Politics & Government

Osama bin Laden’s Death: One Year Later

[05.01.2012]

The one-year anniversary of Osama bin Laden has prompted a fierce political skirmish about whether it is within the bounds of decency for President Obama to tout the terrorist mastermind’s death. But it’s also worth taking a moment to look back on Americans’ reactions to the news of the notorious terrorist’s death. Last May, a PRRI/RNS Religion News Survey took the nation’s pulse on the issue just days after bin… more

New Resource | Religion & Politics

[05.01.2012]

Today, the John C. Danforth Center at Washington University in St. Louis is launching Religion & Politics, a new online journal that focuses on the role religion plays in the civic and political life of the United States. In her introductory note, the editor, Dr. Marie Griffith, sets forth an ambitious but worthy goal. Religion, she observes, “has always been entwined in American politics.” As the country ages, burgeoning religious… more

Exploring Religious Americans’ Divided Opinions on Obamacare

[03.26.2012]

This week, the Supreme Court will be the focus of intense scrutiny as oral arguments about the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (or “Obamacare,” as even the Obama campaign now calls it) unfold. Americans lined up for hours, some camping overnight, for the opportunity to watch the arguments. A number of protesters milled around, some accompanied by a brass band. One thing is for sure: even if the Supreme… more

Are Politicians Talking too Much about Religion?

[03.22.2012]

According to a new Pew Research Center survey, 38% of Americans believe that there is too much expression of religious faith and prayer from political leaders, compared to 30% who say there has been too little and 25% who say that there has been the right amount. Since Pew asked the question in 2001, there has been a 26-point increase in the percentage of people who believe there is too much expression… more

New PRRI/RNS Poll: Religious Liberty and the Contraception Mandate Debate

[03.15.2012]

In our February Religion & Politics Tracking Survey, we found that a majority (55%) of Americans agree that employers should be required to provide their employees with health care plans that cover contraception and birth control at no cost. Probing deeper into Americans’ feelings on this issue, we asked in our March PRRI/RNS Religious News Survey about what types of employers should be required to provide contraception coverage to their employees at no cost…. more

Understanding the Nuances of Catholics’ Perspectives on the Contraception Mandate

[02.09.2012]

PRRI’s February Religion & Politics Tracking Survey has been in the news quite a bit recently, given the ongoing controversy around whether religiously affiliated hospitals, colleges and social agencies should be required to provide birth control at no cost to their employees through their health insurance plans. This is a complicated issue, and most of the coverage of the poll has focused on a question that asked respondents about the… more

Compromising on Contraceptive Coverage Could Land Obama in Hot Water With Young Women

[02.09.2012]

Rumors are flying fast and furious that the Obama administration, pelted by blows from the Catholic Church and Republicans over its regulation requiring religiously affiliated colleges, hospitals and charities to provide employees with no-co-pay birth control, could be poised to back into a compromise. The impetus for such a concession seems to be the fear that Catholic voters, a group crucial to Obama’s reelection effort, may abandon him over this… more

Our Corner | Talking Religion & Politics on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal

[02.02.2012]

On the morning of the National Prayer Breakfast, our CEO, Dr. Robert P. Jones, went on C-SPAN’s popular morning program, “The Washington Journal,” to discuss major religious groups’ influence on elections, with a particular emphasis on the issues that are already circulating in the 2012 presidential campaign. He took questions from the audience in addition to discussing PRRI findings with the host, and delved into topics like the current debates… more

The State of the Union, By the Numbers

[01.26.2012]

In his State of the Union address, one of the last opportunities for President Barack Obama to address a large segment of the American public before they go to the polls in November, Obama dedicated almost all of his time to a subject that divides the country: the American Dream. Declaring that the “defining issue of our time” is how to keep the promise of the American Dream alive, he… more

SuperPACs Could Take Negative Campaigning to Unprecedented Levels

[01.24.2012]

In last night’s Republican debate, tensions were running high between the two front-runners, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, as Romney adopted a more pugnacious style. Romney shifted his focus away from Obama and went after Gingrich with guns ablazin’, calling him an “influence peddler” and a “disgrace.” Romney and Gingrich have been trading jabs, in the debates and in television ads through the first three primary states, since the campaign… more