Opinion Today: Topline
Selected links from the December 18, 2025, edition of Opinion Today
Fox News Poll: As prices pinch, voters see Trump focused elsewhere Dana Blanton, Fox News Even as more voters are happy with how things are going in the country, they’re worried. An overwhelming majority expresses concern about high prices. Four times as many say they’re losing financial ground as feel they’re getting ahead, and most think the economy is in bad shape.
CBS News poll finds Americans say holidays are costing them more, some are scaling back Anthony Salvanto, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Kabir Khanna, CBS News
The affordability crisis is disrupting politics in one country after another Erin Doherty, Politico
Trump’s economic approval hits a new low at 36%, poll finds Domenico Montanaro, NPR News
Americans are more dissatisfied with Trump’s handling of the economy than ever, poll shows Matt Loffman, PBS News Hour
More Than Six in Ten Say Economy is Not Working for Them Personally Marist Institute for Public Opinion
Voters Give Democrats In Congress A Record Low Job Approval But Still Might Vote For Them In 2026 Quinnipiac University Poll
Americans want Congress to focus on cost of healthcare and housing Ipsos U.S. Mental Health Ratings Continue to Worsen Jeffrey M. Jones, Gallup
Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication
2025 Wrapped: Trump’s Year in Review Ian Smith, Maryann Cousens & Rachael Russell, Navigator Research
What Do Americans Know About Trump 2.0? A Lot. Dante Chinni, American Communities Project Do Voters Trust Supreme Court To Do What’s Best For U.S.? Yes, But Just Barely: I&I/TIPP Poll Terry Jones, tippinsights
Gift cards and cash are viewed as more appropriate holiday gifts than second-hand items or regifting AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research
What Americans think about giving cash as holiday gifts, according to a new AP-NORC poll Leanne Italie and Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux, Associated Press
Vulnerable Congressional Republicans Risk Their Seats by Opposing ACA Subsidy Extensions Anika Dandekar, Data for Progress
Republican and Democratic convention delegates agree on strategy and not much else Nathan Kalmoe and Michael Wagner, Tusk North Carolina: Mediocre marks for K-12 schools Elon University Poll A New Way to Understand America’s Congressional Doom Loop Ronald Brownstein & Carolyn Silverman, Bloomberg Opinion
Not Left vs. Center, but the People vs. the Powerful Stanley B. Greenberg (Greenberg Research), American Prospect How Democrats can keep gaining on Trump as his economic approval sinks Elana Schor and Burgess Everett, Semafor Trump and Vance give the economy high marks — the numbers say otherwise Philip Bump, MS NOW This Is What Presidential Panic Looks Like Tom Nichols, The Atlantic [unlocked] Alarm Bells Ring, Are You Listening? Karl Rove, Wall Street Journal [unlocked] The MAGA Crack-Up Is Overrated. MAGA Is Here to Stay. Brynn Tannehill, New Republic
There’s much more in today’s FULL edition of Opinion Today:
PLAYLIST
Americans give Trump low marks on the economy in new poll
The NPR Politics PodcastCatherine Rampell and Michael Steinberger: Trump Wants to Cook the Books
The Bulwark PodcastWords of the Year (with Natalie Haynes)
Strong Message HereMost Americans say holidays are costing more, CBS News poll finds
CBS NewsTrump gets worst economic ratings ever in new poll as Americans worry about affordability
PBS News Hour