Thirty-four percent (34%) of voters now say the United States is heading in the right direction, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

The percentage of voters who feel this way has remained in the narrow range of 31% to 35% since late June. Following President Obama’s inauguration in January, voter confidence in the direction of the country steadily increased, peaking at 40% in early May.

While down since then, the latest finding is still six points higher than the week Obama took office and up 13 points from the week he was elected president in early November.

The majority of voters (61%) continue to believe the nation is heading down the wrong track, down slightly from last week. This finding has remained fairly consistent after dropping nine points from the week prior to the president’s inauguration.

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A majority (56%) of Democrats say the country is heading in the right direction, while just 12% of Republicans and 28% of unaffiliated voters feel the same way. The majority of Republicans and unaffiliated voters believe the nation is heading down the wrong track.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced the House version of health care reform legislation last week, but most voters are still opposed to the effort. Forty-two percent (42%) now favor the health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats. That’s down from 45% a week ago but unchanged from two weeks ago. Fifty-four percent (54%) are opposed.

Voter confidence in America’s conduct of the War on Terror has fallen to its lowest level since the first week of January in 2007. Voters are also much less optimistic about the course of the war in Iraq.

Voters continue to have a pessimistic view about America's future relationship with the Muslim world, as the war worsens in Afghanistan and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ends a troubled visit to Pakistan.

Recent polling finds that 49% of Americans feel criminals should be prosecuted more severely if it can be proved that their crime was motivated by the victim’s race, color, religion, national origin or sexual orientation. Thirty-one percent (31%) disagree, and 19% are not sure.

Voters for the first time are blaming President Obama nearly as much as President Bush for the country’s continuing economic problems.

Employed Americans are slightly more confident than they were this summer that leaving their current jobs will be their own decision rather than their employer’s.

Thirty-seven percent (37%) of working Americans expect to be working for the same employer in five years. That figure is down ten percentage points since July and may partially reflect discouraging short-term economic conditions.

Republican congressional candidates hold on to a four-point lead over Democrats this week in the latest Generic Congressional Ballot.

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