Fertility in the US

arkanzas

Республиканцы предложили наказывать тех, кто способствует гендерному «переходу» несовершеннолетних

Республиканцы штата Арканзас предложили закон о защите уязвимой молодёжи (Vulnerable Youth Protection Act). Если закон будет принят, то любой, «кто вызывает социальный „переход“ несовершеннолетнего или способствует ему», может быть привлёчен к ответственности. Под «переходом» понимается любое действие, «посредством которого несовершеннолетний принимает или одобряет гендерную идентичность, отличающуюся от его биологического пола». В том числе это касается одежды, местоимений, причёски или имени.

К примеру, закон позволит гражданам подавать иски против парикмахеров, если те постригли ребёнка в «неконформном» в половом отношении стиле. Говоря проще, если девочка пришла домой со стрижкой «под мальчика», родители смогут подать в суд. С юридической точки зрения, считает редактор BILD Юдит Гёрс, закон ставит в уязвимое положение не только парикмахеров, но всякого владельца магазина, который продаст 16-летнему подростку бюстгальтер. Или учителя, который обращается к своему ученику-транссексуалу по выбранному им самим мужскому или женскому имени.

Законопроект внесён от имени Мэри Бентли — христианки, активистки движения против абортов и владелицы производства пластиковой посуды. Бентли считает: никому не должно быть позволено убеждать детей в том, что они «родились не в том теле», а молодым людям с «гендерной путаницей» может помочь только психотерапевт.

Эвелин Риос Стаффорд, первый и единственный транссексуал в Арканзасе, разорвала законопроект на части, потому что из-за него судам грозит «волна необоснованных исков по самым абсурдным ситуациям». По мнению Стаффорд, даже комплимент причёске транс-подростка может стать уголовным преступлением.

«Это говорит о том, что у трансгендерных детей нет гарантированных Конституцией прав на контроль над собственным телом», — говорит Стаффорд.

Генеральный прокурор-республиканец Арканзаса Тим Гриффин также раскритиковал закон за нарушение свободы слова. В результате Мэри Бентли отозвала законопроект, чтобы внести в него поправки. Что из этого получится, пока неясно, однако республиканка известна своим упорством. В 2023 году она вопреки многочисленным возражениям провела закон, разрешающий подавать иски о халатности против врачей, предлагающих процедуры по смене пола.

aid to ukraine

Отношение американцев к военной помощи Украине

30% американцев считают, что нужно сокращать объём военной помощи Украине - и это опрос от середины февраля, ещё до "шоу" в Белом Доме! На втором по популярности месте идёт сохранение тех же объёмов помощи (29%), по 21% не уверены и выступают за наращивание помощи.

И в этом вопросе, как и в очень многих других, американцы очень сильно разделились по партийным предпочтениям: за сокращение помощи выступает 45% республиканцев против 10% демократов, за наращивание - 35% демократов и 10% республиканцев

Walesa

After the US decision to suspend supplies to Ukraine, if the answer was in my gesture it would be "Let's do our part" not a step back. AMEN.

This is the text we signed:

Your Excellency Mr President,

We watched the report of your conversation with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenski with fear and distaste. We consider your expectations to show respect and gratitude for the material help provided by the United States fighting Russia to Ukraine insulting. Gratitude is due to the heroic Ukrainian soldiers who shed their blood in defense of the values of the free world. They have been dying on the frontline for more than 11 years in the name of these values and independence of their Homeland, which was attacked by Putin's Russia.

We do not understand how the leader of a country that is the symbol of the free world cannot see it.

Our panic was also caused by the fact that the atmosphere in the Oval Office during this conversation reminded us of one we remember well from Security Service interrogations and from the debate rooms in Communist courts. Prosecutors and judges at the behest of the all-powerful communist political police also explained to us that they hold all the cards and we hold none. They demanded us to stop our business, arguing that thousands of innocent people suffer because of us. They deprived us of our freedoms and civil rights because we refused to cooperate with the government and our gratitude. We are shocked that Mr. President Volodymyr Zelenski treated in the same way.

The history of the 20th century shows that every time the United States wanted to keep its distance from democratic values and its European allies, it ended up being a threat to themselves. This was understood by President Woodrow Wilson, who decided to join the United States in World War I in 1917. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt understood this, deciding after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 that the war for the defense of America would be fought not only in the Pacific, but also in Europe, in alliance with the countries attacked by the Third Reich.

We remember that without President Ronald Reagan and American financial commitment it would not have been possible to bring the collapse of the Soviet Union empire. President Reagan was aware that millions of enslaved people were suffering in Soviet Russia and the countries it conquered, including thousands of political prisoners who paid for their sacrifice in defense of democratic values with freedom. His greatness was m. in. on the fact that he without hesitation called the USSR the "Empire of Evil" and gave it a decisive fight. We won, and the statue of President Ronald Reagan stands today in Warsaw vis a vis of the US embassy.

