Key Data Trends
Frequently asked Pew survey questions and data.
Presidential Approval: 22%
A late October survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press finds the proportion of Americans who disapprove of Bush's job performance has hit a new high in a Pew survey (70%) with only 22% now approving of the way Bush is handling his job as president. His approval rating has fallen 9 points this year; it was 31% in a January survey. Disapproval of Bush has carried over to his party; more voters now have an unfavorable view of the GOP (50%) than a favorable opinion (40%).
Last Updated: 30 Oct 08
National Satisfaction: 11%
Only 11% of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the country today; the lowest level of satisfaction ever measured by a Pew Research Center survey. An overwhelming 86% are dissatisfied with the way things are going in the country. In the middle of the financial crisis, the percentage saying they are satisfied has dropped 14 percentage points in the past month.
Last Updated: 15 Oct 08
Iraq War Wrong Decision: 50%
While opinion about how the Iraq war is going is now more positive than it has been since the summer of 2004, there has only been modest improvement in how the public views the original decision to go to war. Only 43% now say it was the right decision while half of the public (50%) call it the wrong decision. The proportion calling the war the right decision has increased slightly from 39% in June. Not since February 2006, when 51% said the war was the right decision, has a majority expressed a positive view of the original decision to go to war.
Last Updated: 25 Sep 08
Iraq War: Bring Troops Home?: 50%
More Americans now say the war in Iraq is going well and an increasing percentage say that the U.S. will succeed in achieving its goals, yet the half the public still says that American forces should leave as soon as possible (50%), while 45% say forces should stay until the situation has stabilized. The last time that a majority of Americans supported keeping U.S. forces in Iraq was in September 2005 when 51% favored that policy.
Last Updated: 25 Sep 08
Home Broadband Adoption: 55%
Some 55% of adult Americans now have broadband internet connections at home, up from 47% who had high-speed access at home last year at this time. With growth in broadband, just 10% of Americans now have dial-up internet connections at home. The percentage of Americans with high-speed internet connections at home topped 50% for the first time in September 2007. Between March 2006 and March 2007, home broadband adoption grew from 42% of Americans to 47%. Between March 2007 and April 2008 broadband adoption rose at a 17% rate; this compares with a 12% growth rate from March 2006 to March 2007.
Last Updated: 1 May 08
Internet Penetration: 73%
Seven-in-ten Americans (73%) are internet users, almost 60 points more than were online in 1995 when only 14% of the country used the internet. The roughly one-quarter (27%) of adult Americans who do not use the internet tend to be older (the median age is 61) and have lower-incomes than online users (non-internet users are more than twice as likely as users to live in low-income households). Some 18% of non-internet users have used the internet in the past, but just 10% of non-internet users say they would be interested in joining the ranks of online users.
Last Updated: 1 May 08
Democratic Party Favorability: 51%
Despite growing dissatisfaction with the performance of Democratic Congressional leaders, the Democratic Party's overall image has suffered only slightly over the past six months. Slightly more than half (51%) views the party favorably, while 41% holds an unfavorable opinion. In January, the margin was 54% favorable and 35% unfavorable. And the Democratic Party's image remains substantially stronger than the Republican Party's, which has slipped since the start of the year. Currently, a 53% majority holds an unfavorable opinion of the GOP, up from 48% in January.
Last Updated: 25 Jul 07
Republican Party Favorability: 39%
Only 39% of individuals surveyed by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press in July said they held a favorable opinion of the Republican Party. The Republican Party's image has slipped since the start of the year. Currently, a 53% majority holds an unfavorable opinion of the GOP, up from 48% in January.
Last Updated: 25 Jul 07
