Political Issues

Introduction and Summary As religion plays a more prominent role in public life, sharp divisions of opinion about the mixing of church and state are apparent. Most notably, while the public expresses strong support for the idea of faith-based groups receiving government funding to provide social services, in practice, it has many reservations. Most Americans […]

Introduction and Summary The nation’s drug war is viewed as a failure by most Americans, and there is scant hope it will ever succeed. Nearly three-quarters of Americans say we are losing the drug war, and just as many say that insatiable demand will perpetuate the nation’s drug habit. Yet this deep sense of futility […]

Introduction and Summary The public’s view of George W. Bush’s first month in office is remarkably unremarkable. Despite the extraordinary path he took to the White House, Americans are reacting to Bush in much the same way they responded to his predecessors. Bush’s modest February job approval rating (53%) is comparable to ratings accorded Bill […]

National Press Club Washington, D.C. Discussants: John DiIulio, White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Richard Foltin, American Jewish Committee Senator Rick Santorum,(R-PA) Representative Bobby Scott, (D-VA) Jim Wallis, Call to Renewal Moderated by: E.J. Dionne, Jr., Senior Fellow, the Brookings Institution and Co-Chair, The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life See press […]

Introduction and Summary As the country awaits the formal transfer of presidential power, Bill Clinton has never looked better to the American public, while his successor George W. Bush is receiving initial reviews that are more mixed, though still positive. The president leaves office with 61% of the public approving of the way he is […]

Washington, D.C. Data presented by: Deborah Wadsworth, President, Public Agenda Steve Farkas, Director of Research and Senior Vice President, Public Agenda Respondents: Andrew Kohut, Director, Pew Research Center for the People and the Press Rev. Eugene F. Rivers, 3d, Co-Chair, National TenPoint Leadership Foundation Michael J. Sandel, Professor of Government, Harvard University Matthew Spalding, Director, […]

A great many of the fifty-two million "health seekers" say the resources they find on the Web have a direct effect on the decisions they make about their health care and on their interactions with doctors.

Los Angeles, California Panel E.J. Dionne, The Brookings Institution Melissa Rogers, Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs Cal Thomas, syndicated columnist Jim Wallis, Sojourner’s Magazine Steve Waldman, Beliefnet E.J. DIONNE, JR. Thank you all for coming. For me, this is a great reunion. An old and very dear friend of mine who teaches at USC, […]

Introduction and Summary A year after the massacre at Colorado’s Columbine High School, the vast majority of the public believes it is the responsibility of parents to ensure that such tragedies are not repeated. In fact, a plurality identifies poor parenting — not peer pressure or violence in the media — as the primary cause […]

Introduction and Summary A year after the United States launched military operations in the Balkans, the public has more doubts about the efforts of the U.S. and its NATO allies to bring peace to Kosovo. Americans are also wary of possible military action against China, with a solid majority opposed to using force to defend […]