Mr. President, material aid - military and financial - cannot be equivalent to the blood shed in the name of independence and freedom of Ukraine, Europe, as well as the whole free world. Human life is priceless, its value cannot be measured with money. Gratitude is due to those who make the sacrifice of blood and freedom. It is obvious for us, the people of "Solidarity", former political prisoners of the communist regime serving Soviet Russia.

We are calling for the United States to withdraw from the guarantees it made with the Great Britain in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, which recorded a direct obligation to defend the intact borders of Ukraine in exchange for giving up its nuclear weapons resources. These guarantees are unconditional: there is no word about treating such aid as an economic exchange.

• Lech Wales, b. political prisoner, Solidarity leader, president of the Republic of Poland III
• Mark Bailin, b. political prisoner, editor of independent publishing houses
• Severn Blumstein, b. political prisoner, member of the Workers' Defense Committee
• Teresa Bogucka, b. a political prisoner, activist of the democratic opposition and Solidarity
• Gregory Bogut, b. political prisoner, activist of democratic opposition, independent publisher
• Mark Borowik, b. political prisoner, independent publisher
• Bogdan Borusewicz, b. political prisoner, leader of the underground Solidarity in Gdansk
• Zbigniew Bujak, b. political prisoner, leader of the underground Solidarity in Warsaw
• Władysław Frasyniuk, b. political prisoner, leader of the underground Solidarity in Wrocław
• Andrew Gintzburg, b. a political prisoner, activist of the underground Solidarity
• Richard Grabarczyk, b. a political prisoner, Solidarity activist
• Alexander Janiszewski, b. a political prisoner, Solidarity activist
• Peter Kapczy otrski, b. a political prisoner, activist of the democratic opposition
• Mark Kossakowski, b. political prisoner, independent publicist
• Christopher the King, b. a political prisoner , independence activist
• Jaroslav Kurski, b. a political prisoner, activist of the democratic opposition
• Barbara Swan, b. a political prisoner, activist of the underground Solidarity
• Bogdan Lis, b. political prisoner, leader of the underground Solidarity in Gdansk
• Henryk Majewski, b. a political prisoner, Solidarity activist
• Adam Michnik, b. political prisoner, activist of the democratic opposition, editor of independent publishing houses
• Slavomir Najniger, b. a political prisoner, activist of the underground Solidarity
• Peter the German , b. political prisoner, journalist, and printer of underground publishing houses,
• Stefan Konstanty Niesiołowski, b. a political prisoner , independence activist
• Edward Nowak, b. a political prisoner, activist of the underground Solidarity
• Wojciech Onyszkiewicz, b. political prisoner, member of the Workers' Defence Committee, Solidarity activist
• Anthony Pawlak, b. a political prisoner, activist of the democratic opposition and underground Solidarity
• Sylwia Poleska-Peryt, b. a political prisoner, activist of the democratic opposition
• Christopher Push, b. a political prisoner, activist of the underground Solidarity
• Richard Push, b. a political prisoner, activist of the underground Solidarity,
• Jacek Rakowiecki, b. a political prisoner, activist of the underground Solidarity
• Andrew Severn, b. political prisoner, actor, director of the Polish Theater in Warsaw
• Witold Sielewicz, b. political prisoner, printer of independent publishing houses
• Henryk Sikora, b. a political prisoner, Solidarity activist
• Christopher Siemien Krski, b. political prisoner, journalist, and printer of underground publishing houses
• Gra ,yna Staniszewska, b. a political prisoner, leaders of Solidarity of the Beskids region
• George Degrees, b. a political prisoner, activist of the democratic opposition
• Joanna Happy, b. political prisoner, editor of Solidarity underground press
• Ludwik Turko, b. a political prisoner, activist of the underground Solidarity
• Matthew Wierzbicki, b. political prisoner, printer and publicist of independent publishing houses

NYT paper

New York Times February 28, 2025
Long Shunned, Pro-Russia Politicians in Ukraine See an Opening
From prison and from exile, supporters of Moscow have been ramping up social media posts aimed at backing Russia’s call for elections in Ukraine and slamming President Volodymyr Zelensky.
By Maria Varenikova

Reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine

Three years ago, support for members of a Ukrainian political party that advocated closer ties with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia plunged to near zero after Russian forces invaded Ukraine, flattening whole cities and killing tens of thousands of Ukrainians.

