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Rasmussen Employment Index Hits Six-Year High

The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence reached a six-year high in November.

At 102.4, worker confidence is up three points from 99.4 in October and up one point from the previous high of 101.2 in August. The index fell to a recent low of 81.2 in October 2013 but gained steadily after that. After the Wall Street meltdown in the fall of 2008, the index fell dramatically, hitting an all-time low of 57.8 in July 2009.

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The survey of 9,567 working Americans was conducted in November 2014 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.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 41%, Democrats 40%

Republicans are still out front on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending November 30 finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district's congressional race if the election were held today, while 40% would choose the Democrat.

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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from November 24-25 and November 30, 2014. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Obama Full-Month Approval Steady for Third Month in a Row

When tracking President Obama’s job approval on a daily basis, people sometimes get so caught up in the day-to-day fluctuations that they miss the bigger picture. To look at the longer-term trends, Rasmussen Reports compiles the numbers on a full-month basis, and the results can be seen in the graphics below.  

While his party took a shellacking at the polls in early November, the president’s monthly job approval held steady at 47% for the third month in a row, showing no change from September and October. It's up two points from his two-year low of 45% reached in November 2013 during the troubled rollout period for the new national health care law. Obama’s approval rating hit a year-to-date high of 49% in February and May.

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Daily tracking results are collected via telephone surveys of 500 likely voters per night. The monthly numbers in this article are based on approximately 15,000 interviews each month with likely voters. The margin of sampling error is less than +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

Obamacare – Back from the Brink of Repeal?

Most voters for the first time want Congress to fix the new national health care law rather than repeal it.

Given the problems with the new law, 30% of Likely U.S. Voters still think Congress should repeal it entirely and start over again. But a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% prefer instead that Congress go through the law piece by piece and improve it. Just 13% want to leave the law as is. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 30, 2014 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.

46% Think Justice System Fair to Blacks, 39% Disagree

A plurality of voters still believes the U.S. justice system is fair to black and Hispanic Americans following the grand jury decision in the Michael Brown shooting case in Ferguson, Missouri. But there also continues to be a wide difference of opinion between whites and other voters.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the night the verdict was announced and the night after finds that 46% of Likely U.S. Voters feel the justice system is fair to these Americans. But 39% disagree and say the system is not fair to blacks and Hispanics, the highest finding on this question in regular surveying since June 2010. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national telephone survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on November 24-25, 2014. The margin of sampling error for the survey 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.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls -- Week Ending November 29, 2014

Did Thanksgiving come just in time? After outrage over the expected yet controversial grand jury decision in Ferguson and contention over the president’s executive action on immigration, perhaps Americans needed a day to step back and reflect.

On Monday, the St. Louis County Grand Jury decided not to indict Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson for the killing of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown back in August. Prior to the decision, most Americans didn’t expect Wilson to be charged with murder, and half said the U.S. Justice Department should not try to charge him for federal crimes related to the Brown shooting.

26% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Just 26% of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending November 23.

For the previous three weeks, this finding held steady at 27%. The number of voters who think the country is on the right course has now ranged from 23% to 27% nearly every week since early June and has been below 30% most weeks since June of last year.

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 The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from November 17-23, 2014. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

8% Rate Congress Good or Excellent

Even though they just voted in a new Republican majority, voters still give Congress dismal marks and the majority believe members get reelected because the system is rigged.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just eight percent (8%) of Likely U.S. Voters rate Congress’s performance as good or excellent, unchanged from the last two months. Sixty-four percent (64%) rate their performance as poor, also in line with earlier surveys. (To see survey question wording, click here).

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 20-21, 2014 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 43%, Democrats 39%

Two weeks after they won full control of Congress, Republicans now lead Democrats by four points on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending November 23 finds that 43% 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. This is the largest lead the Republicans have held since early August.

35% Say They’ve Been Hurt By Obamacare

A growing number of voters say their health insurance coverage has changed as a result of the new national health care law, and the most in over a year now say that change has been negative.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters now say their health insurance coverage has changed because of the law, up one point from last month. That number has been steadily climbing from 25% a year ago when the law made its public debut. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 22-23, 2014 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 November 22

Did someone miss the message on Election Day? Actions this week by President Obama and in the Senate suggest that we can look forward to another two years of hyper-intense partisanship.

