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Politics & Policy

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    Strong Support for Minimum Wage Hike and Preserving Entitlements

    Report Summary While the Contract for America is getting all the play in Washington these days, there is still a lot of New Deal thinking in the rest of the country. No fewer than 79% of respondents in the latest Times Mirror Center survey say they approve of Bill Clinton’s proposal to increase the minimum […]

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    Public Gives Press “C” Grade For Campaign Coverage

    Report Summary With few exceptions, American voters were not very pleased with the way the press covered the fall election campaign. Exit surveys, which questioned over 20,000 voters as they left the polling booth, found the media getting average or below average grades for its work on the midterm elections. Fewer than half of respondents […]

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    Democratic Congressional Prospects Worsen

    Report Summary A majority of Americans say they are inclined to vote for a Republican congressional candidate this fall. If they act on their intentions, it will be the first time in modern political history that the GOP carries the popular vote.

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    Gloomy Doctors and “Scared Public” Spurn Clinton Plan But Favor Reform Principles

    Summary of Findings Over the past 12 months Americans and their physicians have been frightened by the health care reform debate, and have soured on the “Clinton plan”. But both the public and medical doctors continue to strongly support universal coverage as the core element of the changes they seek in the nation’s health care […]

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    Economic Recovery Has Little Impact on American Mood

    Report Summary Despite signs of an economic turn around, Americans remain highly dissatisfied with the state of the nation, financially burdened and fearful about their futures. From an economic point of view, continued discontent with earning power of American jobs is inhibiting celebration of the economic recovery. From a political one, preoccupation with Whitewater is […]

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    Whitewater Weighs Down Clinton in Public’s Eyes

    Report Summary The Whitewater scandal is sapping public confidence in Bill Clinton. Almost as many Americans now disapprove, as approve of the way the President is handling his job, and there is a growing belief that the Whitewater case is disrupting the government’s ability to deal with major policy issues such as crime, healthcare reform, […]

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    Public Backs Clinton on Gun Control

    Report Summary As concern about crime has supplanted the recession as the public’s single greatest worry, Americans express strong support for Bill Clinton’s efforts to control the use of handguns. Most also say they would like to see the President challenge the National Rifle Association, which a growing number of Americans feel has too much […]

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    Clinton Successes Repair Image

    Report Summary As his first year in office comes to a close, Bill Clinton has significantly repaired his personal image. Although his approval ratings have yet to reach the 50% mark, Americans have a vastly improved impression of the President’s ability to accomplish his goals than they had earlier in the year.

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    America Divides Over Asia

    Report Summary As with NAFTA, American opinion leaders and the American public have conflicting views about Asia. A plurality of opinion leaders believe Asia is now more important to the United States than Europe, a recent survey found, while the public (by a 50% to 31% margin) continues to see Europe as most important. The […]

Signature Reports

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Americans’ Dismal Views of the Nation’s Politics

Americans’ views of politics and elected officials are unrelentingly negative, with little hope of improvement on the horizon. 65% of Americans say they always or often feel exhausted when thinking about politics. By contrast, just 10% say they always or often feel hopeful about politics.

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Beyond Red vs. Blue: The Political Typology

Pew Research Center’s political typology provides a roadmap to today’s fractured political landscape. It organizes the public into nine distinct groups, based on an analysis of their attitudes and values. Even in a polarized era, the 2021 survey reveals deep divisions in both partisan coalitions.