The party, called the Opposition Platform for Life, was banned, some members went to jail on charges of treason, and others fled Ukraine. A few former members banded together in a new faction and still sit in Parliament, but have generally kept quiet since the Russian invasion.

Now some of those pro-Russian politicians are attempting an unlikely comeback, inspired by President Trump’s attacks on Ukraine’s current leadership and Russian demands, echoed by Mr. Trump, that the country hold elections.

The politicians are posting widely viewed videos on social media in which they have promoted themselves as future candidates; criticized President Volodymyr Zelensky and his government; and praised Mr. Trump.

The efforts are unlikely to gain much traction in a country that remains overwhelmingly hostile to Russia and the people who have supported it. But analysts say the videos, which are rife with misinformation, could nonetheless stoke divisions at a time when Ukraine’s unity and its leaders are under threat from a hostile Mr. Trump.

Oleksandr Dubinsky, a former member of Parliament, has produced videos promoting what he calls a pro-Trump and pro-peace agenda from prison, where is he serving time for treason. His videos place blame on Ukraine’s leaders for the war, saying they are committing genocide against the Ukrainian people, an echo of Russian propaganda.

Since November, when Mr. Trump was elected to a second term, the audience for Mr. Dubinsky’s jailhouse videos on TikTok has grown from about 40,000 to nearly 1.6 million views.

On Feb. 20, two days after Mr. Trump called Mr. Zelensky a “dictator,” Mr. Dubinsky announced that he would run for president if an election were held. Ukraine was in danger of falling into a “new form of dictatorship,” Mr. Dubinsky said, accusing Mr. Zelensky of forcing his most prominent potential challengers to renounce running for election.

A former head of the Opposition Platform for Life, Yuriy Boyko, had no activity on social media until early December, when he started posting videos from a newly opened TikTok account. In the videos, he blames “Ukrainian radicals” for laws sidelining Russian language in public spaces, a theme that has long been voiced by Mr. Putin.

The pro-Russian politicians appear to have at least some support within the Trump administration. In 2023, Tulsi Gabbard, who is now serving as the national intelligence director, criticized the banning of Opposition Platform for Life, saying that Mr. Zelensky had “outlawed opposition political parties.”

However, other opposition parties have been operating freely in Ukraine.

The term “pro-Russian” in Ukrainian politics is generally applied to figures linked to the country’s former Russian-aligned president, Viktor F. Yanukovych, who fled to Moscow after a street uprising in 2014. Former members of Opposition Platform for Life who were once affiliated with Mr. Yanukovych still hold about two dozen seats in Parliament.

Political analysts say the pro-Russia politicians had seen an opening provided by the demands for an election by Moscow to destabilize Ukraine from within.

“The role of pro-Russian politicians is to introduce divisive topics into society,” said Oleh Saakyan, a political analyst at the National Platform for Resilience and Social Cohesion, an independent think tank. “They aim to create divisions between groups like veterans and nonveterans, refugees and those who stayed in Ukraine, and pit them against each other.”

Russia appears to be backing a three-stage plan for ending the war that would center on the holding of elections in Ukraine. Under the plan, which emerged after a high-profile meeting in Saudi Arabia this month between U.S. and Russian officials, there first would be a temporary cease-fire, followed by elections in Ukraine, and then signing a peace agreement with a newly elected president.

Ukraine was due to hold a presidential election in early 2024, but the government and civil society groups have agreed that it is impossible to hold an election at a time of war.

Most Ukrainian politicians and analysts say they believe Russia is trying to stir political infighting in Ukraine to distract from the defense of the country, and that Moscow would use the time to regroup and build up forces for renewed combat.

“When elections cannot be held according to democratic standards, they become a tool in Russia’s hands to attack democracy instead of supporting it,” Mr. Saakyan said.

Alina Tropynina, the senior editor of Vox Ukraine, which monitors social media, said the pro-Russian politicians had been ramping up their posts on social media blaming Mr. Zelensky for the war, apparently in response to Moscow’s latest plan.

“It sounds as though Ukraine started the war and that its end depends solely on Ukraine, leaving out that in fact Russia invaded,” Ms. Tropynina said.

Artem Dmytruk, a pro-Russian politician in exile in London, has been accusing the Ukrainian authorities of deliberately prolonging the war, asserting that they benefit from the conflict financially and are hindering peace talks.

Mr. Dubinsky, who describes himself as Trumpist on his social media accounts, posts multiple updates daily praising Mr. Trump and questioning Mr. Zelensky’s legitimacy.

On Jan. 6, Mr. Boyko posted a video on TikTok of himself playing a famous Ukrainian Christmas tune, “Carol of the Bells,” on a piano while wishing his viewers peace.

