From 2005 to early 2009, entrepreneurs were more confident about the economy than government employees, private sector employees, retirees and other Americans. However, since March of last year, government workers have been the most confident (or, perhaps, the least pessimistic).
More than one-out-of-four Americans (27%) think the government should manage the U.S. economy, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Nearly as many (24%) say it's better for the government to stay out of economic decisions altogether.
As Congress wrangles over whether to continue funding unemployment benefits for up to 99 weeks, Americans express skepticism about the need for benefits that last that long.
Despite Democratic resistance to extending the Bush tax cuts for those who earn $200,000 or more a year, most voters are optimistic that the tax cuts will be continued for all Americans.
Americans are receptive to a proposal by President Obama’s bipartisan deficit reduction commission to increase the level of income taxable for Social Security, but most don’t like the idea of raising the retirement age.?
Though the president’s bipartisan deficit reduction commission is exploring a combination of spending cuts and tax hikes to reduce the massive federal deficit, most voters continue to expect government spending to increase during the Obama years.
The Rasmussen Reports Consumer Index for the full month of November shows the highest level of economic confidence in more than two-and-a-half years. The Consumer Index monthly rating of 84.3 is the highest since February 2008 but is still well below the baseline month of October 2001, just after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
President Obama’s bipartisan deficit reduction commission is considering a radical overhaul of one of the most sacred of sacred cows – the income tax deduction on interest paid on home mortgages. Americans are narrowly divided when asked about possible ways to limit that deduction.
One of the constants in Rasmussen Reports Consumer Index tracking of economic confidence is that women are more skeptical about the economy than men. Some might say that women are more pessimistic while others might say more realistic; the gap is a regular feature of consumer confidence data.
The Rasmussen Employment Index posts its largest single-month gain in over a year and reaches its highest level since September 2008 for the third straight month.
"My wife and I started a business a couple of years ago. We formed a limited liability company (LLC) to run the business, and split the ownership (and the work) 50-50.
Economic confidence among the nation's small business owners continued to improve in November, according to the Discover(R) Small Business Watch(SM). The monthly index rose to 87.2 in November, up 3 points from 84.2 in October -- the third consecutive monthly gain, and nearly 11 points higher than a year ago.
Despite continuing concerns about the economy, most voters still worry that the federal government will do too much in trying to turn things around.
A lot of people are confused right now about Congress' plans to raise taxes (more precisely, eliminate the Bush-era tax cuts) for people with incomes of $250,000 per year or more.
Half of American adults nationwide believe it's at least somewhat likely that General Motors and Chrysler will repay their bailouts in full, but only one-in-five say full repayment will make them look more favorably on government bailouts in the future.
For the first time, most Americans don’t think last year’s government bailout of General Motors and Chrysler was a bad move.
Belief that a home is a good buy for a family remains low.
Thirty percent (30%) of homeowners say the value of their home is less than what they still own on their mortgage. That's the lowest level measured since August but consistent with findings since April 2009.
Homeowners continue to have little short-term confidence in the U.S. housing market but are much more confident about the picture five years down the road. The findings on both questions remain in the ballpark of where they’ve been for well over a year.
President Obama’s bipartisan deficit reduction commission ultimately will propose tax hikes, spending cuts or a combination of the two to reduce the country's historic high debt, but most Americans feel they - and not Congress - should have the final say on whether the commission's proposals become law.
