Social media was by far the most popular news platform among 18 to 34-year-olds in the United States, with 47 percent of respondents to a survey held in August 2022 saying that they used social networks for news on a daily basis. By comparison, adults over 65 years old mostly used network news to keep up to date.

The decline of newspapers In the past, the reasons to regularly go out and purchase a print newspaper were many. Used not only for news but also apartment hunting, entertainment, and job searches (among other things), newspapers once served multiple purposes. This is no longer the case, with first television and then the internet taking care of consumer needs once covered by printed papers. Indeed, the paid circulation of daily weekday newspapers in the United States has fallen dramatically since the 1980s with no sign of future improvement.

News consumption habits

A survey on news consumption by gender found that 50 percent of women use either online-only news sites or social media for news each day, and 51 percent of male respondents said the same. Social media was by far the most used daily news platform among U.S. Millennials, and the same was true of Gen Z. One appeal of online news is that it often comes at no cost to the consumer. Paying for news found via digital outlets is not yet commonplace in the United States, with only 21 percent of U.S. consumers responding to a study held in early 2021 reporting having paid for online news content in the last year.

In April 2025, the news website with the most monthly visits in the United States was nytimes.com, with a total of ***** million monthly visits in that month. In second place was cnn.com with just over *** million visits, followed by foxnews.com with almost a ****** of a million. Online news consumption in the U.S. Americans get their news in a variety of ways, but social media is an increasingly popular option. A survey on social media news consumption revealed that ** percent of Twitter users regularly used the site for news, and Facebook and Reddit were also popular for news among their users. Interestingly though, social media is the least trusted news sources in the United States. News and trust Trust in news sources has become increasingly important to the American news consumer amidst the spread of fake news, and the public are more vocal about whether or not they have faith in a source to report news correctly. Ongoing discussions about the credibility, accuracy and bias of news networks, anchors, TV show hosts, and news media professionals mean that those looking to keep up to date tend to be more cautious than ever before. In general, news audiences are skeptical. In 2020, just **** percent of respondents to a survey investigating the perceived objectivity of the mass media reported having a great deal of trust in the media to report news fully, accurately, and fairly.

Social media is one of the go-to news sources in the United States – over one third of U.S. adults responding to a 2022 survey got their news from social media platforms every day, and a further 22 percent did so a few times or at least once per week. After the surge in social media news consumption in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, daily engagement fell in 2021, but the increase the following year suggests that daily news access on social networks could continue to grow in years to come.

The most popular social sites for news

An annual report surveying U.S. adults from 2019 to 2022 revealed that Facebook was the most popular social network used for news, followed by YouTube. Important to note here though is that TikTok was not included in the survey question for those years, a platform increasingly popular with younger generations. Whilst the share of adults regularly using TikTok for news aged 50 years or above was just five percent, among those aged between 18 and 29 years the figure was over five times higher.

Meanwhile, Twitter is journalists’ preferred social media site, with the share who use Twitter for their job at almost 70 percent. Since Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter however, some journalists raised concerns about the future of free speech on the platform.

Gen Z and social media news consumption

A 2022 survey found that half of all Gen Z respondents used social media for news every day. Gen Z is driving growth in social media news usage, a trend which will continue if the younger consumers belonging to this generation increase their engagement with news as they age.

Despite eroding consensus about credible political news sources, much of the public still trusts local media. We assess the emergence, sources and implications of the trust advantage local news holds over national media. We argue the public now uses a news outlet's local orientation as a shortcut to assess its credibility. In survey experiments, we find unfamiliar news outlets are trusted more when they have a local cue in their name. In surveys where people evaluate digital sources covering their community, this heuristic leads the public to trust unreliable information providers that signal a local focus more than high-quality sources that do not. Our findings position local media as unique, broadly trusted communicators while also illustrating a logic behind recent efforts to disseminate biased political information by packaging it as local news. More broadly, we show the challenges that arise when the public applies once-reliable heuristics in changing political circumstances.

A study held in 2025 revealed that ** percent of X (formerly known as Twitter) users regularly used X for news. By contrast, users of major platforms Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube were less inclined to get their news from those sites, though usage of TikTok for news increased to ** percent in 2025 compared to 2020, with the platform especially popular among younger audiences.

