President Obama on Sunday, in an address to the nation about the recent shooting massacre in San Bernardino, California, described the incident as terrorism but also said it highlighted the need for more gun control. Voters place far more importance on the terrorism aspect in this case, but they are slightly more supportive of a federal database listing all gun owners in the country.
Following the first major attack by radical Islamic terrorists on American soil in several years, President Obama sought to reassure Americans in a speech to the nation Sunday night that the federal government has things under control. He outlined the measures being taken to fight the radical Islamic State group (ISIS), called for more gun control and cautioned against anti-Muslim bias.
When the President of the United States asks the television networks to set aside time for him to broadcast a speech from the Oval Office, we can usually expect that he has something new to say. But President Obama's speech Sunday night was just a rehash of what he has been saying all along, trying to justify policies that have repeatedly turned out disastrously for America and our allies.
The Republican Party certainly has its problems: a chaotic presidential race; a despised congressional party; unpopularity among the rapidly growing number of non-whites.
In Sunday's first-round of regional elections in France, the clear and stunning winner was the National Front of Marine Le Pen.
Her party rolled up 30 percent of the vote, and came in first in 6 of 13 regions. Marine herself won 40 percent of her northeast district.
Most believe the gun policies of the National Rifle Association make this country safer, perhaps in part because Americans tend to think more gun control will only hurt law-abiding citizens.
Confidence in the direction of the country has fallen back again during the week of the terrorist mass shooting in San Bernadino, California.
Some have suggested the presence of more Americans with concealed carry gun permits will reduce the number of people killed in violent incidents in this country. Americans tend to think that’s true but aren’t strongly sold on the idea.
Following another week of high-profile mass murders, Americans are more convinced than ever that media coverage of such tragedies inspires others to commit violence.
When is terrorism not terrorism?
CEO Mark Zuckerberg promises to give 99 percent of his Facebook shares to charity -- eventually.
Donald Trump’s message still appears to resonate with Republican voters with his perceived chances to clinch the GOP presidential nomination up for the second straight survey. Belief among all voters that he will be the nominee is also up to its highest level since mid-October.
There are just eight-and-a-half weeks to go until the Iowa caucuses, with two of those weeks devoted to holidays during which polling is ordinarily not conducted, and the race for the Republican presidential nomination seems to be taking perceptible shape. And it continues to defy conventional wisdom.
Some politicians have charged that last week’s shootings at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado were politically motivated. Were the killings a domestic terrorist act? Americans say no.
As news of the San Bernardino jihadist shootings blared on airport TVs, I spotted a TSA monitor flashing the now ubiquitous message:
"If you SEE something, SAY something."
Congress never comes close to ranking on Americans’ list of favorites, and this month is no different.
All I want for Christmas is - my very own drone?
One-in-five American Adults (19%) say they or an immediate family member is at least somewhat likely to purchase an unmanned drone for personal use in the next year, including 11% who say they are Very Likely to do so. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 78% are unlikely to purchase a drone in the near future, with 56% who say that is Not At All Likely to happen.
Domestic Islamic terrorism or another random mass shooting? Authorities still aren’t sure or at least aren’t saying as the investigation in San Bernardino, California continues.
Republican presidential polling leader Donald Trump signed a pledge earlier this year agreeing to support the eventual GOP nominee, but that agreement is certainly not legally unenforceable. If Trump wants to run as a third-party or independent candidate, there’s nothing stopping him. Trump is aware of this: The weekend before Thanksgiving, he retreated to his pre-pledge position, saying that he needs to be “treated fairly” by the GOP in order to rule out an independent bid. Some senior Republicans naturally wonder if the only outcome Trump will regard as fair is his installation as the party nominee.
With increasing reports that terrorists regularly use the Internet to coordinate their actions, Americans think preventing potential criminal activity online is more important than maintaining complete Internet freedom, but they are sharply divided as to who should be doing the policing.