The timing was significant — it was posted on the same day that the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas Eve, though the Ukrainian church switched in 2023 to celebrating Christmas on Dec. 25 along with most of Western Europe.

Other Ukrainian politicians who are not aligned with Russia also regularly criticize the government and say they would like to take power themselves.

Dmytro Razumkov, a politician who broke with Mr. Zelensky in 2021 and now leads an opposition faction in Parliament, said he would run for president if elections were held.

“I have always participated and always will participate in elections, in one form or another,” he said.

But those opposition politicians also say the time is not right for new elections.

“I definitely think that elections are already needed, but not during a hot war,” said Andriy Osadchuk, a member of Parliament with the opposition Holos party.

youth and drugs

Американская молодёжь и наркотические вещества

Тренды тут очень разные. С одной стороны, молодёжь (от 19 до 30) в США стала меньше пить: хотя бы раз за последний месяц пили 65% опрошенных, но ежедневно пьют рекордно низкие 3.6%! Сигареты курит только 9%, тоже немного, но сюда надо прибавить ещё 19% курящих вейпы.

Но есть и проблема: 29% опрошенных молодых людей хотя бы раз в месяц употребляют марихуану, а (ужасающие!) 10.4% делают это почти ежедневно! Лёгких наркоманов втрое больше, чем алкоголиков... Плюс, ещё 14% курят вейпы с марихуаной, а 7% хотя бы раз в месяц употребляют другие (более тяжёлые) наркотики.

И вроде бы что нам до тех американцев, но тренды, особенно такие гадкие, имеют неприятное свойство мигрировать...

trump

Трамп запретил участие трансгендерных спортсменок в женских соревнованиях

Президент США Дональд Трамп подписал указ, который запрещает трансгендерным спортсменкам участвовать в женских соревнованиях.

«С этого момента женский спорт будет только для женщин», — заявил Трамп во время церемонии подписания, окруженный молодыми спортсменками.

Запрет касается всех учебных заведений, получающих федеральное финансирование. Если школа или колледж допустит трансгендерных спортсменок к участию в женских соревнованиях или предоставит им доступ в женские раздевалки, учреждение может лишиться госфинансирования.

Трамп назвал указ «концом войны против женского спорта», подчеркнув, что он защищает женщин-атлеток от несправедливой конкуренции.

Дискуссия об участии трансгендерных спортсменок разгорелась в США после победы Лии Томас, трансгендерной пловчихи, в студенческом чемпионате три года назад. Критики утверждают, что те, кто родился с мужскими физическими характеристиками, имеют преимущество перед биологическими женщинами.

Ожидается, что новые правила повлияют и на олимпийскую систему в США. Белый дом потребовал от Национального олимпийского комитета запретить трансгендерным спортсменкам участие в женских соревнованиях.

Как и предыдущие спорные указы Трампа, новый запрет, вероятно, будет оспорен в суде. Активисты за права трансгендеров и демократы уже осудили решение президента, назвав его дискриминационным.

@BILD_Russia

5 Things to Know From New U.S. Census Bureau Data

It’s an exciting week for those of us who study U.S. demographics!

After pandemic-related delays, the U.S. Census Bureau has finally released a new batch of data from the 2020 Census. While the Demographic and Housing Characteristics data isn’t a current snapshot, it still gives us the most comprehensive and granular information available for the U.S. population.

From these data, we found some interesting trends over the decade:

1. The U.S. population has aged substantially. The share of people ages 65 and older rose from 13% in 2010 to nearly 17% in 2020. The state with the youngest median age in 2020 was Utah (31.3), while the oldest places were Maine (45.1) and Puerto Rico (45.2).
2. Americans are increasingly living alone. As a population ages, more people tend to live alone. As the United States has aged, the share of one-person households rose between 2010 and 2020 (from 26.7% to 27.6%). The smallest share of single-person households in 2020 was in Utah (19.6), while the highest shares were in North Dakota (32.8) and Washington, D.C. (43.7).
3. Childless households are more common. The share of households with children fell to less than 27% in 2020, down from about 33% in 2010. The places with the smallest share of households with children were Maine (24.3) and Washington, D.C. (20.7). Utah (39.7), with the largest share of households with kids, was also the state with the smallest share of one-person households.
4. Homeownership rates are down overall—but up for some groups. Rates declined by 2 percentage points over the decade, but rose for the youngest (15 to 24) and oldest (75 and older) age groups. Homeownership fell most for Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander householders (-3.4 percentage points), Black householders (-2.8) and American Indian/Alaska Native householders (-2.4)—increasing longstanding, structural inequities in U.S. housing.
5. Fewer people live in institutions. The share (and number) of people living in institutional group quarters, such as correctional facilities and nursing homes, declined. Meanwhile, the share (and number) living in non-institutional group quarters, such as military barracks, college dorms, emergency shelters, and other non-institutional quarters, increased. The decline in institutional group quarters population was led by a drop in the population living in correctional facilities.

