Welcome to our new format for Behind the Headlines, a blog on public opinion and public policy. Visit every weekday to get Public Agenda Online's take on events in politics and polling, drawing on more than 3,000 pages of public opinion analysis and information. If you have any questions or comments, let us know.
Public opinion on marijuana certainly has its contradictions. About three in 10 Americans say they have tried marijuana and a majority of parents who have tried it say they would tell their kids if they asked. But three-quarters of parents say they would be "extremely disturbed" if they found out their child smoked marijuana. Our study on parenting in today's society, A Lot Easier Said Than Done, shows drugs are just one of many negative social influences that parents worry about. Still, nearly eight in 10 said they worry about protecting their child from drugs and alcohol -- the top concern of parents.
Aid For Cyclone Victims Hits A Wall In Myanmar
Myanmar's isolationist regime, which originally called for help after Cyclone Nargis struck on Saturday, has denied landing permission to U.S. planes loaded with aid for storm victims and is stalling on visas for U.N. relief teams. The Associated Press reports two U.N. planes landed in Yangon as the U.S. flew supplies to a staging area in Thailand, whose prime minister is offering to negotiate with the Myanmar junta to allow U.S. aid. Myanmar says the death toll is at least 22,980, with another 42,119 missing; the U.N. estimates as many as a million are homeless. The U.S. Embassy says the death toll could top 100,000 because safe water and food are scarce.
Philadelphia Police Beating Caught on Videotape A sergeant and five police officers have been suspended from street duty as authorities scrutinize the videotape of roughly a dozen Philadelphia police officers beating three shooting suspects. The footage, captured on Monday, was taken by a local news helicopter. The incident occurred two days after a police sergeant was shot and killed in his investigation of a robbery. Criminal charges against the police officers are still pending.
Gavin Newsom, mayor of a city with numerous recycling programs – from furniture and old toys to restaurant garbage converted into compost for vineyards and farms – has his heart set on San Francisco beating its own record. With a recycling rate already surpassing other large U.S. cities and attracting international attention, Newsom’s office is reportedly drafting a proposed law for mandatory recycling of cans, bottles, paper, yard waste and food scraps. The New York Times reports scofflaws would risk having their garbage pickups suspended.
Americans continue to send mixed signals on environmental protection. In a March 2008 Gallup poll, asked if they've changed personal behavior because of environmental concern, 28 percent pointed to major changes and 55 percent said they made only minor changes. Recycling was the most popular change, with 39 percent indicating they are recycling or recycling more often. Fourteen percent also said they are buying biodegradable products. Check out the Public Agenda issues guide for more on public opinion on protecting the environment.
