NPR
5/21
What It's Like To
Be Sick In America
In the lull
between the Supreme Court arguments over the federal health overhaul law
and the decision expected in June, we thought we'd ask Americans who
actually use the health system quite a bit how they view the quality of
care and its cost. … 3 of 4 people who were sick said cost is a very
serious problem, and half said quality is a very serious problem. ...
Gallup
5/21
Obama, Romney Each
Has Economic Strengths
Americans see the cost of healthcare, the federal budget deficit, and
unemployment as the most important economic issues facing the country
today, according to a new USA Today/Gallup poll asking them to rate the
importance of 10 such issues. ... Americans prefer President Obama over
Mitt Romney for handling healthcare, while Romney is favored on the
deficit and the two are about tied on unemployment. ...
New York Times: Catherine Rampell
5/19
The Beginning of
the End of the Census?
The American
Community Survey may be the most important government function you've
never heard of, and it's in trouble. ... But last week, the Republican-led
House voted to eliminate the survey altogether, on the grounds that the
government should not be butting its nose into Americans' homes. ...
National Journal: Steven Shepard
5/18
Researcher
Examines Variation of the 'Bradley Effect'
During the 2008
presidential campaign, analysts warned that then-Sen. Barack Obama's lead
might be overstated by the polls as a result of the so-called "Bradley
Effect" -- the social-desirability bias that occurs when white voters lie
to pollsters about their intention to vote for a minority candidate. But a
new research paper points to another element of such bias: In 2008, poll
respondents were more likely to say they would vote for Obama if the
person conducting the interview was African-American. ...
Pew 5/18
A Global 'No' To a
Nuclear-Armed Iran
A 21-nation Pew
Global Attitudes survey finds widespread opposition to Iran obtaining
nuclear weapons. And in most countries, there is majority support among
opponents of a nuclear-armed Iran for international economic sanctions to
try to stop Tehran's weapons program. ...
Gallup 5/18
In Presidential
Election, Age Is Factor Only Among Whites
Barack Obama
maintains a substantial edge over Mitt Romney among voters younger than
age 40, while Romney wins among those 40 and older. ...
The Herald: Shawn Cetrone
5/17
Ex-S.C. GOP
official asks for Winthrop's polling records
After Republican
criticism of Winthrop University’s widely published surveys of public
opinion, a former state GOP official has asked the school to turn over all
records related to the last three Winthrop Polls, including respondents'
identities. ...
TIPP Online 5/17
Obama Maintains
3-Point Advantage
In the latest Investor's Business Daily/Christian Science Monitor/TIPP
Poll conducted after President Obama announced his support for gay
marriage, the President continues to maintain a 3-point lead over Governor
Romney. ...
Mark Mellman 5/16
A poll question I
hate
I hate questions
asking whether people are "more or less likely to vote" for a candidate
based on some factor. I admit to using them, but rarely, and under some
form of duress. ...
David Hill 5/16
Obama is crazy for
his base
As a pollster and
political consultant, even for the other political party, it's easy for me
-- in a perverse sort of way -- to admire President Obama's all-in bid to
recapture the affections of his liberal Democratic base voter. ...
Gallup 5/16
National Mood a
Drag on Obama's Re-Election Prospects
Some six months
before voters head to the polls to choose the next president of the United
States, Gallup finds several indicators of the economic and political
climate holding steady at levels that could be troublesome for President
Barack Obama. ...
Chicago Tribune
5/15
Chicagoans like
Emanuel's job performance
Chicagoans
generally approve of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's job performance but are taking a
wait-and-see attitude on whether he's making the city a better place to
live, a new Tribune/WGN-TV poll shows. ...
Pew 5/15
Assessing the
Representativeness of Opinion Surveys
... A new study
by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press finds that, despite
declining response rates, telephone surveys that include landlines and
cell phones and are weighted to match the demographic composition of the
population continue to provide accurate data on most political, social and
economic measures. ...
Washington Post: Jon Cohen
5/15
Voters split on
Obama's gay marriage announcement
Voters divide
straight down the middle on President Obama's recent statement that he
supports allowing gays and lesbians to get married, according to a new
Washington Post-ABC News poll. As with the issue itself, views of the
president's major announcement last week are closely related to
partisanship, education and age, with Democrats, more highly educated and
younger adults generally supportive of Obama's move. ...