The new data, officially called the 2020 Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics File (DHC), provides population and housing data for local communities. DHC includes detail on age, sex, race, ethnicity, families, households, homeownership, and housing occupancy/vacancy.

The 2020 Census was intended to count everyone “once, only once, and in the right place.” Overall, the population count was extremely accurate, by several measures. However, disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrest, wildfires, and other events made the 2020 count one of the nation’s most difficult. Because of the challenges, some local areas may have inaccurate counts. In addition, there are known undercounts in the data—notably among young children, Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Some Other Race populations, and among American Indian/Alaska Natives living on reservations.* Significant overcounts were noted among the population ages 50 and older as well as among Asian and White populations. In addition, in 2020 the count of people living in group quarters was disrupted and under/over-counts may vary by location and type of group quarters.

Despite the limitations of the 2020 Census data, it is still the most accurate and granular data we have about the nation’s population. What we see from the newest data is further confirmation of America’s place in a global trend of aging. Many of the changes over the decade reflect a population that’s simply growing older

in the US

тыц а бельно

Как менялся состав домохозяйств в США

За период с 1960 по 2023 гг. американские домохозяйства заметно поменялись. Единственная стабильная категория - это женатые пары без детей: их как было около 30% в 1960, так и сейчас по-прежнему около 30% (и сейчас это самый распространённый тип семьи в США).

В два с половиной раза больше стало одиночек без детей: их доля выросла с 13% до 29%, а вот доля женатых пар с детьми упала с 44% в 1960 до нынешних скромных 18%!

В два раза больше стало одиноких родителей с детьми и "других" типов домохозяйств (неженатые пары, просто друзья-соседи, взрослые родственники и т.д.)

abortin rights

Право на аборты — один из ключевых вопросов для избирателей

Сегодня проходят первые президентские выборы после отмены Верховным судом США действия исторического решения по делу «Роу против Уэйда», которое гарантировало право на аборт по всей стране с 1973 года. Опросы показывают, что этот вопрос волнует многих избирателей.

Десятки миллионов американцев в Монтане, Аризоне, Миссури, Небраске, Колорадо, Флориде, Мэриленде, Неваде, Нью-Йорке и Южной Дакоте не только выбирают президента, но и решают, как их штаты будут регулировать прерывание беременности.

Опубликованный в воскресенье опрос New York Times и Siena College показывает, что вопрос об абортах является вторым по важности для избирателей после экономики, а для женщин и молодых избирателей — самым важным.

Другой анализ, проведенный в октябре неправительственной организацией KFF, занимающейся политикой в области здравоохранения, показал, что аборты волнуют женщин в возрасте до 30 лет больше, чем инфляция.

KFF также обнаружила, что вдвое больше женщин, с которыми она общалась, доверяют Камале Харрис в том, что она справится с политикой, связанной с доступом к абортам в США, чем Дональд Трамп.

В своей кампании Харрис сделала право на аборт центральным элементом и выступала за то, чтобы он был закреплен законодательно по всей стране.

Дональду Трампу в последние месяцы было трудно обозначить четкую позицию по этому вопросу, после того как он по сути помог отменить решение по делу «Роу против Уэйда».

adopted

Изменение в 1990-2021 числа иностранных детей, принятых в американские приёмные семьи 

1) Количество иностранных детей, которые оказываются в американских приёмных семьях, кратно сократилось: с пика начала 2000-х в 23 тысячи до менее чем 2 тысяч в 2020-х; 

2) «Закон Димы Яковлева» о запрете усыновления иностранными гражданами имеет интересную предысторию: российские дети в 2000-х чаще остальных становились иностранными приёмными детьми для американских семей. На пике речь шла о 5 тысячах усыновлений в год; 

3) На текущий момент в США чаще всего иностранными приёмными детьми становятся выходцы из Индии, Колумбии, Украины и Кореи.

Trump on abortion

Мелания Трамп выступила против запрета абортов в своих мемуарах

Бывшая первая леди США Мелания Трамп в своих мемуарах, которые будут опубликованы 8 октября, однозначно высказалась против заперта абортов. По её словам, женщины должны сами принимать решения, которые касаются их тела.

Заявление Мелании Трамп идёт вразрез с позицией её супруга Дональда Трампа, который участвует в президентских выборах в качестве кандидата от Республиканской партии. В частности, за время своего пребывания у власти (2017-2021 годы) Трамп назначил трёх судей-консерваторов в Верховный суд — они сыграли решающую роль в отмене права на аборт в США.

