Voters Grow Pessimistic Again About Afghanistan, Iraq
With troop withdrawals from Afghanistan scheduled to begin next month, the brief burst of optimism about the war there following the killing of Osama bin Laden appears to be over.
Current Events
Most Recent Releases
June 10, 2011
June 6, 2011
54% Favor Repeal of Health Care Law, 56% Say Law Will Increase Deficit
Voters continue to favor repeal of the national health care law passed last year and believe the legislation will increase the federal deficit.
June 1, 2011
65% Say Those Who Hire Illegal Immigrants Bigger Problem Than Immigrants Themselves
When it comes to illegal immigration, voters see the job as more to blame than the job applicant.
May 31, 2011
61% Favor A State Law That Would Shut Down Repeat Offenders Who Hire Illegal Immigrants
The U.S. Supreme Court late last week upheld the legality of an Arizona law cracking down on employers who hire illegal immigrants, and most voters support having a similar law in their own state.
May 30, 2011
51% Favor Repeal of Health Care Law, 47% Say Measure Bad for the Country
The national health care law is still viewed as bad for the country by nearly half of U.S. voters, and most continue to favor repeal of the controversial measure.
May 27, 2011
53% Say Politics Involved in Government Response to Specific Disasters
While voters recognize the importance of the federal government’s role in disaster relief, many believe the response to a particular disaster may be politically motivated. There is also little confidence the government does a good job making sure relief money is distributed to all areas of need.
May 26, 2011
49% Consider Themselves Pro-Choice, 41% Pro-Life
A plurality of voters considers themselves pro-choice on the issue of abortion, but most still consider abortion morally unjust most of the time.
May 24, 2011
63% Say Japanese Earthquake Will Hurt U.S. Economy
Less than two months after Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami, Americans remain strongly concerned that the disaster will hurt the U.S. economy, although the number concerned has fallen slightly from last month.
May 23, 2011
Support for Phasing Out U.S. Nuclear Plants Down to 29%
Japan continues to deal with the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in March that caused an historic-level nuclear disaster. With problems continuing at the Fukushima nuclear plant, Americans remain concerned about nuclear power plant safety at home but aren’t quite ready to phase out those plants just yet.
May 23, 2011
51% Favor Repeal of Health Care Law, 42% Think Repeal Is Likely
Most voters still want to repeal the national health care law but are now evenly divided over the likelihood of the controversial measure actually being repealed.
May 20, 2011
12% Say U.S. Should Help Defend Cuba If It's Attacked
Treaties signed over the years sometimes make strange bedfellows, and surprisingly one such regional treaty puts the United States in the position of helping Fidel Castro’s Cuba if it gets in a jam.
May 20, 2011
60% Say Federal Government Encourages Illegal Immigration
Most voters continue to believe that the federal government’s policies encourage illegal immigration but remain closely divided over whether it's better to let the federal government or individual states enforce immigration laws.
May 20, 2011
71% Say Middle East Peace Agreement Must Recognize Israel’s Right to Exist
Voters continue to believe strongly that a Middle East peace treaty must include an acknowledgement by Palestinians of Israel’s right to exist, but there’s very little confidence that there ever will be peace between Israelis and Arabs.
May 19, 2011
64% Still Put Border Security Ahead of Legalizing Illegals Already Here
Voters aren’t convinced the U.S. border with Mexico is secure, and they still put that goal far ahead of legalizing illegal immigrants already in the country. A majority of voters also continue to favor a welcoming immigration policy.
May 19, 2011
55% Think Arab World Protests Make Israel Less Safe
Most voters think the growing political unrest in the Arab world is putting Israel further at risk.
May 16, 2011
55% Favor Repeal of Health Care Law, 53% Believe It Will Increase Deficit
A majority of voters continue to support repeal of the national health care law and believe it will increase the federal deficit.
May 16, 2011
Only 35% Say It’s Possible To End Illegal Immigration
Voters are more pessimistic than ever about the possibility of stopping illegal immigration for good in the United States.
May 13, 2011
51% Blame Extreme Weather on Long-Term Planetary Trends, 19% Blame Human Activity
U.S. meteorologists say the deadly storms tearing up the South are not a result of climate change. None the less, the extreme weather has rekindled the global warming debate in Washington, D.C.
May 13, 2011
Only 30% Say U.S.-Mexico Border Secure, 64% Say It’s Not
President Obama on Tuesday encouraged Congress to move forward on immigration reform, saying his administration has “strengthened border security beyond what many believed was possible.” But most voters don’t share the president’s view.
May 10, 2011
59% Favor Cutoff of Federal Funds to Sanctuary Cities
New legislation being considered by the House would stop all federal funding for cities that give sanctuary to illegal immigrants, and most voters like the idea. But very few believe Congress is likely to pass such a measure.