Techsalerator’s News Event Data in Latin America offers a detailed and extensive dataset designed to provide businesses, analysts, journalists, and researchers with an in-depth view of significant news events across the Latin American region. This dataset captures and categorizes key events reported from a wide array of news sources, including press releases, industry news sites, blogs, and PR platforms, offering valuable insights into regional developments, economic changes, political shifts, and cultural events.

Key Features of the Dataset: Comprehensive Coverage:

The dataset aggregates news events from numerous sources such as company press releases, industry news outlets, blogs, PR sites, and traditional news media. This broad coverage ensures a wide range of information from multiple reporting channels. Categorization of Events:

News events are categorized into various types including business and economic updates, political developments, technological advancements, legal and regulatory changes, and cultural events. This categorization helps users quickly locate and analyze information relevant to their interests or sectors. Real-Time Updates:

The dataset is updated regularly to include the most recent events, ensuring users have access to the latest news and can stay informed about current developments. Geographic Segmentation:

Events are tagged with their respective countries and regions within Latin America. This geographic segmentation allows users to filter and analyze news events based on specific locations, facilitating targeted research and analysis. Event Details:

Each event entry includes comprehensive details such as the date of occurrence, source of the news, a description of the event, and relevant keywords. This thorough detailing helps in understanding the context and significance of each event. Historical Data:

The dataset includes historical news event data, enabling users to track trends and perform comparative analysis over time. This feature supports longitudinal studies and provides insights into how news events evolve. Advanced Search and Filter Options:

Users can search and filter news events based on criteria such as date range, event type, location, and keywords. This functionality allows for precise and efficient retrieval of relevant information. Latin American Countries Covered: South America: Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Guyana Paraguay Peru Suriname Uruguay Venezuela Central America: Belize Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Panama Caribbean: Cuba Dominican Republic Haiti (Note: Primarily French-speaking but included due to geographic and cultural ties) Jamaica Trinidad and Tobago Benefits of the Dataset: Strategic Insights: Businesses and analysts can use the dataset to gain insights into significant regional developments, economic conditions, and political changes, aiding in strategic decision-making and market analysis. Market and Industry Trends: The dataset provides valuable information on industry-specific trends and events, helping users understand market dynamics and emerging opportunities. Media and PR Monitoring: Journalists and PR professionals can track relevant news across Latin America, enabling them to monitor media coverage, identify emerging stories, and manage public relations efforts effectively. Academic and Research Use: Researchers can utilize the dataset for longitudinal studies, trend analysis, and academic research on various topics related to Latin American news and events. Techsalerator’s News Event Data in Latin America is a crucial resource for accessing and analyzing significant news events across the region. By providing detailed, categorized, and up-to-date information, it supports effective decision-making, research, and media monitoring across diverse sectors.

Techsalerator’s News Event Data in North America offers a comprehensive and detailed dataset designed to provide businesses, analysts, journalists, and researchers with a thorough view of significant news events across North America. This dataset captures and categorizes major events reported from a diverse range of news sources, including press releases, industry news sites, blogs, and PR platforms, providing valuable insights into regional developments, economic shifts, political changes, and cultural events.

Key Features of the Dataset: Extensive Coverage:

The dataset aggregates news events from a wide array of sources, including company press releases, industry-specific news outlets, blogs, PR sites, and traditional media. This broad coverage ensures a diverse range of information from multiple reporting channels. Categorization of Events:

News events are categorized into various types such as business and economic updates, political developments, technological advancements, legal and regulatory changes, and cultural events. This categorization helps users quickly find and analyze information relevant to their interests or sectors. Real-Time Updates:

The dataset is updated regularly to include the most current events, ensuring that users have access to up-to-date news and can stay informed about recent developments as they happen. Geographic Segmentation:

Events are tagged with their respective countries and territories within North America. This geographic segmentation allows users to filter and analyze news events based on specific locations, facilitating targeted research and analysis. Event Details:

Each event entry includes comprehensive details such as the date of occurrence, source of the news, a description of the event, and relevant keywords. This thorough detailing helps users understand the context and significance of each event. Historical Data:

The dataset includes historical news event data, enabling users to track trends and conduct comparative analysis over time. This feature supports longitudinal studies and provides insights into how news events evolve. Advanced Search and Filter Options:

Users can search and filter news events based on criteria such as date range, event type, location, and keywords. This functionality allows for precise and efficient retrieval of relevant information. North American Countries and Territories Covered: Countries: Canada Mexico United States Territories: American Samoa (U.S. territory) French Polynesia (French overseas collectivity; included for regional relevance) Guam (U.S. territory) New Caledonia (French special collectivity; included for regional relevance) Northern Mariana Islands (U.S. territory) Puerto Rico (U.S. territory) Saint Pierre and Miquelon (French overseas territory; geographically close to North America and included for regional comprehensiveness) Wallis and Futuna (French overseas collectivity; included for regional relevance) Benefits of the Dataset: Strategic Insights: Businesses and analysts can use the dataset to gain insights into significant regional developments, economic conditions, and political changes, aiding in strategic decision-making and market analysis. Market and Industry Trends: The dataset provides valuable information on industry-specific trends and events, helping users understand market dynamics and identify emerging opportunities. Media and PR Monitoring: Journalists and PR professionals can track relevant news across North America, enabling them to monitor media coverage, identify emerging stories, and manage public relations efforts effectively. Academic and Research Use: Researchers can utilize the dataset for longitudinal studies, trend analysis, and academic research on various topics related to North American news and events. Techsalerator’s News Event Data in North America is a crucial resource for accessing and analyzing significant news events across the continent. By providing detailed, categorized, and up-to-date information, it supports effective decision-making, research, and media monitoring across diverse sectors.

According to a survey conducted in May 2025, 56 percent of adults in the United States said they actively seek out news, while 35 percent reported that news usually comes to them. A smaller share were unsure about their news consumption habits.

This poll, fielded April 5-12, 2010, is a part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicits public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way that Barack Obama was handling his job as president, the economy, health care, and the federal budget deficit, what they liked best and least about Obama, whether they thought things in the country were going in the right direction, and what they thought was the most important problem facing the country. Information was collected on whether respondents approved or disapproved of the way Congress was handling its job, whether they approved or disapproved of the way their representative in Congress was handling their job, whether they had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of President Obama, how respondents would rate the national economy, and who they thought was mostly to blame for the state of the national economy. Respondents were queried on whether they thought that the government's stimulus package made the economy better or worse, whether they thought that the country needed a third political party, whether they would rather have a smaller government with fewer services or a bigger government providing more services, how they felt things were going in Washington, DC, whether they thought the federal government should spend money to create jobs even if it means increasing the budget deficit, and whether they would rather reduce the federal budget deficit or cut taxes. Respondents were also asked who they thought was to blame for the current federal budget deficit, whether they thought providing government money to banks and other financial institutions was necessary to get the economy out of a recession, whether they had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, John McCain, George Bush, Ron Paul, Glen Beck, and Sarah Palin. Information was collected on what political figure the respondents admired most, whether they thought Sarah Palin would have the ability to be an effective president, whether they thought President Obama understands the need and problems of people like themselves, whether respondents thought he was more of a liberal, a moderate, or a conservative, whether they thought his policies were moving the country more towards socialism, whether they thought he favored a particular race over another, and whether they thought the Obama Administration had raised or lowered taxes for most Americans. Respondents were asked whether they thought that the federal government should require nearly all Americans to have health insurance, whether they thought it would be a good idea to raise income taxes on households that make more than $250,000 a year in order to help provide health insurance for people who do not already have it, whether they approved or disapproved of requiring health insurance companies to cover anyone who applies regardless of whether they have an existing medical condition, and whether they thought that the programs such as Social Security and Medicare are worth the cost of those programs for taxpayers. Respondents were queried on whether they thought legal immigration into the United States should be kept at its presents level, increased, or decreased, how serious a problem they thought illegal immigration was, whether they thought that global warming was causing a serious environmental problem, whether they thought gay couples should be allowed to marry, whether they thought abortion should be legal, whether they thought gun control law should be made more strict, what socialism means to them, and whether they thought it was ever justified for citizens to take violent action against the government. Respondents were also asked a number of questions about the Tea Party movement, including how much have they heard about it, whether they had a favorable opinion of it, whether they supported it, and whether they thought the Tea Party movement generally reflected the views of most Americans. Finally, respondents were asked if they were ever active in a political campaign, whether they purchased gold bars or coins in the past year, what political party they usually vote for, what news network they watched most, how concerned were they that they or someone in their household would lose their job in the next year, whe