С тех пор 13 штатов в США полностью запретили аборты. Некоторые из них не допускают никаких исключений — даже в случаях изнасилования, инцеста или угрозы здоровью.

«Фундаментальное право женщины на свободу личности, на собственную жизнь дает ей право прервать беременность, если она того пожелает», — пишет в своих мемуарах Мелания Трамп.

По данным опросов, вопрос абортов занимает пятое место по важности в предвыборной кампании после инфляции, иммиграции, здравоохранения и рабочих мест.

@BILD_Russia

trump v harris

Аборты.

Трамп заявил, что в США были штаты, где было легальным совершать аборт уже после рождения ребенка (противоречит определению, или перевод???), это утверждение было опровергнуто. Харрис выступила за возвращение конституционного права на аборт.

Поп-звезда Тейлор Свифт поддержала кандидатуру Камалы Харрис на пост президента США после дебатов

«Я отдам свой голос за Камалу Харрис и Тима Уолза на президентских выборах 2024 года», — написала Свифт в инстаграме.

Она рассказала, что на ее решение выступить публично повлияли созданные с помощью ИИ фотографии, опубликованные Дональдом Трампом. На них Свифт якобы поддерживает кандидатуру республиканца.

«Это привело меня к заключению, что я должна быть очень откровенна по поводу моих реальных планов на эти выборы», — написала она.

Она подписала пост «бездетная кошатница», отсылая к комментариям, сделанным кандидатом в вице-президенты от республиканцев Джей Ди Вэнсом.

help

Всё больше людей говорят, что США, ЕС и НАТО оказывают слишком много помощи Украине

Популярность этого ответа в среднем по вошедшим в опрос странам выросла с 11% в 2022 до нынешних 19%. Самый популярный ответ - что помощи оказывается сколько нужно, 46% голосов. О том, что помощи не хватает, говорит 34% (и это заметно меньше, чем 46% в 2022)

При этом по разным странам картина очень разнится. В Германии самая популярная позиция сейчас - это что помощи уже слишком много (так говорит 40% респондентов, рост в три раза с 2022 года). В США об избыточности помощи говорит 27% (против 11% в 2022), но самый популярный ответ всё ещё что помощь оказывается в оптимальном объёме.

US responsibility in Ukraine

U.S. responsibility in Ukraine, public opinion through Biden's presidency and more

August 2, 2024

Get the latest Pew Research Center findings and everything you need to dive deeper into the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

A 62% majority of Republicans say the U.S. does not have a responsibility to help Ukraine defend itself from Russia’s invasion, while an almost identical share of Democrats (63%) say it does. Overall, Americans are about evenly divided: 48% say the country does have this responsibility, 49% say it does not.

• When it comes to aid for Ukraine, Democrats largely say the U.S. is providing either the right amount (36%) or not enough (27%). Just 13% say the U.S. is sending too much assistance to Ukraine.
• By contrast, nearly half of Republicans (47%) say the U.S. is providing too much aid to Ukraine, more than three times the share of Democrats who say this. Only 18% of Republicans say current aid levels are about right, while just 12% say the U.S. is providing too little assistance.
• Explore more of the wide partisan differences on U.S. responsibility and support for the war in Ukraine.

Biden’s job approval ratings have been more negative than positive since late 2021. And only about a third of Americans have approved of his performance for the last year.

• In March 2021, 53% of voters described President Joe Biden as mentally sharp. That dropped 20 percentage points over the next two years, to 33% by April 2023. And by July of this year, the share fell to 24% – following his poor showing in the June 27 debate.
• As of April 2024, nearly half of registered voters (49%) said they wanted to see both candidates replaced on the ballot, including 62% of Biden supporters who felt this way.
• Following Biden’s performance in the June 27 debate, his own supporters’ calls for him to be replaced increased. By early July, 71% of voters who backed Biden said they would prefer to see both candidates replaced on the ballot.
• Dig into more of the key public opinion dynamics around Biden’s decision.

Dive deeper

• Views on America’s global role diverge widely by age and party
• Key facts about U.S. poll workers
• Many Americans are confident that the 2024 election will be conducted fairly, but wide partisan differences remain

Most U.S. vice presidents in recent decades have sought the presidency, but relatively few have won

Find everything Election 2024 on our website

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Does the 2024 election make you proud of the country? Why or why not?

This newsletter was curated by Claire Dannenbaum, assistant audience editor. Shoot us a note with your thoughts at audience@pewresearch.org.

