General Politics

55% Favor Government Oversight of Political Ads and Candidates’ Comments

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week in a case aimed at overturning an Ohio law that makes it a crime to make false statements in a political campaign. But most voters favor government policing of the truthfulness of campaign ads and statements.

Fifty-five percent (55%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe the government should be allowed to review political ads and candidates’ campaign comments for their accuracy and punish those that it decides are making false statements about other candidates. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 31% oppose such government oversight. Fourteen percent (14%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 23-24, 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.

53% Think Neither Political Party Represents the American People

Voters continue to believe Democrats have more of a plan for the future than Republicans do, but most again say neither party represents the public. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters think it is fair to say that neither party in Congress is the party of the American people. That’s up six points from 47% last October and matches the previous high found in June 2012 during the last national election cycle. Just 28% disagree, while 19% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on April 19-20, 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.

New High: 61% Favor Building the Keystone XL Pipeline

Support for building the Keystone XL pipeline is now at its highest level ever.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 61% of Likely U.S. Voters now at least somewhat favor building the major oil pipeline from Canada to Texas, while just 27% are opposed. This includes 37% who Strongly Favor the project and 10% who Strongly Oppose it. Thirteen percent (13%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 21-22, 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.

58% Oppose U.S. Involvement in Ukraine

Voters remain unenthusiastic about the Obama administration’s handling of the political situation in Ukraine, and most still resist further U.S. involvement there.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 27% of Likely U.S. Voters think the United States should get more directly involved in the situation in the Ukraine if the political violence continues there. Fifty-eight percent (58%) say the United States should leave the Ukrainian situation alone. Sixteen percent (16%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 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.

37% of Voters Fear the Federal Government

Thirty-seven percent (37%) of Likely U.S. Voters now fear the federal government, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Forty-seven percent (47%) do not, but another 17% are not sure.

Perhaps in part that’s because 54% consider the federal government today a threat to individual liberty rather than a protector. Just 22% see the government as a protector of individual rights, and that’s down from 30% last November. Slightly more (24%) are now undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

Just 16% Think Most in Congress Pay All Their Taxes

Today’s the deadline for the vast majority of Americans to file their income taxes, but over half of voters don’t think most members of Congress pay their taxes in full like the rest of us.

Just 16% of Likely U.S. Voters, in fact, think most members of Congress pay all the taxes they owe. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% think most of those in Congress do not pay all their taxes. Another 32% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 7-8, 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.

72% Think It Would Be Better if Most in Congress Are Not Reelected

More voters than ever would rather scrap the current Congress than to see it reelected. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just nine percent (9%) of Likely U.S. Voters think it would be better for the country if most incumbents were reelected this November. Seventy-two percent (72%) say it would be better if most of them were defeated instead. Nineteen percent (19%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, visit question wording for survey 1 and survey 2.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on April 9-10, 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.

19% Think Federal Government Has Consent of the Governed

Just 19% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the federal government today has the consent of the governed, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

That’s down two points from January but still up slightly from the all-time low of 17% reached in August. This finding is generally in keeping with regular surveying for the past four years. Sixty-sixty percent (66%) do not believe the federal government has the consent of the governed today, while 16% are unsure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 9-10, 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.

59% of GOP Voters Say Republicans in Congress Out of Touch with Party’s Base

Most Republican voters continue to believe their congressional representatives are out of touch with the party's base, while most Democrats remain happy with the representation they have in Washington, D.C. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds just 29% of Likely Republican Voters think Republicans in Congress have done a good job representing GOP values over the past several years. Fifty-nine percent (59%) say Republicans in Congress have lost touch with GOP voters from throughout the nation. But that's down slightly from 65% last August and an all-time high of 73% in October 2009. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on April 9-10, 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.

56% Say American Society is Fair and Decent

The number of American voters who believe U.S. society is fair and decent remains just above its recent low.

A new Rasmussen Reports national survey finds that 56% of Likely U.S. Voters view American society that way. But that’s up only one point from January, which marked the lowest level of confidence since August 2012.  Twenty-nine percent (29%) disagree and think society in this country is generally unfair and discriminatory. This figure has been trending downward from a five-year high of 32% last October. 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 April 7-8, 2014. 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.