The chart shows that Americans over 65 were more likely to share fake news to their Facebook friends, regardless of their education, ideology, and partisanship. The oldest age group was likely to share nearly seven times as many articles from fake news domains on Facebook as those in the youngest age group, or about 2.3 times as many as those in the next-oldest age group. The data regarding the age group 18-29 and 30-44 are not displayed in the source, therefore the value of data in this chart are approximate, determined with pixel count.

Social media was the most popular news platform amongst Americans as of February 2022 and was used most regularly by women, with 39 percent of female respondents to a survey saying that they used social networks for news on a daily basis. Meanwhile, twice the share of men than women reported reading newspapers each day.

This poll, fielded September 10-14, 2010, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling his job as president, the economy, and the situation with Afghanistan. Respondents were also asked what they thought was the most important problem facing the country, whether they thought things in the country were going in the right direction, whether they approved of the way Congress as a whole and individual Democrats and Republicans in Congress were handling their jobs, whether they thought the economy was getting better and their rating of the economy. Opinions were sought on the Republican and Democratic Party, whether the Congressional representative from their district and members of Congress deserved to be re-elected, and whether they thought Republicans in Congress or Barack Obama had a clear plan for solving the nation's problems. Respondents were asked multiple questions about Barack Obama including whether he has made progress in fixing the economy, whether he has expanded the role of government too much in trying to solve the nation's economic problems, whether the Obama Administration had increased taxes for most Americans, and whether respondents thought he had a clear plan for creating jobs. Information was collected on whether respondents thought the country needed a third political party, whether they would rather have a smaller or bigger government, whether the Republicans or the Democrats had better ideas about solving the nation's problems, whether respondents approved of the health care law that was enacted the previous March, whether Congress should repeal this health care law, and who they thought was doing more, Barack Obama or the Republicans in Congress, to improved the economy. Respondents were asked whether they thought Arab Americans, Muslims, and immigrants from the Middle East were being singled out unfairly by people in the United States, whether respondents themselves had negative feelings towards Muslims because of the attack on the World Trade Center, and whether they knew anyone that was Muslim. Additional questions focused on Sarah Palin, the war in Iraq, personal finances, the war in Afghanistan, and the Tea Party movement. Demographic information includes sex, age, race, education level, household income, employment status, military service, religious preference, reported social class, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration status, and whether respondents thought of themselves as born-again Christians.

This general survey elicited opinions on a variety of topics including the Persian Gulf War, peace in the Middle East, paying more federal tax in order to accomplish certain objectives, and estimates of how many Americans cheat on their income tax. Those surveyed were also asked whether Japanese or American cars were a better value, and whether greater fuel efficiency or safety devices such as air bags would be preferred if the respondent was buying a new car and was able to spend an additional five hundred dollars on one of these features. Questions on economic matters probed for the likelihood of an adult in the respondent's family being out of work and actively looking for a job within the next 12 months, and the length of time the respondent could live on savings if the chief wage earner lost his/her job. Health and family issues focused on whether physician-assisted suicide should be allowed, whether the respondent would consider taking his/her life if stricken with a disease that would eventually destroy both mind and body, whether race should be a factor in adoption, the permanence of adoption, whether someone should consider marrying a person they are not in love with, and whether people get married with the expectation that their marriage will last forever. Additional questions pertained to professional baseball, the specific feature of his/her physical appearance that the respondent would change, and the respondent's perception of how he/she looks in a bathing suit. Background information includes marital status, employment, political party affiliation, education, age, race, and family income.

