You don't need to wait until Black Friday — shopping will start today in many places. But are consumers ready to spend?

This election, in part driven by the discrepancy between most media analysis and Nate Silver's data-driven electoral model, has prompted a debate about polling in the new media landscape. Frank Newport, of Gallup, says his polling still works but could be tweaked.

Gallup editor-in-chief Frank Newport addresses recent criticism of Gallup's polling.

Every bit of public data — housing, employment, consumer spending — changes how voters feel about the state of the nation — and about their own well-being.

Gallup's national daily tracking poll gained some attention this past week. Some critics say the poll, which shows a solid lead for Governor Mitt Romney, is out-of-step with other national polls that indicate the race is much closer.

The next presidential debate is on Tuesday, October 16th, and this one is a town hall with 84 people in the audience. The participants will get to quiz the candidates — but how are they selected?

New polling reveals that young people are more positive about the prospects of finding a quality job than their elders.

So far, the Republican National Convention keynote speeches have focused on jobs and the deficit. Something a little more surprising, maybe, has been the emphasis on teachers and schools.

Which industries do well in public opinion polls? Computers get mostly positive marks, as do retail and anything having to do with food. The federal government and oil and gas, not so much.

The latest data on unemployment claims put them near their lowest levels since the start of the financial crisis. Hiring is slowly ticking up. So why aren't Americans feeling better about the economy?