Mood of America Archive

Approval Ratings for Supreme Court Slip Following Health Care Ruling

Public opinion of the Supreme Court has grown more negative since the highly publicized ruling on the president’s health care law was released. A growing number now believe that the high court is too liberal and that justices pursue their own agenda rather than acting impartially.

A week ago, 36% said the court was doing a good or an excellent job. That’s down to 33% today. However, the big change is a rise in negative perceptions. Today, 28% say the Supreme Court is doing a poor job. That’s up 11 points over the past week.

The new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey, conducted on Friday and Saturday following the court ruling, finds that 56% believe justices pursue their own political agenda rather than generally remain impartial. That’s up five points from a week ago. Just half as many -- 27% -- believe the justices remain impartial. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 29-30, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

35% Give Supreme Court Good or Excellent Marks

Thirty-five percent (35%) of Likely Voters nationwide say the U.S. Supreme Court is doing a good or excellent job. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% think the court is doing a fair job, and 22% rate its performance as poor. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

In March, just before oral arguments on the health care law, only 28% gave the high court such positive ratings. Those were the lowest ratings ever earned by the court in more than eight years of polling by Rasmussen Reports. But those oral arguments convinced many that the president’s health care law might be overturned, and positive ratings for the court jumped 13 points to 41%.

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 27-28, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

27% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Twenty-seven percent (27%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, June 24.

That's down three points from from 30% the week before and the lowest finding since early April.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports June 18-24, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 44%, Democrats 39%

Republicans lead Democrats by five points on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, June 24.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 39% would choose the Democrat instead. Republicans led by seven points the week before, 45% to 38%.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from June 18-24, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage point with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

37% Say America's Best Days Are in the Future

Americans remain more pessimistic than optimistic about the nation's future.

A plurality (45%) of Likely U.S Voters say America’s best days are in the past, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Thirty-seven percent (37%) still believe the best days are in the future.  Eighteen percent (18%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 19-20, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology.

30% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Thirty percent (30%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, June 17.

That's up from 29% the week before.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports June 11-17, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 45%, Democrats 38%

Republicans lead Democrats by seven points on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, June 17.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 38% would choose the Democrat instead. Republicans led by six points the week before, 45% to 39%, and seven points 44% to 37%, the week before that.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from June 11-17, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage point with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

36% Give U.S. Supreme Court Positive Ratings on Job Performance

Just over one-third of voters continue to have a positive view of the U.S. Supreme Court which is expected to rule any day now on the constitutionality of President Obama's national health care law.  

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 36% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the Supreme Court’s performance as good or excellent.  Seventeen percent (17%) say the high court is doing a poor job.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook

This national survey of 1,000 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on June 13-14, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

29% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, June 10.

For the prior two weeks, 31% felt the country was heading in the right direction.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports June 4-10, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

Top Congressional Leaders Are A Little Less Disliked

Voters like the top Congressional leaders a little more this month—or rather, they dislike them a little less.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi remains the least-liked congressional leader, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Thirty-three percent (33%) of Likely U.S. Voters hold at least a somewhat favorable view of the former House speaker. Fifty-six percent (56%) see her at least somewhat unfavorably, but that’s down from 63% last month. These findings include 13% with a Very Favorable opinion and 44% with a Very Unfavorable one. Eleven percent (11%) do not know enough about Pelosi to offer an opinion. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on June 7-8, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 45%, Democrats 39%

Republicans lead Democrats by six points on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, June 10.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 39% would choose the Democrat instead. Republicans led by seven points the week before, 44% to 37%.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from June 4-10, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage point with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

34% Say Next President Very Likely To Be Republican

Though slightly more voters believe President Obama is governing on a bipartisan basis, a majority remains convinced that the next president will be from the Republican Party.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 60% of Likely Voters say it’s at least somewhat likely that the next president will be a Republican, including 34% who see this scenario as Very Likely. Twenty-five percent (25%) say it’s not likely the next president will be from the GOP, but that includes only six percent (6%) who believe it is Not At All Likely. Another 15% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 5-6, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

31% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

For the second week in a row, 31% of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, June 3.

From July 25 through December 11 of last year, the number of voters who were confident in the nation's current course resembled levels measured in the final months of the George W. Bush administration, remaining in the narrow range of 14% to 19%. That finding began climbing in early January of this year, along with gains in economic confidence, to a high of 34% in the second week of February and has hovered around 30% ever since.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports May 28-June 3, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Just 7% Say Congress Doing Good Or Excellent Job

Positive ratings for Congress remain in single digits as they have been for the past year of regular tracking. 

Just seven percent (7%) of Likely U.S. Voters now rate the job Congress is doing as good or excellent, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  Sixty-three percent (63%) say Congress is doing a poor job. That's virtually unchanged from last month and consistent with regular surveying since April 2011. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on June 1-2, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 44%, Democrats 37%

Republicans lead Democrats by seven points on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, June 3.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 37% would choose the Democrat instead. Republicans led by three points the week before, 42% to 39%.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from May 28-June 3, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage point with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

51% Say United States Winning War on Terror

Half of U.S. voters still believe the United States is winning the War on Terror and that America is safer today that it was before the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 51% of Likely Voters say the United States and its allies are winning the War on Terror, while just 16% feel the terrorists are winning that war.  Another 25% say neither side is ahead.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on May 30-31, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

51% Say United States Winning War on Terror

Half of U.S. voters still believe the United States is winning the War on Terror and that America is safer today that it was before the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 51% of Likely Voters say the United States and its allies are winning the War on Terror, while just 16% feel the terrorists are winning that war.  Another 25% say neither side is ahead.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on May 30-31, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Partisan Trends: Republicans 35.7%, Democrats 33.8%, Unaffiliateds 30.5%

The number of Democrats and Republicans in the United States increased slightly in May, with voters in President Obama’s party now at their highest level this year. During May, 35.7% of Americans considered themselves Republicans.  That’s up from 35.1% in April, the lowest level measured since November of last year.

Rasmussen Reports tracks this information based on telephone interviews with approximately 15,000 adults per month since November 2002. The margin of error for the full sample is less than one percentage point, with a 95% level of confidence.

50% Trust Republicans More on Economy

For the first time in five-and-a-half years of regular tracking, half of voters now trust Republicans more than Democrats when it comes to the economy, the issue they rate by far as most important to how they will vote. Voters now trust Republicans more on five of the 10 major issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports, Democrats more on two, and they're tied on three.

Two national surveys of 1,000 Likely Voters each were conducted on May 24-25 & 28-29, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

31% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Thirty-one percent (31%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, May 27.

This finding is up one point from the previous week and three points from the week before that.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports May 21-27, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.