About this dataset

Context

This list ranks the 1 cities in the Newport News city, VA by English population, as estimated by the United States Census Bureau. It also highlights population changes in each city over the past five years.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, including:

• 2019-2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
• 2014-2018 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
• 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Variables / Data Columns

• Rank by English Population: This column displays the rank of city in the Newport News city, VA by their English population, using the most recent ACS data available.
• City: The City for which the rank is shown in the previous column.
• English Population: The English population of the city is shown in this column.
• % of Total City Population: This shows what percentage of the total city population identifies as English. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.
• % of Total Newport News city English Population: This tells us how much of the entire Newport News city, VA English population lives in that city. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.
• 5 Year Rank Trend: This column displays the rank trend across the last 5 years.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

In this special topic poll taken the evening of President Bill Clinton's televised speech about his health care plan, respondents were asked for their views on the proposed plan. Items focused on respondents' approval of the plan, whether the plan was better than the present system, and whether respondents would support an increase in taxes to help pay for the plan. Respondents were also queried regarding what they thought the effect of Clinton's plan would be on how much they paid for health insurance, and the effect of the plan on health insurance coverage and the quality of health care. Those surveyed were asked whether the plan was fair to most Americans, whether they thought Congress should pass the plan, and whether they worried that potential health care costs they might have in the future would not be taken care of. Background information on respondents includes political party, age, and sex.

About this dataset

Context

This list ranks the 1 cities in the Newport News city, VA by Puerto Rican population, as estimated by the United States Census Bureau. It also highlights population changes in each city over the past five years.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, including:

• 2019-2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
• 2014-2018 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
• 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Variables / Data Columns

• Rank by Puerto Rican Population: This column displays the rank of city in the Newport News city, VA by their Puerto Rican population, using the most recent ACS data available.
• City: The City for which the rank is shown in the previous column.
• Puerto Rican Population: The Puerto Rican population of the city is shown in this column.
• % of Total City Population: This shows what percentage of the total city population identifies as Puerto Rican. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.
• % of Total Newport News city Puerto Rican Population: This tells us how much of the entire Newport News city, VA Puerto Rican population lives in that city. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.
• 5 Year Rank Trend: This column displays the rank trend across the last 5 years.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Many Americans consume aligned partisan media, which scholars worry contributes to polarization. Many propose encouraging these Americans to consume cross-cutting media to moderate their attitudes. However, motivated reasoning theory posits that exposure to cross-cutting media could backfire, exacerbating polarization. Building on theories that sustained exposure to novel information can overcome motivated reasoning and that partisan sources on opposite sides cover distinct information, we argue that sustained consumption of cross-cutting media leads voters to learn uncongenial information and moderate their attitudes in covered domains. To test this argument, we used data on actual TV viewership to recruit a sample of regular Fox News viewers and incentivized a randomized treatment group to watch CNN instead for a month. Contrary to predictions from motivated reasoning, watching CNN caused substantial learning and moderated participants' attitudes in covered domains. We close by discussing challenges partisan media may pose for democracy.

In a survey conducted in May 2025, journalism was rated the most positively by U.S. adults, with 54 percent describing it as very or somewhat favorable. Social media followed with 49 percent favorable, though a notable share of respondents also held negative views. The news media and the press were rated less positively, at 47 and 46 percent, respectively. Overall, the findings suggest stronger confidence in journalism compared to other media institutions.