63% Think Members of Congress Are Overpaid

Retiring Virginia Congressman Jim Moran recently complained that members of Congress are underpaid. But most voters still think their legislators are overpaid instead, and the vast majority believes they should take pay cuts until the federal budget is balanced.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds 63% of Likely Voters believe the current congressional salary of $174,000 a year is too much. Just four percent (4%) think that’s too little, while 30% say it’s about the right amount. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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 The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 7-8, 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. Seemethodology. 

31% Believe U.S. Has Crony Capitalist System

Many Americans remain unconvinced that the United States has a system of free market capitalism and continue to be wary of government involvement in the economy.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 32% of American Adults believe the United States has a system of free market capitalism, while just as many (31%) say it is a system of crony capitalism. Slightly more (37%) are not sure what kind of capitalist system America has. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on April 6-7, 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.

50% Are Less Likely To Vote for Another Bush in the White House

Fifty percent (50%) of Likely U.S. Voters said in a Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey last month that they are less likely to vote for Jeb Bush for president in 2016 because his father and brother have already served in the White House.

Fourteen percent (14%) said the Bush family's presidential legacy makes them more likely to vote for the former Florida governor. Thirty-four percent (34%) say it would have no impact on their voting decision. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 4-5, 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.

54% Say Government Should Regulate Campaign Contributions

Voters by a two-to-one margin disagree with last week’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling and believe the government should control how much money people can contribute to political campaigns. But they also still think it’s a candidate’s views and not campaign contributions that provide the winning edge in an election.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters feel the government should regulate how much money individuals can give to political campaigns. Twenty-nine percent (29%) disagree, while 16% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 3-4, 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.

60% Favor Plan to Offer Citizenship In Exchange for Military Service

House Republicans are proposing a plan that would allow young illegal immigrants to become U.S. citizens by joining the military, and most voters favor such a plan.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 60% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the military should be allowed to offer U.S. citizenship to non-citizens who are willing to serve and do so honorably for at least five years. But support for that plan is down five points from 65% in early February. Twenty-five percent (25%) disagree, up from 19% in the previous survey. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 1-2, 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.

24% Support Amnesty for Edward Snowden

More voters than ever believe it is good that the American people are aware of the National Security Agency’s domestic surveillance programs, but most still think the disclosures are hurting national security. One-in-four voters now supports amnesty for NSA leaker Edward Snowden in exchange for the information he still possesses.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that, regardless of what they think of Edward Snowden, 62% believe it is good for the nation that the American people know about the NSA’s surveillance programs. Sixteen percent (16%) say this increased awareness is bad for the country, while slightly more (22%) are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 30-31, 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.

65% Think IRS Should Stay Focused on Taxes, Not Obamacare

Voters continue to think the Internal Revenue Service is not aggressive enough in going after tax cheats and believe strongly than the agency should focus on tax collection rather than taking on its new task of enforcing Obamacare.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 19% of Likely U.S. Voters think it is a good use of IRS resources for the agency to police public compliance with the new national health care law. Sixty-five percent (65%) believe the IRS should remain focused on collecting taxes, up seven points from 58% in April of last year. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 28-29, 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.

53% Oppose Stricter Gun Control Laws

Most voters oppose tougher gun control for the first time since the Connecticut elementary school shootings in December 2012.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 40% of Likely U.S. Voters now think the United States needs stricter gun control laws, down nine points from last May and the lowest level of support for stricter laws since February 2012. Fifty-three percent (53%) do not think the country needs tougher gun control laws, the highest level of opposition in over two years. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 26-27, 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. 

78% Favor Proof of Citizenship Before Being Allowed to Vote

A federal judge last week upheld the right of states to require proof of citizenship before allowing someone to register to vote. Voters continue to overwhelmingly support such a requirement.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 78% of Likely U.S. Voters believe everyone should be required to prove his or her citizenship before being allowed to register to vote. That’s up from 71% a year ago. Just 19% oppose that requirement. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 20-21, 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.

61% Oppose U.S. Giving Up Control Over Internet

The U.S. government announced last Friday that it is giving up its last bit of control over the Internet and turning it over to an international organization.But most voters think that’s a bad idea and expect countries like Russia and China to try to censor Internet content.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 61% of Likely U.S. Voters oppose the United States giving up its last remaining control over the Internet. Just 18% favor that move, while 21% are not sure about it. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 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.