What’s the point of Health 2.0?
I believe that, although very few people engage with their health on a daily or even weekly basis, it is important to understand what they do when their attention is focused on a health question.
On State of the Union Week, It’s All About Obama
Coverage of the President’s prime-time speech and assessments of his stewardship in office dominated the news agenda last week. Meanwhile, news about the economy, events in Haiti and trouble for Toyota filled out the roster of top stories. And attention to one of the week’s top newsmakers varied dramatically on cable news.
Inviting Centrists to the Tea Party
The Tea Party movement may well attract more supporters as it becomes better known although divisions among Republicans and independents' wariness of political extremes may limit its growth.
Olympics Bridge Gender Divide In Sports Interest
This month's Winter Olympics will be a rare sporting event in at least one respect: As many women as men say they are especially looking forward to the winter games.
Senate Legislative Process A Mystery To Many
Overview The public has consistently expressed strong interest in the health care debate, but relatively few Americans can correctly answer two key questions related to the Senate’s consideration of health care legislation. In the latest installment of the Pew Research Center’s News IQ Quiz, just 32% know that the Senate passed its version of the […]
It’s All About Jobs, Except When It’s Not
A look at the connection between the rise and fall of joblessness and the political fortunes of past presidents in the modern era is instructive although the lessons to be drawn are far from crystal clear. Thus far, only Ronald Reagan’s ratings in his first term have borne as close a connection as have Obama’s to changes in the unemployment rate.
A Brief History of Religion and the U.S. Census
Note: For a more recent overview of the Census Bureau’s history of asking about religion, read this April 2023 article. The U.S. Census Bureau has not asked questions about religion since the 1950s, but the federal government did gather some information about religion for about a century before that. Starting in 1850, census takers began […]
Public’s Priorities for 2010: Economy, Jobs, Terrorism
Summary of Findings As Barack Obama begins his second year in office, the public’s priorities for the president and Congress remain much as they were one year ago. Strengthening the nation’s economy and improving the job situation continue to top the list. And, in the wake of the failed Christmas Day terrorist attack on a […]
Race and the Census: The "Negro" Controversy
The topic of racial identification on census forms has a long, fascinating history, which has generated fresh debate as the 2010 Census begins.
Michelle Obama’s Strong Personal Image
The first lady is more popular than either her husband or her two immediate predecessors.
