wave of his own making with his poor roll-out – and even worse public defense of – […] Read more »