Jul 09, 2019

John S. and James L. Knight Foundation;

This report examines trust in media, showing that many young adults use news media to make decisions on policies and voting. It reveals that a majority of young adults are concerned about the impact of news on democracy and unity in the country, expressing that news organizations might divide and polarize citizens. Conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, the report analyzes the findings of a survey of 1,660 adults between the ages of 18 and 34. It also surveyed large samples of African American and Hispanic participants to explore beliefs and behaviors across races and ethnicities. The study shows that young people believe some news sources are actively hurting democracy and corroding national unity. Sixty-four percent of young adults say their least-liked news source hurts democracy and 73 percent say their least-liked news source divides the country. Only 47 percent say their favorite news source helps unite it. When comparing partisan attitudes, 51 percent of Democrats say their favorite source unites the public, while 42 percent of Republicans say the same. 

Nov 17, 2019

Gallup, Inc.; John S. and James L. Knight Foundation;

A crisis faces local newsrooms across the nation. News publishers have, for over a decade, competed with search engines and digital platforms, not only for their readers' attention, but also for advertising revenue. At the same time, we have seen decades of growing distrust and partisan antipathy toward institutions of all kinds, including journalism. Local newspapers are especially vulnerable to these trends. As a result, there have been waves of consolidation, often resulting in fewer newsroom jobs. Particularly controversial have been acquisitions of newspapers by private equity investors, often followed by debate about how the newsroom is managed by its new ownership.This Gallup/Knight Foundation study seeks to better understand whether Americans care about the fate of local news organizations, what they value about these organizations and what could be done to make more of these organizations financially sustainable. The results are sobering, but they also point toward potential solutions for addressing some of the economic challenges facing many local news organizations.

Sep 13, 2019

Center for High Impact Philanthropy at University of Pennsylvania;

Multiple surveys over the past decade have revealed a trend of declining confidence in democracy among Americans. While many factors contribute to this growing sense that democracy is weakening, there are practical and thoughtful efforts underway to reverse these sentiments. The Center for High Impact Philanthropy's "We the People: A Philanthropic Guide to Strengthening Democracy" creates a framework for anyone looking to strengthen the democratic system.To assist donors who are ready to act immediately, CHIP has published a supplement, "We the People: Nonprofits Making an Impact to Strengthen Democracy," highlighting initiatives and organizations that are strengthening democracy through civic engagement and local media.

Mar 22, 2019

Hidden Tribes; More in Common;

This report lays out the findings of a large-scale national survey of Americans about the current state of civic life in the United States. It provides substantial evidence of deep polarization and growing tribalism. It shows that this polarization is rooted in something deeper than political opinions and disagreements over policy. But it also provides some evidence for optimism, showing that 77 percent of Americans believe our differences are not so great that we cannot come together.

Feb 19, 2020

Bendixen & Amandi International; John S. and James L. Knight Foundation;

In 2016, nearly 100 million eligible Americans did not cast a vote for president, representing 43% of the eligible voting-age population. They represent a sizeable minority whose voice is not heard in our representative democracy. Most of our attention, in politics and in research, tends to fall almost exclusively on "likely" voters perceived to make the most difference in the outcome. As a result, relatively little is known about those with a history of non-voting. Yet their non-participation is a key feature of our democracy, and raises important questions about the basic health of a participatory society.To help understand this large segment of the population, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation commissioned Bendixen & Amandi International to develop a comprehensive study of those who do not vote. This study surveyed 12,000 chronic non-voters nationally and in 10 swing states, soliciting their views, attitudes and behaviors on a wide range of topics. For comparison purposes, a group of 1,000 active voters who consistently participate in national elections and a group of 1,000 young eligible voters (18-24 years old) were also surveyed. Findings were further explored through in-depth conversations with non-voters in focus groups held around the country.

May 23, 2018

Heritage Foundation;

America's current debt problem is the result of too much spending, not too little taxation. Mandatory or "auto-pilot" spending accounts for two-thirds of the federal budget. The Congressional Budget Office projects that by 2039 federal spending on Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and interest on the debt will outpace all revenues. The longer Congress waits to address reforms to these programs, the worse the fiscal situation will become. Social Security cannot be reformed through reconciliation, but all other mandatory programs can be. Congress should use reconciliation to begin reforming these programs now.

Feb 12, 2018

Center for American Progress;

To understand risks to our election systems and plan for the future, it is necessary to identify existing vulnerabilities in election infrastructure so we can properly assess where resources should be allocated and establish preventative measures and strategies. Only through understanding the terrain can the nation rise to the challenge of preventing voting machine malfunction and defending America's elections from adversarial attempts to undermine our election infrastructure. In August 2017, the Center for American Progress released a report entitled "9 Solutions for Securing America's Elections," laying out nine vulnerabilities in election infrastructure and solutions to help improve election security in time for the 2018 and 2020 elections.15 This report builds on that analysis to provide an overview of election security and preparedness in each state, looking specifically at state requirements and practices related to:Minimum cybersecurity standards for voter registration systemsVoter-verified paper ballotsPost-election audits that test election resultsBallot accounting and reconciliationReturn of voted paper absentee ballotsVoting machine certification requirementsPre-election logic and accuracy testingThis report provides an overview of state compliance with baseline standards to protect their elections from hacking and machine malfunction. Some experts may contend that additional standards, beyond those mentioned here, should be required of states to improve election security. The chief purpose of this report