General Business

44% Fear Government Will Do Too Much to Help Economy, 44% Say Not Enough

Voters nationwide remain evenly divided in their concerns about the government’s reaction to economic problems, but most still agree the best solution is to cut government spending.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 44% are more worried that the federal government will try to do too much in reacting to the nation’s current economic problems. But just as many (44%) fear the government will not do enough in response to those problems. Twelve percent (12%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on September 15-16, 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.

47% Expect Higher Interest Rates One Year From Now

The Federal Reserve on Thursday announced it is extending its plan to keep interest rates low until 2015, but nearly half of Americans expect higher interest rates a year from now.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 47% of American Adults believe they will be paying higher interest rates one year from today. Just six percent (6%) expect lower interest rates in a year's time, while 34% believe they will be about the same. Thirteen percent (13%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on September 8-9, 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.

58% Lack Confidence in Fed To Keep Inflation Under Control, Interest Rates Down

Confidence in the Federal Reserve Board’s ability to keep inflation under control remains at the lowest level of 2012 as Americans overwhelmingly continue to report they are paying more for groceries compared to last year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 37% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident that the Fed can keep inflation under control and interest rates down, but just 11% are Very Confident.  Fifty-eight percent (58%) lack confidence in the Fed, with 15% who are Not At All Confident.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on September 8-9, 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.

50% Confident In Stability of U.S. Banking Industry

Fifty percent (50%) of American Adults are now at least somewhat confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry, but that still includes just 11% who are Very Confident. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% don't share that confidence, with 14% who are Not At All Confident.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on September 8-9, 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.

Just 16% See A Better Future for Today's Children

Americans remain highly pessimistic about what lies ahead for the nation's children. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 16% of Adults believe that today’s children will be better off than their parents. That's up slightly from July’s all-time low of 14% and back to the levels found in May and June. Prior to that time in regular surveys since the beginning of 2009, that finding generally had been in the low to mid-20s.

Sixty-four percent (64%) now say today’s children will not be better off. That compares to 47% who felt that way in January 2009. Nineteen percent (19%) more are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on August 21-22, 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.

52% Think Housing Market Will Take More Than Three Years to Fully Recover

Most Americans still believe it will take more than three years for the housing market to recover from the 2008 economic meltdown, and a sizable number continues to predict full recovery of the stock market will take that long, too.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% of American Adults think it will take more than three years for housing prices to fully recover from the downturn that began in 2008. That's down slightly from 57% in June, the most negative assessment of the housing market since regular tracking began in January 2009. Fifteen percent (15%) think recovery is two years away, while 12% say it's three years away. Only four percent (4%) think recovery is likely to occur within the next year. Sixteen percent (16%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on August 21-22, 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.

36% Say Economy Will Be Weaker A Year From Now

Short- and long-term confidence in the nation’s economy continues to hover around 2012 lows. 

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 32% of American Adults think the U.S. economy will be stronger a year from today, but slightly more (36%) believe it will be weaker in a year's time.  Seventeen percent (17%) think economic conditions in the country will stay about the same. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on August 21-22, 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.

44% Fear Government Won’t Do Enough For Troubled Economy

Voters remain closely divided in their concern over whether the government will do too much or too little to help the troubled economy. But most still prefer spending cuts as an economic boost.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters now say, in reacting to the nation’s economic problems, what worries them most is that the federal government will not do enough. Forty-one percent (41%) are more worried the government will do too much. Fifteen percent (15%) more are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

Just 15% Are Paying Higher Interest Rates Than A Year Ago

Fewer adults than ever now report than they are paying higher interest rates than they were one year ago, and expectations that those rates will be higher in a year's time are at their lowest level this year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 15% now say they are paying higher interest rates than they were a year ago. That's down from 22% in July and the lowest finding in over three years of regular surveying on the question. The same number (15%) also report that they are paying lower rates than a year ago, but most (57%) say they are paying about the same rate. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on August 11-12, 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.

