USA http://www.gallup.com/ http://backend.userland.com/rss Gallup WebTeam Barack Obama’s recent job approval ratings have hovered around 60%. Since they remain above the historical average of 55% approval, he is arguably still in the honeymoon phase of his presidency. Recent presidents have averaged just seven months above this benchmark, much less than those from 1945-1974. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121391/Obama-Honeymoon-Continues-Months-Recent-Average.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT Eighty-three percent of Americans say that the security measures put in place after Sept. 11 that were aimed at preventing terrorist attacks are generally still needed and 14% say many could be dropped. http://www.gallup.com/video/121382/Say-Post-Security-Measures-Needed.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:15:00 GMT Americans’ level of worry about terrorism is near a five-year low -- with 36% saying they are very or somewhat worried that they or a family member will become a victim. However, 83% think the security measures put in place after 9/11 are still needed. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121379/Americans-Worry-Terrorism-Nears-Year-Low.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:00:00 GMT A majority of Americans (58%) expect security in Iraq to worsen now that U.S. forces are leaving major cities and towns there and turning security over to the Iraqis. However, only 27% say security will get a lot worse. Most doubt the U.S. will fully withdraw, as agreed upon, by the end of 2011. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121376/Americans-Expect-Security-Iraq-Worsen-Pullout.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT Amid debate about the Obama administration’s reaction to Iran’s election dispute, Gallup polling reveals past skepticism among Iranians about the United States’ willingness to allow people in their region to fashion their own political future as they see fit. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121370/Iranians-Doubted-Commitment-Democracy.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index finds more Americans “thriving” than “struggling” for the past three months. The 51% who were thriving in June is greater than the 44% who were thriving at this time last year. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121373/Thriving-Eclipses-Struggling-Third-Straight-Month.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:15:00 GMT The Gallup Index of Investor Optimism, a broad measure of investor perceptions, dropped to -21 in June, down from -1 in May. http://www.gallup.com/video/121322/Investor-Optimism-Dissipates.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT The Gallup Index of Investor Optimism -- a broad measure of investor perceptions -- tumbled 20 points to -21 in June 25-27 polling, giving up May’s gain and essentially returning to its April level. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121319/Investor-Optimism-Tumbles-June.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT Forty-two percent of Americans say the political views of the Democratic Party are "about right," more than the 34% who say the same about the Republican Party. http://www.gallup.com/video/121313/Republican-Democratic-Parties-Seen-Extreme.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:15:00 GMT Currently, 46% of Americans say the Democratic Party is “too liberal,” up from 39% last year and slightly more than the 43% who say the Republican Party is “too conservative.” Still, more Americans say the Democrats’ views are “about right” (42%) than say this about the Republicans (34%). http://www.gallup.com/poll/121307/More-Americans-See-Democratic-Party-Too-Liberal.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:45:00 GMT Gallup Poll Editor in Chief Frank Newport talks in depth about this week's data from Gallup’s core economic indicators, including job loss and job creation, spending, and consumer mood. http://www.gallup.com/video/121295/Weekly-Economic-Insights-Spending-Less-Taking-Hold.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT While the percentage of Americans saying the economy is getting better is up 25 percentage points from a year ago, job creation is down 14 points and consumer spending is down 40%. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121298/Weekly-Economic-Wrap-No-Improvement-Spending.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT A Gallup Poll Daily tracking aggregate from June finds 88% of Americans agreeing with the statement that "You are watching your spending very closely” and 71% saying that they are cutting back on how much money they spend each week. http://www.gallup.com/video/121292/Spending.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:15:00 GMT While 71% of Americans say they are cutting back on their spending, a much smaller 21% say they worried “yesterday” about their spending, and 78% say they have enough money to buy the things they need. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121289/Spending-Cutbacks-Common-Daily-Money-Worries-Less.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:15:00 GMT Among the nearly two-thirds of Americans who say they drink alcoholic beverages, 40% say they most often drink beer, 34% say wine, and 21% choose liquor. http://www.gallup.com/video/121274/Beer-Edges-Wine-Liquor-Drink-Choice.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT Despite some talk that the recession could be changing Americans’ drinking patterns, Gallup finds no real shift in the prevalence of drinking alcohol among U.S. adults (now 64%) or in how much Americans say they drink. Beer beats out wine, 40% to 34%, as drinkers’ preferred beverage. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121277/Drinking-Habits-Steady-Amid-Recession.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT With the U.S. Postal Service billions of dollars in the red, 66% of Americans give the green light to dropping mail delivery from six days a week to five -- just one of many proposed fixes. However, 6 in 10 oppose raising stamp prices and nearly 9 in 10 object to closing their local post office. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121268/Americans-Fewer-Mail-Days-Fix-Postal-Budget.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:00:00 GMT There are sharp differences in the way Democrats and Republicans view economic issues facing the country today; Republicans are much more likely to worry about taxes and federal control of business, while Democrats worry more about health insurance and unemployment. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121262/Sharp-Differences-Partisan-Views-Economic-Problems.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT Topping a list of 12 economic issues, Americans say they are the most worried about the rising unemployment rate and the increasing cost of healthcare, at 87% and 85%, respectively. http://www.gallup.com/video/121259/Unemployment-Tops-List-Americans-Economic-Concerns.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT With 58% of Americans saying they expect higher inflation rates over the next six months and 57% expecting increased unemployment, the public may be anticipating stagflation. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121256/Expect-Rise-Unemployment-Inflation.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:00:00 GMT In working to thaw U.S. relations with Syria, the Obama administration has considerable anti-American sentiment to overcome. In March 2009, 64% of Syrians expressed an unfavorable view of the United States and 71% disapproved of U.S. leadership. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121250/Ambassador-Syria-Face-Negative-Views.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:00:00 GMT A recent Gallup Poll finds 92% of Americans agreeing that having an extramarital affair, such as the ones South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and Nevada Sen. John Ensign have confessed to, is morally wrong -- making it the most objectionable of any issue tested. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121253/Extramarital-Affairs-Sanford-Morally-Taboo.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT Two-thirds of Americans (65%), when asked in an open-ended fashion, continue to name economic problems as the most important problem facing the country -- but this number has steadily declined from 86% in February. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121229/Economy-Trumps-Declines-Further-Top-Problem.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:15:00 GMT Twenty-two percent of Americans have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in banks, down from 32% who said the same at this time last year. Americans' confidence in the military, however, is up; 82% say they have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence compared to 71% who said the same last year. http://www.gallup.com/video/121217/Americans-Lose-Confidence-Big-Business.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT At 82%, public confidence in the U.S. military is up 11 points from a year ago, and is the highest since the start of the Iraq war in 2003. Confidence in the presidency is up even more sharply -- reflecting public support for President Obama. Confidence in banks is down sharply. http://www.gallup.com/poll/121214/Americans-Confidence-Military-Banks-Down.aspx?CSTS=tagrss Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT