The American people are “polarized.” That idea is repeated so often as an explanation for why Washington seems mired in dysfunction and gridlock that no one even stops to question it anymore. Yes, the system is polarized, in the sense that we have divided government on the federal level, or, […] Read more »
Public Sees Political Gridlock Hampering Economy
Americans see little prospect that President Barack Obama and Congress can get much done beyond keeping the government open for the next few months. A Bloomberg National Poll finds 78 percent of respondents say the political gridlock in Washington will hurt the nation’s economy in 2014. Large majorities say they […] Read more »
Rising riches: 1 in 5 in U.S. reaches affluence
… Made up largely of older professionals, working married couples and more educated singles, the new rich are those with household income of $250,000 or more at some point during their working lives. That puts them, if sometimes temporarily, in the top 2 percent of earners. … In a country […] Read more »
Survey Analysis Contradicts Common Climate Perceptions
It’s easy to assume people in “red” and “blue” states have very different ideologies regarding climate change. An analysis of surveys measuring Americans’ opinions about global warming-related issues tells a different story. Jon Krosnick, a senior fellow with the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, presented the findings this morning […] Read more »
Older Americans nix Social Security changes
Raise the age at which you can begin collecting full Social Security benefits? Older Americans say no. They also veto reductions in the cost-of-living increase. But a poll finds support among those 50 and older for raising the cap on earnings that are taxed to fund the Social Security program […] Read more »
You Probably Rely on the Federal Government a Lot More Than You Think You Do
… Lack of health insurance, unaffordable flood insurance, difficulties obtaining housing, lack of access to higher education, etc., are real problems, and American voters have repeatedly expressed their frustration over them and their support for candidates who offer solutions. Except … these needs run against a peculiar American ideological strain […] Read more »