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By Karlyn H. Bowman Friday, July 13, 2007

A week's worth of data, compiled from the last five editions of our daily email newsletter.

The Uninsured

As a general matter, people believe the government has a responsibility to provide health care for those who are unable to provide it for themselves, and about two-thirds usually say the idea of universal coverage sounds good. But a recent question from the Washington Post, the Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University shows that only 39 percent would be willing to pay more, "either in higher health insurance premiums or higher taxes," to increase the number of Americans who have health insurance. Forty-nine percent of Democrats said they would be willing to pay more, compared to 41 percent of independents and 26 percent of Republicans.

Source: Washington Post, Kaiser Family Foundation, Harvard University, May-June 2007.

Party Lines

Self-described Republicans and Democrats think there are important differences between the two parties. Independents, however, are divided: Fifty percent of them say there are important differences, and 47 percent feel that both parties are pretty much the same.

Source: Washington Post, Kaiser Family Foundation, Harvard University, May-June 2007.

Party Lines, Part 2
On issues such as the war in Iraq and the job the president is doing, independents side with Democrats today. But on other issues that are less politically charged, such as the two shown below, their views are between those of the two parties.

Source: Washington Post, Kaiser Family Foundation, Harvard University, May-June 2007.

Women's Progress

When Gallup first asked the question in 1976, 48 percent of those surveyed said men and women had equal job opportunities. In their June 2007 poll, 57 percent said they did. Sixty-three percent of men, compared to 51 percent of women, gave this response.

Source: The Gallup Organization, June 2007.

Merit Trumps Race and Ethnicity

In a new Gallup poll, 70 percent of respondents said that applicants for admission to a college or university should be judged solely on merit, "even if that results in few minority students being admitted." In comparison, 23 percent said an applicant's race should be considered in order "to help promote diversity on college campuses, even if that means admitting some minority students who otherwise would not be admitted." The results are virtually identical to those the survey organization got when it asked the question in 2003. As the chart below shows, however, feelings on the issue vary considerably by race.

When asked in a separate question what would happen if two equally qualified students, one white and one black, applied to a major college or university, 43 percent of those surveyed said they would have the same chance of being admitted. Twenty-nine percent said the white student would have a better chance and 22 percent the black student.

Source: The Gallup Organization, June 2007.

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