U.S. No Longer Seen as a Shining Example of Democracy

Другие страны больше не воспринимают США как пример демократии

Прежде всего, это характерно для других стран Запада: в Германии 62% опрошенных говорят, что США когда-то были хорошим примером демократии, но больше не могут им считаться, ещё 27% утверждают, что США никогда и не были хорошим примером демократии! В сумме: 89%.

Недовольны американской демократией и 86% британцев, 83% жителей Канады, 78% жителей Франции и далее по списку.

Наименьшее число скептически относящихся к демократии по-американски зафиксировано в Нигерии (в сумме - 30%) и ЮАР (49%)

nobody

Байден и Трамп - самые нелюбимые избирателями кандидаты в президенты США за последние 40 лет

25% жителей США говорят, что им не нравится ни один из двух основных кандидатов в президенты - таких высоких значений этот показатель не достигал ни разу за период проведения такого рода опросов с 1988 года!

Предыдущий антирекорд - 20% - был тоже поставлен с участием Трампа, в 2016 году

fentanyl

Смертность от передозировок наркотиками в США растёт пугающими темпами

В 2022 в США зафиксировано больше 110 тысяч смертей от передозировки наркотиками, из них 76 тысяч - от передозировки синтетическими опиоидами. Для сравнения, в 2010 смертей было 40 тысяч, а на синтетические опиоиды приходилась буквально пара процентов от общего числа

Что произошло? Во-первых, кризис, вызванный наркотическими обезболивающими. Во-вторых - фентанил, синтетический опиоид в 50 раз сильнее героина. Специальный правительственный комитет в США во вторник опубликовал отчёт, из которого следует, что значимая часть фентанила в США приходит из Китая, а его производство и доставка в США активно спонсируются китайским правительством.

arizona

В Аризоне решили вновь применять драконовский закон, который был введен еще до того, как она стала штатом.

Верховный суд Аризоны постановил, что старинный закон, запрещающий аборты с редкими исключениями, подлежит исполнению.

Закон был принят в 1864 году — задолго до того, как Аризона стала штатом в 1912 году, — и предусматривает наказание за аборт от двух до пяти лет лишения свободы, за исключением случаев, когда жизнь матери находится под угрозой. Для случаев изнасилования и инцеста никакого исключения не предусмотрено.

«Сегодняшнее решение вновь ввести в действие закон, принятый в те времена, когда Аризона еще не была штатом, бушевала Гражданская война, а женщины даже не могли голосовать, войдет в историю как пятно на нашем штате», — заявила губернатор штата, демократка Кэти Хоббс.

A Shift in Hunger: U.S. Food Policy and What We Learned from the Pandemic

Food insecurity rates increased as pandemic-backed support came to a halt.

March 27, 2024

Nurfadila Khairunnisa
Research Analyst

Changes in public assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic lifted thousands of Americans out of hunger. Households with children and those receiving food stamps were the main beneficiaries of increased tax credits, funding for social programs, and food assistance.

But in 2022, as such supports expired, food security—or sufficient food access for individuals or households—dropped significantly. Pandemic financial benefits ended, 17 states withdrew from receiving extra support from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and food prices spiked across the country.

What does this mean for Americans in 2024? Food policy plays a significant role in minimizing hunger, and the Farm Bill—set to be renewed this year—is in the spotlight. Typically, most Farm Bill funds are allocated to nutritional assistance programs, the largest of which is SNAP. But there are growing concerns that SNAP funds are in jeopardy in the new bill.

In light of these developments, it’s helpful to revisit the facts around food security and SNAP, and what they mean for the well-being of low-income households and households with children. Based on pre- and post-pandemic data, here are three findings that elevate the importance of SNAP funding.

At the height of the pandemic, food security improved for SNAP households and those with children

Food security among SNAP households improved in 2020 and 2021 compared with 2019. Similarly, a smaller share of households with children faced food insecurity in 2021, meaning there were lower rates of children being hungry, skipping a meal, or not eating any food for a day.

Emergency financial assistance, particularly extensions to existing programs, played an important part in boosting food security. In most states, SNAP allotments increased and program access was streamlined from March 2020 through February 2023.

These infusions of funds worked, data show. Federal assistance programs lifted 45.4 million people out of poverty in 2021. And more children benefited: In 2021, 27% of U.S. children were in families receiving public assistance, up from 23% in 2019.

Additional emergency provisions during the pandemic also helped with food security. Most U.S. households receiving the child tax credit (CTC) in 2021 used it to cover food expenses. Thus, a range of federal assistance programs helped improve children’s food security at the height of the pandemic.

