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38% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction

Thirty-eight percent (38%) of Likely U.S. Voters say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, February 17.

The latest finding is unchanged from the previous week but is down from 41% three months ago – just below the highest level measured in over five years of weekly tracking. This time last year, 31% were confident in the nation’s current course.

(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 February 11-17, 2013. 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 21% Say High School Grads Have Skills Needed for Work Force

Voters don’t think much of the skills acquired by high school graduates attempting to go to college or enter the work force.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 18% of Likely U.S. Voters believe most high school graduates have the skills needed for college. Sixty-one percent (61%) don't agree. Twenty-one percent (21%) are not sure. (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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 18-19, 2013 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.

25% Say Americans Are Selfish For Putting Economy Ahead of Global Warming

Most Americans have expressed concern about global warming for years, but the issue still takes a back seat to the economy and job creation.  The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 25% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Americans are selfish for putting their economic concerns ahead of the fight against global warming, down from 34% a month ago and the lowest level measured in years. Most (57%) disagree and say Americans are not being selfish. Another 18% are undecided. (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 Likely Voters was conducted on February 14-15, 2013 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: Democrats 43%, Republicans 37%

Democrats now hold a three-point lead over Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending February 10, 2013.

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

(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 February 4-10, 2013. 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.

47% Favor A Health Care Exchange in Their State

Voter support for creating a health care exchange in their state as part of President Obama’s health care law is unchanged, but low voter awareness suggests it is not a top-of-mind issue for most voters at this time.

Just 34% of Likely U.S. Voters say they know their state has agreed to set up a health care exchange, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Slightly fewer (29%) don’t know if their state has done so, with another 37% who are not sure. (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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 16-17, 2013 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.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls -- February 16, 2013

Voters must sometimes wonder what part of the phrase “spending cuts” their elected officials don’t seem to understand.

In this weekend’s edition of What America Thinks, Scott Rasmussen and his guests, former DNC Chairman Howard Dean and Republican Senator Bob Corker, discuss spending and other issues raised by President Obama in his latest State of the Union address. What America Thinks airs on 61 TV stations nationwide. Find a station in your area.

The economy, government spending and job creation were the top issues on voters’ minds before the president’s Tuesday night speech. They remain the top concerns after the speech, too. 

Economy, Government Spending Top the List of Important Issues

The top three issues on voters’ minds these days all deal with the economy.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 72% consider the economy a Very Important issue, topping the list of 15 key issues tracked by Rasmussen Reports. (To see survey question wording, click here.) The economy is closely followed by government spending and job creation, which 71% of voters and 68% consider Very Important, respectively.

(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.

Two national surveys of 1,000 Likely Voters each were conducted on February 10-11 & 12-13, 2013 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.

38% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction

Thirty-eight percent (38%) of Likely U.S. Voters say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, February 10.

The latest finding is down a point from the previous week, is up five points from a month ago but is still down from 42% three months ago – just below the highest level measured in over five years of weekly tracking. This time last year, 34% were confident in the nation’s current course.

(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 February 4-10, 2013. 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.

Where The President Stands with Voters – Issue by Issue

President Obama’s latest State of the Union speech is expected to be a laundry list of issues he considers important as he sets the nation’s course for the next four years.

Obama continues to enjoy some of the highest job approval ratings of his presidency in the daily Presidential Tracking Poll, even though just 39% of Likely U.S. Voters think the nation is heading in the right direction. Still, that’s a big improvement from a year ago at this time when only 29% felt that way.

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Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 42%, Republicans 39%

Democrats now hold a three-point lead over Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending February 10, 2013.

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

(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 February 4-10, 2013. 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.

Voters Strongly Favor Individual Choice When It Comes to Health Insurance

Voters remain closely divided over President Obama’s national health care law but also still believe overwhelmingly in individual choice when it comes to health insurance. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 46% of Likely U.S. Voters have a favorable opinion of the health care law, while slightly more (49%) view it unfavorably. This includes 21% with a Very Favorable opinion and 35% with a Very Unfavorable one. (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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 8-9, 2013 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.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending February 9, 2013

What voters want isn’t often what they get.

Case in point: President Obama has indicated that gun control and immigration reform are his top priorities for the year and will be central to his State of the Union address this coming Tuesday night. But voters rate government spending and job creation as far more important issues than either gun control or immigration.

The issues the president cares about are important to Democrats, and that may be the key, Scott Rasmussen explains in his latest weekly newspaper column. “By focusing on the ability of Congress to block progress on these initiatives,” he writes, ”the president may give his base strong motivation to show up for the midterm elections.”

Voters Rate Spending, Job Creation Higher in Importance Than Gun Control

Voters rate government spending and job creation as far more important issues than gun control, but the Political Class disagrees. Rasmussen Reports has been asking voters to rate the importance of 10 core issues in surveys for years, but given news developments, we’ve now added five more issues to that list – job creation, the environment, government spending, issues affecting small business and gun control.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 71% of Likely U.S. Voters consider government spending a Very Important issue. (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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 4-5, 2013 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.

39% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction

For the second week in a row, 39% of Likely U.S. Voters say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, February 3.

The latest finding is unchanged from the previous week, the highest level measured so far this year. Still, confidence is down from 43% the week prior to President Obama’s reelection, the highest level measured in over five years of weekly tracking. This time last year, only 29% said the country was heading in the right direction.

(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 3,000 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen January 28-February 3, 2013. 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: Democrats 44%, Republicans 38%

Democrats hold a six-point lead over Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending February 3, 2013.

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

(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 3,000 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from January 28-February 3, 2013. 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.

80% Rate Their Health Care As Good or Excellent

Voters continue to give high marks to the health care they receive but worry that the U.S. health care system is going to get worse in the near future.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 80% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the overall quality of the health care they receive as good or excellent. Just three percent (3%) consider the health care they receive as poor. (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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 2-3, 2013 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.

42% Think U.S., Allies Winning War on Terror

Confidence that the United States and its allies are winning the War on Terror has slipped to the lowest level since the killing of Osama bin Laden nearly two years ago. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% of Likely U.S. Voters now think the United States and its allies are winning the War on Terror. That’s down from 45% in December and the lowest level of confidence since April 2011. Confidence peaked at 55% in May 2011 just after bin Laden’s death was announced. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on January 29-30, 2013 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.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending February 2, 2013

The week began with a bipartisan immigration reform plan that includes a pathway to citizenship for the millions of illegal immigrants already here and ended with a worsening of the national unemployment rate. Voters have little faith in their elected representatives to set either issue right.

Voters continue to favor a welcoming immigration policy and rate both border control and legalizing the status of those here illegally as important goals. However, voters are dubious that the government will actually make more of en effort to stop illegal immigration if the plan is passed by Congress. 

“Despite the broad support for the outlines of the bipartisan legislation, the prospects for its passage are far from clear,” Scott Rasmussen explains in his latest weekly newspaper column. “The reason has little to do with the immigration issue itself and everything to do with the lack of public trust in the government.”

39% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction

Thirty-nine percent (39%) 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, January 27.

The latest finding is up four points from the previous week and is the highest level measured so far this year. Still, confidence is down from 43% the week prior to President Obama’s reelection, the highest level measured in over five years of weekly tracking. This time last year, only 29% said the country was heading in the right direction.

(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 3,000 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen January 21-27, 2013. 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.

Worker Confidence Slips in January

The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence fell four points in January from a five-year high the month before, but the index remains above monthly levels measured for most of 2012.

At 87.1, the Employment Index is up six points from the start of 2012 and up 10 points from January 2011.

The survey of 9,476 working Americans was conducted in January 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.