Independence Day Accounting
According to a study sponsored by the National Retail Federation, 88.5% of Americans planned to attend public or private festivities for the Fourth of July this year, and were projected to spend $2.5 billion stocking their own celebrations. Most of this expenditure went to food and drinks, with large chunks also going, appropriately enough, to fireworks and grill supplies.  A look of what they bought:

Source: Forbes.com, July 2, 2007. "Fourth of July by the Numbers."

Presidential Qualities

What qualities do Democrats and Republicans want in their candidate for president?  Not surprisingly, Democrats want a candidate who will bring change.  For Republicans, the top quality is knowledge and experience. Less than 10 percent of Republicans and Democrats say "having the best chance to win the presidency" is a quality they most want in their party's nominee.

Third Parties

Choice is a popular idea in public opinion polls and in life.  Whether it is a decision to smoke or even to take one's own life, Americans like having choices and being able to make them themselves.  That sentiment helps to explain the support for third parties in the abstract.  But when faced with their actual options, most of those who say they want a third party end up voting for one of the two main parties.

Source: PSRA/Newsweek, June 2007.

Patriotism Today

Americans see themselves as a deeply patriotic people.  In a recent poll, 49 percent told Pew researchers that they completely agree with the statement, "I am very patriotic," and another 41 percent mostly agreed with it.  Just 2 percent completely disagreed. On the other hand, a wide majority believe that we have fallen away from the ideals of the founding fathers, perhaps because of recent concerns about civil liberties.

Source: CBS News, June 26-28.