37% Are Confident in Fed To Keep Inflation Under Control

At a time when most Americans report they’re paying more for groceries compared to last year, confidence in the Federal Reserve Board’s ability to keep inflation under control has fallen to a new low for 2012.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 37% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident that the Fed can keep inflation under control and interest rates down, but that includes just nine percent (9%) who are Very Confident.  Fifty-seven percent (57%) lack confidence in the Fed, with 19% who are Not At All Confident.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

44% Are Confident in Stability of U.S. Banking Industry

The number of Americans who are confident in the U.S. banking system remains below 50%, but most still aren’t worried they will lose money due to a bank failure.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 44% are confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry today, including just 11% who are Very Confident. Fifty-one percent (51%) don’t share this confidence, with 11% who are Not At All Confident in the banking system. (To see survey question wording,  click here.)

The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on August 11-12, 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.

Long-Term Optimism About U.S. Economy Falls to New Low

Confidence that the U.S. economy will recover in the next five years has fallen to its lowest level since early 2009. Short-term confidence isn't much better.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that just 31% believe the U.S. economy will be stronger in one year. Thirty-five percent (35%) predict a weaker economy by next year, and 18% more say it will be about the same. Seventeen percent (17%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The national survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on July 22-23, 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.

45% Fear Federal Government Will Do Too Much To Help Economy

Slightly more voters now fear the federal government will do too much in response to the troubled economy, but cutting government spending remains a favored option for most.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters now say, in reacting to the nation’s economic problems, what worries them most is that the federal government will do too much.  Forty-three percent (43%) fear the government will not do enough, down from 48% last month.  Eleven percent (11%) more are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Partisan Economics: Democrats Believe Economy Getting Better

Democrats have a much more optimistic view of the U.S. economy than either Republicans or unaffiliated adults.

Currently, just 36% of Democrats believe the economy is in poor shape, according to new Rasmussen Reports polling.  Nearly twice as many Republicans (67%) offer such a pessimistic view. So do 54% of those not affiliated with either major party.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 American Adults was conducted by Rasmussen Reports July 14-20, 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.

72% Believe Small Business Owners Primarily Responsible for Their Own Success

Most Americans believe entrepreneurs who start businesses do more to create jobs and economic growth than big businesses or government. They also believe overwhelmingly that small business owners work harder than other Americans and are primarily responsible for the success or failure of their businesses.

Seventy-two percent (72%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe that people who start small businesses are primarily responsible for their success or failure. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 13% disagree. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

49% Say Current Government Programs Increase Level of Poverty in U.S.

Nearly half of all Americans believe the government overspends on anti-poverty programs and continue to feel those programs actually increase the level of poverty in this country. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 47% of American adults think the government spends too much on poverty programs. That's up nine points from 38% in April of last year. Thirty percent (30%) feel the government spends too little fighting poverty, while 15% say the amount spent is about right. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on July 16-17, 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.

30% Owe More Money Than They Did Last Year

Nearly half of young Americans now say they owe more money than they did last year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 30% of all American Adults say they owe more money than they did a year ago, while nearly as many (29%) say they owe less.  Thirty-eight percent (38%) say their level of debt is about the same. That's consistent with findings for the last couple years. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on July 8-9, 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.

38% Express Confidence In Fed To Keep Inflation, Interest Rates In Check

Americans’ confidence in the Federal Reserve Board keeping inflation under control is the lowest its been in 2012, as many continue to report paying more for groceries now compared to last year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 38% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident that the Fed can keep inflation under control and interest rates down, including just 13% who are Very Confident. Fifty-six percent (56%) lack confidence in the Fed in this area, with 22% who are Not At All Confident. (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 American Adults nationwide was conducted on July 8-9, 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.

43% Confident In Stability of U.S. Banking Industry

Confidence in the stability of the U.S. banking system has fallen to its lowest level in over a year of monthly tracking.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry today.  That’s down from 46% last month and from a recent high of 50% in May. By comparison, however, in July 2008 just before the Wall Street meltdown, 68% were confident in the banking system.

The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on July 8-9, 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.

66% Say Government Should Cut Spending To Help Economy

Voters remain closely divided over the government’s role in responding to the troubled economy, but cutting spending remains a favored option for most.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters are worried the federal government will do too much in reacting to the nation’s economic situation rather than not enough.  Forty-eight percent (48%) are more worried the government will not do enough.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on June 15-16, 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.