Even though election-night reports that union votes had surged this year were proven wrong, news organizations continue to report an increased labor turnout. The surprises in Washington merely confirmed what voters said so clearly on Election Day.
Anger is out and compassion is suddenly in.
Even as the number of minorities plunges at many universities around the country, large majorities of Americans say they value racial and cultural diversity on campus. Although some key attitudes of white and black Americans toward the country's racial climate remain unchanged, recent polling data from several sources suggest that race relations have improved. Forget Gen X, those disaffected and cynical twentysomethings. Most Americans believe they will not contract a sexually transmitted disease, according to a new survey by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. But one in four Americans will come down with an STD sometime in their lives, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.