The president on Thursday announced his long-anticipated plan – without congressional approval – that will allow nearly five million illegal immigrants to remain in this country legally and apply for jobs. Republican leaders, scheduled to take control of the full Congress in January, had asked Obama to delay the decision, saying it would poison their future relations. Most voters oppose the amnesty plan and think the government is not aggressive enough in deporting illegal immigrants.

38% Rate Obama’s Leadership Positively

For the second time this year, the number of voters who rate President Obama’s leadership positively has reached a three-year low.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 38% of Likely U.S. Voters now think the president is doing a good or excellent job. This ties the low first reached in August. Obama's positives have generally run in the mid-40s in regular surveys since he took office. Forty-four percent (44%) of voters think the president is doing a poor job, in line with findings for the past two years. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 18-19, 2014 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.

Pelosi, Reid Are Congress’ Least-Liked Leaders

November has not been Nancy Pelosi’s month. Despite being named the Democratic leader in the House again, she’s facing a Republican-controlled Congress and open opposition from within her own party. Now, Pelosi has edged back ahead of Harry Reid and John Boehner to be the least-liked leader in Congress.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey now finds that 58% of Likely U.S. Voters have an unfavorable opinion of Pelosi, including 41% with a Very Unfavorable one. Thirty-one percent (31%) view the San Francisco Democrat favorably, with just nine percent (9%) who have a Very Favorable opinion.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)\

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 18-19, 2014 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.

Louisiana Senate Runoff: Cassidy (R) 56%, Landrieu (D) 41%

Rasmussen Reports’ first survey of the Louisiana Senate runoff shows Republican challenger Bill Cassidy comfortably on his way to joining the new GOP Senate majority.

Cassidy posts a 15-point lead – 56% to 41%- over incumbent Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu among Likely Louisiana Voters in our latest statewide telephone survey. Just three percent (3%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters in Louisiana was conducted on November 16-19, 2014 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

For the third consecutive week, 27% of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending November 16.
  
This finding has ranged from 23% to 27% nearly every week since early June and has been below 30% most weeks since June of last year.

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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from November 10-16, 2014. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

For Voters, Growth Still Tops Fairness When It Comes to the Economy

Voters still believe there is a conflict between economic growth and economic fairness but also continue to feel that economic growth is the more important of the two.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 83% of Likely U.S. Voters rate policies that encourage economic fairness as important, with 55% who say they are Very Important. But that compares to 94% who rate policies that encourage economic growth as important, including 72% who view them as Very Important. Thirteen (13%) say economic policies are not very or Not At All Important, while only four percent (4%) feel that way about policies to encourage economic growth. (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 November 16-17, 2014 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 41%, Democrats 41%

In a survey taken the week after they won full control of Congress, Republicans are now tied with Democrats on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending November 16 finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district's congressional race if the election were held today, while the same amount (41%) would choose the Democrat.

44% Support Health Insurance Individual Mandate

More voters are in favor of the government requiring every American to obtain health insurance, but support for a single-payer system has fallen to its lowest level this year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters favor the new health care law’s requirement that every American obtain insurance. Just as many (43%) oppose requiring Americans to have health insurance. Thirteen percent (13%) 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.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 14-15, 2014 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 November 15

Obamacare is back in the news, for better or worse.

The U.S. Supreme Court has opted to hear another legal challenge of the health care law, while the Obama administration hopes the glitches in the federal exchange website have been fixed in time for this weekend’s open health insurance enrollment. Meanwhile, several videos have surfaced showing one of the law’s chief architects saying it was deliberately written in a confusing manner so “stupid” voters wouldn’t realize how much the law could end up costing them.

Voters Less Confident in America's Shale Oil Reserves

Most voters continue to believe that development of shale oil reserves will likely end U.S. dependence on foreign oil, but they are not as convinced that the United States has enough reserves to become the world’s largest producer of oil and natural gas.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 88% of Likely U.S. Voters think it’s at least somewhat important for the United States to become less dependent on oil imports, with 61% who say it’s Very Important. Just eight percent (8%) say it's not very or Not At All Important for this country to become more energy independent. (To see survey question wording, click here).

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on November 12-13, 2014 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.