This poll is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President George W. Bush and his handling of the presidency, foreign policy, the economy, and the campaign against terrorism. Views were elicited on the trustworthiness of the government and why respondents felt that way, whether the Bush administration had a clear plan for handling terrorism, whether the United States should attack another country (including Iraq) before it was attacked, whether the United States should attack another country (including Iraq) if the United States believed that it posed a nuclear threat, level of confidence in the United States government to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks, the likelihood of another terrorist attack in the next few months, and personal concern about local acts of terrorism. Respondents were also asked about their level of confidence in the ability of the United States to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, whether the United States could claim victory over terrorism if bin Laden was not captured or killed, and whether they believed bin Laden was still alive. Additional questions sought respondents' views on how well the war on terrorism was going, and how much progress the Bush administration had made in closing terrorist training camps in Afghanistan, in eliminating threats from terrorists from other countries, placing a stable government in Afghanistan, improving the image of the United States in the Arab world, developing a comprehensive plan for protecting the United States from terrorism, and improving air travel safety. Respondents were asked how concerned they were with losing civil liberties and if they agreed or disagreed that Americans would always have to live with terrorism. Regarding the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, respondents were asked how much they blamed the CIA, the FBI, United States policies in the Middle East, and security at United States airports. Respondents were asked how safe Americans felt from terrorist attacks, how safe they felt personally, how often they thought about and talked about September 11, whether the United States has done all it could to make the country safe, and whether the United States was prepared for biological and chemical attacks. With regard to Iraq, respondents were asked whether the Bush administration had clearly explained the possible attack on Iraq, whether they approved or disapproved of the United States taking military action, whether the United States should attack soon or give the United Nations more time, whether President Bush should receive Congressional approval before taking military action, whether they thought military action would take place, whether the removal of Saddam Hussein from power was worth the potential loss of American lives, whether military action should take place if it meant substantial military casualties or Iraqi civilian casualties, and whether respondents would favor military action if the war lasted for several months or years. Respondents were queried as to whether they believed that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, and that Iraq was planning to use these weapons against the United States. In regard to the September 11 terrorist attacks, respondents were asked how afraid they were of flying, whether they had flown on a commercial airline since the attacks, how likely it was that Arab Americans, Muslims, and Middle Eastern immigrants would be singled out unfairly, whether Arab Americans were more sympathetic to terrorists than other Americans, whether respondents had a good or bad image of New York City, whether they had ever visited the World Trade Center, whether they attended religious services after the attacks and whetherthey continued to do so, how likely they were to watch the news since the attacks, how much time they spent with family, and how their lives and the country had changed as a result of the terrorist attacks. In addition, respondents were asked whether they had trouble sleeping, whether they felt nervous or edgy after the attacks, whether their children expressed concern over their safety and their family's safety, how often the respondents talked to their children about September 11, whether they knew s

This poll, conducted February 10-12, 2001, is part of a continuing series of surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. The survey examined respondents' views about George W. Bush as president, including whether they approved of Bush's job performance, their opinions of Bush, whether Bush would be in charge and have control of his cabinet, the biggest problems facing President Bush and the Congress, whether Bush would be able to work with both parties to get things done, and whether Bush would be capable of handling foreign affairs. A second battery of questions queried the respondents on their views of Congress, including whether partisanship was still present in Washington, whether they approved of Congress's job performance, and whether the current Congress could do a better job then their predecessors, considering that the Congress was nearly evenly divided. Respondents were also asked for their opinions on taxes and the economy. In regard to taxes, respondents were asked if the budget surplus should be used to cut income taxes, pay down the national debt, preserve programs like Medicare and Social Security, or something else, what size income tax cut they would like to see passed, whether they approved of Bush's 1.6 trillion dollar tax cut over the next ten years, who they thought would benefit from the tax cut, how the tax cut would affect Social Security and Medicare, and what they would do with the extra money if the tax cut passed. With respect to the economy, respondents were queried about the condition of the national economy and whether it was getting better or worse, whether they felt the economy was in a recession, how they viewed the stock market and the future of the market, if it was a good time to buy a new car or house, if they were concerned about layoffs in the future, and whether their spending habits had changed because of concerns for the economy. Another set of questions dealt with America's power supplies. Respondents were asked if the electric companies, state government, or consumers were to blame for the power shortage in California, whether the federal government should help California or if it was a state issue, whether producing energy was more important than protecting the environment, and whether the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska should be opened for oil and natural gas drilling. Respondents' views were also elicited on the topics of retirement and marriage. Questions if applicable, probed the age at which the respondents expected to retire, their main reason for planning to retire after age 65, whether they thought that the Social Security system would have enough money to provide their expected benefits, whether they had begun to establish a separate savings program for retirement, what type of program it was, at what age they began this savings program, whether they would accept an early retirement if given the chance, and whether they expected their standard of living to be the same after retiring. In regard to marriage, respondents were asked if most Americans getting married currently took the institution of marriage as seriously as their parents' generation did, how long romance lasts during marriage, if married, what the quality of communication was between them and their spouses, if they could trust their spouses, and whether they were satisfied with marriage. Respondents were also asked for their opinions of former President Bill Clinton, former President George H.W. Bush, Vice-President Dick Cheney, and the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, education, race/ethnic identity, voter registration, political party affiliation, political orientation, marital status, number of children in the household, and household income.