General Politics

For Political News, TV Still Rules

Despite society’s ever-growing reliance on the Internet, most voters still prefer to turn on the television to get their political news.

Voters See Worse Relations with Islam But Not With Individual Muslims

More voters than ever see a worsening relationship between the United States and the Islamic world, but they are less convinced that most Muslims around the world view America as an enemy and vice versa.

Voters Are Not Impressed With Obama’s Response to San Bernardino

Following the first major attack by radical Islamic terrorists on American soil in several years, President Obama sought to reassure Americans in a speech to the nation Sunday night that the federal government has things under control. He outlined the measures being taken to fight the radical Islamic State group (ISIS), called for more gun control and cautioned against anti-Muslim bias.

Which Matters More: Internet Freedom or Security?

With increasing reports that terrorists regularly use the Internet to coordinate their actions, Americans think preventing potential criminal activity online is more important than maintaining complete Internet freedom, but they are sharply divided as to who should be doing the policing.

Voters Think Islamic Religious Leaders Need to Speak Out More for Peace

Unlike President Obama, U.S. voters think the United States is at war with radical Islamic terrorism and remain wary of the Islamic religion as a whole.

Clinton or Trump - Who Will Keep Us Safe?

It’s a draw. Voters are evenly divided when asked which presidential front-runner would best keep this country safe from terrorism.

More Voters Support Government Tracking of Muslims

Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump says he would support government tracking of Muslims living in the United States through a federal database, a plan his fellow GOP rivals say is going too far. Still, one-in-three voters - and a slight plurality of Republicans - support government monitoring of Muslims.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 32% of Likely U.S. Voters believe most individual Muslims should be monitored by the government as potential terrorists. Most (52%) are opposed to such a plan, but 16% 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 17-18, 2015 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.

Those in Uniform Past and Present Want More Spent on Defense

Regardless of who wins the presidential election in 2016, Americans who are currently serving or have previously served in the armed forces hope he or she raises military spending.

Military Personnel Agree PTSD has Significant Impact on Vets

More than three-quarters of Americans who are now in the military or have previously served have little doubt that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a major problem for veterans.

Is Equal Justice the Goal of Black Lives Matter?

Black Lives Matter or all lives matter is an ongoing political debate, but most voters aren't convinced that the Black Lives Matter movement is interested in justice for all.

Many Voters Still Unsure How Much U.S. Spends on Defense

In a heated exchange during last week's Republican presidential primary debate, Senator Rand Paul criticized fellow Senator Marco Rubio for his calls to substantially increase defense spending when the United States already spends more on its military than the next 10 countries combined. Turns out just half of U.S. voters are aware of how much this country spends compared to the rest of the world, and a plurality wants the figure to increase.

Hillary Clinton Has Few Fans in the Military

Hillary Clinton is still in line to win the Democratic Party's nomination to be the next commander in chief, but few Americans in the military have a good impression of her.

What Are The Biggest Challenges Facing Military Veterans?

Of the many hurdles military veterans face in America today, they name adjusting back to everyday life as the most significant challenge. Many also feel that private companies are not making the adjustment any easier.

Voters Question Whether GOP, Democrats Ready to Tackle the Future

As the presidential candidates for both major parties lay out their agendas for the next four years, voters continue to question whether either side really knows where it’s going.

Military Wants Concealed Carry Rights on Stateside Bases

America’s military risk their lives to defend this country, but now they want a better chance to defend themselves, too.

Americans Still Think War On Drugs Is Failing

Americans still firmly believe the war on drugs has been a failure, and few think more money will make a difference.

Was Mixed Pot Message Toxic to Ohio Vote?

Ohio voters yesterday rejected by nearly a two-to-one margin a ballot initiative that would have legalized both medical and recreational marijuana, but mixing the two into one vote may have been supporters’ biggest mistake.

Voters Are More Supportive of Their Right to a Gun

Even as they worry the federal government is a growing threat to their rights, voters continue to strongly value their basic constitutional freedoms. They are even more supportive now than they have been in the past of their right to bear arms.

Most Democrats View Socialism Favorably

The man currently running a distant second for the Democratic presidential nomination, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, is a self-declared socialist, and most of his party’s voters now have a positive view of socialism. They are almost evenly divided as to whether they like capitalism or socialism more.

More Voters Support Government Control of Campaign Contributions

Most voters continue to believe the government should regulate campaign contributions, but they also still feel that publishing the names of all contributors is more important than limiting what they give.