But in 2022, food insecurity rebounded, as financial assistance stopped and costs of living surged

Very low food security increased for households with children from 2021 (0.7%) to 2022 (1%), and many attribute the additional hardships to higher food prices and inflation. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of inflation for all consumer goods, including food. Observing CPI data for all consumer items (gasoline, utilities, food, etc.) from 2013 to 2023, the highest month-over-month increase occurred in mid-2022, presenting a 1.2% change from May 2022 to June 2022 (Figure 1). Similarly, the CPI for food alone increased every 

month in the first half of 2022, jumping over 1% from both April to May and June to July.

FIGURE 1. SIGNIFICANT PRICE INCREASES HIT CONSUMERS IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2022
ONE-MONTH PERCENTAGE CHANGE IN CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR ALL CONSUMER ITEMS AND FOOD, SEASONALLY ADJUSTED

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index (CPI) Databases, “All items in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, seasonally adjusted” and “Food in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, seasonally adjusted.”

Food prices are known to be volatile and are often excluded in CPI calculations. However, significant volatility can cause economic disruption that harms consumers, especially vulnerable groups. While food prices have since leveled out, they remain high, creating long-lasting effects for low-income households. Families that depend on weekly wages, work minimum wage jobs, and have unsteady employment have a harder time recovering from increased costs of living.

In addition, during the high-inflation period in 2022, families no longer received the CTC, which was halted at the beginning of year. While the tax credit targeted all households with children, it benefited vulnerable families the most in recovering from the pandemic.

Racial and regional disparities in child hunger persist

Racial disparties persist in child well-being and hunger, data show. Most households that were lifted from poverty via the CTC were families of color. Pandemic survey data between July 2021 and February 2022 show that an average of 60% of Black households with children received CTC payments, the highest rate of all racial groups (Figure 2). Additional data from the KIDS COUNT Data Center show that the only racial group to experience a decline in poverty during this period was Black children. Perhaps surprisingly, the pandemic time period—buffered by extra financial assistance—was beneficial to many in poverty, especially Black children and their families.

FIGURE 2. 60% OF BLACK HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN RECEIVED CTC PAYMENTS DURING THE PANDEMIC
AVERAGE PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN THAT RECEIVED CTC PAYMENTS, JULY 2021–FEBRUARY 2022

Note: Racial and ethnic groups represented in this figure are not mutually exclusive.

Source: KIDS COUNT Data Center, “Households with children that received a CTC payment in the past four weeks by race and ethnicity in the United States.”

Regional differences are also notable. According to 2019-2021 CPS data, in Southern states, significantly higher shares of children lived in food-insecure households than in other regions. On average, 15.9% of children in the South were in food insecure households, compared to 11.4% of children in the Northeast. In 2021, about 83% of the nation’s most food-insecure counties were in the South. These findings reveal that Black children in the South are doubly disadvantaged with respect to food security.

The policymaker’s role in reducing hunger

Prior to the pandemic, food security among households with children steadily decreased. And, the past four years have further demonstrated the significance of policy in combatting food insecurity (Figure 3). During the 2020-2022 period, covering both early and late stages of the pandemic, the rate of food insecure households with children was 16%—up slightly from 15% in 2019-2021.

FIGURE 3. FOOD INSECURITY FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN HAS BEEN ON THE DECLINE—BUT IT INCREASED LATE IN THE PANDEMIC
PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN THAT WERE FOOD INSECURE IN THE PAST YEAR, 2011–2013 TO 2020–2022

Source: KIDS COUNT Data Center, “Children living in households that were food insecure at some point during the year in the United States.”

Reacting to the economic uncertainty of the pandemic, policymakers administered emergency financial assistance that improved food security for vulnerable households, even during a historically difficult time. But in 2022, food insecurity in these households rebounded, as COVID-era supports expired, food prices rose, and costs of living soared.

In light of this evidence, policymakers recommend:

1. Protecting funding for nutritional assistance programs and improving these programs to meet meal costs. [1]
2. Expanding the CTC and the earned income tax credit for low-income households. [2]

SNAP benefits, even with increases in 2021, failed to meet meal costs in both urban and rural areas nationwide. Increased funding in nutritional programs—a possibility in the new Farm Bill—would help fill these gaps, providing households with appropriate allowances to meet food costs where they live.

Higher tax credits for low-income households and households with children directly increase household spending on food, data show. Expansion of such tax credits directly affects workers who earn poverty-level wages and those who identify as Black or Latino.

But, the real beneficiaries are children, for whom important outcomes—including school success and health—are linked to have reliable access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food at home. And evidence from the pandemic shows that minimizing hunger is achievable by strengthening existing programs.

References

1. Urban Institute, “The Gap Between SNAP Benefits and Meal Costs, 2020–2021,” November 18, 2021.
2. The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Race for Results: Building a Pathway to Opportunity for All Children, January 2024.

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