Because the news media is the primary way Americans learn about politics and policy, we hold news media organizations to high standards of neutrality, ethics, and fairness. Do they live up to this standard?

The media sources from which an American receives information is considered one of the most important factors for predicting that person’s political views. Research has not firmly established whether the media influences views or whether people simply selectively pick media sources that align with their existing ideas. So, what are the differences in the media diet of Republicans and Democrats? Does one party trust the media more than the other? What do we make of the changing media landscape that includes a growing number of digital media sites?

The President of the United States is widely considered the most powerful person in the world. But where does this power come from? What can the president do, and how does he go about it? Moreover, the U.S. has a system of checks and balances between its three branches of government. The president can appoint judges in the judiciary branch and veto legislation from the legislative branch. Do other branches have to back the President for things to happen? What can they prevent the President from doing?