I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
A poll by Gallup Polling shows that Americans who have heard or read about the new Arizona law are supportive of the bill, although that support is sharply split along partisan lines. It also finds that nearly a third of Americans have not heard about the law.
Meanwhile the Pew Research Center this week highlights a finding that shows Americans believe Hispanics are more discriminated against than any other group.
The recently signed immigration law in Arizona allows police officers to ask anyone for proof of their legal status based on a “reasonable suspicion” that they might be in the country illegally. Opponents of the bill say this will lead to racial profiling of Hispanics, while backers of the bill say it is a necessary tool for law enforcement in Arizona since the federal government has not acted on comprehensive immigration reform.
The question was “Based on what you know or have read about the new Arizona immigration law, do you favor or oppose it?” The liberal media watchdogs at Media Matters said the poll should have explained a little about the law to people before asking if they supported it; NBC political reporter Chuck Todd called it “VERY misleading.”
But the pollsters did caution that “the poll did not attempt to measure actual knowledge about the law or describe the various provisions of the law to respondents.”
With those large grains of salt in mind, the Gallup poll found that 39 percent of people polled favor the law, while 30 percent oppose the law. But 31 percent of those polled say that they have not heard of the law or that they have no opinion on the new law.
Unsurprisingly, support for the bill is split along partisan lines — 62 percent of Republicans favor the law against just 27 percent of Democrats. Of those who have heard of the bill, 75 percent of Republicans favor the bill while 34 percent of Democrats favor the bill.
Gallup found that 78 percent of those polled heard something about the bill, with 24 percent saying they have heard or read “a great deal” about the new law.
Pew says Hispanics already seen as most discriminated against
Pew flashed back to a poll in 2009 that found that Hispanics are the group that is seen as the most discriminated against.
A 2009 survey by the Pew Research Center found that nearly one-in-four (23%) Americans said Hispanics are discriminated against “a lot” in society today, a share higher than observed for any other group.
Pew also highlighted a 2008 report that showed three-quarters of illegal immigrants are Hispanic.
The Pew Hispanic Center has done a ton of research on the demographics and opinions of Hispanics. This, of course, touches on immigration both legal and illegal.
