Politics & Policy

Americans in 2022 find themselves in an environment that is at once greatly improved and frustratingly familiar.

Majorities of Americans say the United States should prioritize the development of renewable energy sources and take steps toward the country becoming carbon neutral by the year 2050. But just 31% want to phase out fossil fuels completely, and many foresee unexpected problems in a major transition to renewable energy.

Here is a roundup of Americans’ views of the court, perceptions of its ideology, the history of confirmations and justices’ backgrounds.

Here's a look at public opinion on some of the key issues facing the country, drawn from recent Pew Research Center surveys.

52% of Republicans say they have a great deal or fair amount of confidence in K-12 public school principals to act in the public’s best interests.

64% of members of Congress mentioned Black History Month on Facebook or Twitter in February 2021, up from just 29% in 2015.

Dealing with coronavirus has declined as a policy priority, especially among Republicans. This marks a shift from last year, when the economy and the coronavirus both topped the public’s policy agenda.

Trust in scientists and medical scientists has fallen below pre-pandemic levels, with 29% of U.S. adults saying they have a great deal of confidence in medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public. This is down from 40% in November 2020 and 35% in January 2019, before COVID-19 emerged. Other prominent groups – including the military, police officers and public school principals – have also seen their ratings decline.

There is no public consensus on whether greater social acceptance of transgender people is good or bad for society.

While Biden’s rating is still low among White Christians, positive ratings also fell among Black Protestants and the religiously unaffiliated.