General Politics

45% of GOP Voters Think It's Very Important Party Leaders Work With Tea Party

Though most voters in general believe the Tea Party has less influence these days, most Republicans say it’s important for the congressional GOP to work with the grass roots movement. Fifty-four percent (54%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe the Tea Party has become less influential over the past year, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Twenty-five percent (25%) say the movement has become more influential, while nearly as many (22%) are undecided.  These findings are similar to those found in January. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 25-26, 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.

42% of Republicans Like Shutdown Strategy to Stop Funding of Health Care Law

Republicans tend to think a GOP congressional threat to shut down the federal government to halt funding for President Obama’s health care law will be good for their party, but other voters disagree. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% of Likely Republican Voters think that threatening to vote against a government funding bill unless it cuts off funds for the health care law will help the GOP. Twenty-eight percent (28%) disagree and believe it will hurt their party. Fourteen percent (14%) say it will have no impact, and 16% aren’t sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 25-26, 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.

Voters Remain Conflicted About Manning's, Snowden's Actions

Voters rate the damage done to U.S. national security by recently convicted Army intelligence analyst Bradley Manning and former government contractor Edward Snowden as about even, but a sizable number are undecided. When asked to compare the two, 31% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Snowden’s release of information about the National Security Agency’s domestic surveillance activities hurt national security more, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Nearly as many (27%) believe Manning's leaking of a massive number of secret documents to the WikiLeaks website did more damage to the country's security. But a plurality (42%) is not sure which action was more harmful. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

51% Believe Manning Should Have to Serve Entire Sentence

Chelsea Manning, formerly known as Bradley, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for releasing classified government documents to the website WikiLeaks. A plurality of voters says that punishment is about right and half believe there shouldn’t be a possibility of parole.

Forty-two percent (42%) of Likely Voters believe the 35-year sentence handed down to Manning is about right, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. But one in three voters (32%) says the sentence is not severe enough. Nineteen percent (19%) consider the punishment too severe. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

It should be noted that Rasmussen Reports conducted the poll prior to Manning announcing she identifies as a female and used her original name in the question wording.

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

Many Voters Still Doubt Legitimacy of Town Hall Protests

When members of Congress head home for August recess, most voters think they should use town hall meetings in their districts as a way to hear the views of their constituents.  But voters have mixed feelings about the motives behind those who speak out at these meetings.

Eighteen percent (18%) of Likely Voters have already attended or are likely to attend a town hall meeting with a congressman during this month’s recess, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Seventy-six percent (76%) haven’t or don’t plan on doing so. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 17-18, 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.

52% Support Required Uniform Cameras For Police Officers

A federal judge last week ruled that New York City Police Department’s stop-and-frisk policy violates the rights of minorities and suggested a trial program that would require on-duty police officers to wear uniform cameras, a practice already utilized in some areas of the country. Just over half of voters nationwide like the idea of police officers wearing cameras but a plurality thinks it wouldn’t have much impact on crime.  Voters are also more likely to view racial profiling as a civil rights violation.

Fifty-two percent (52%) of Likely Voters believe police officers should be required to wear uniform cameras while on duty, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Twenty-eight percent (28%) oppose this requirement, while another 20% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 19-20, 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.

82% Say U.S. Not Winning War on Drugs

Americans continue to overwhelmingly believe the so-called war on drugs is failing, but they are more divided on how much the United States should be spending on it.

Just four percent (4%) of American Adults believe the United States is winning the war on drugs, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Eighty-two percent (82%) disagree. Another 13% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on August 12-13, 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.

52% Recognize U.S. Spends More on Defense Than Any Other Nation

More voters than ever believe that the United States is not spending enough on the military and national security, but they are also less aware of how much the country actually spends in this area.

Thirty-one percent (31%) of Likely Voters believe the United States does not spend enough on the military and national security, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Just as many (30%) say the United States spends too much in this area, while another 31% say the amount spent is about right. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 13-14, 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.

New Low: 39% Think U.S. Elections Are Fair

Belief that U.S. elections are fair continues to fall and has now reached its lowest level in nine years of surveys.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 39% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe American elections are fair to voters. That’s down only one point from May, but prior to that survey, the finding has run in the high 40s and low 50s in surveys since September 2004. Forty-four percent (44%) say U.S. elections are not fair, while 17% 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 11-12, 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.

47% Think a Randomly Selected Group Could Do a Better Job Than Congress

More voters than ever now believe a group of people randomly selected from the phone book could do a better job addressing the nation’s problems than the current Congress. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 47% of Likely U.S. Voters think such a randomly selected group could do a better job than Congress, up two points from May and matching the highest finding in regular surveying for nearly five years. One-in-three (33%) disagree and do not think a randomly selected group could do a better job. Twenty percent (20%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 11-12, 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.

Democrats Tend to Identify More with Their Congress Members Than GOP Voters Do

Thirty-eight percent (38%) of Republican voters think the average Republican in Congress shares their views, while 45% of Democrats believe the average congressional Democrat is about the same as they are. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 25% of Likely GOP Voters think the average congressional Republican is more conservative than the average Republican voter. Thirty percent (30%) think the average Republican in Congress is more liberal than the average GOP voter. 

Twenty-three percent (23%) of Likely Democratic Voters think the average congressional Democrat is more conservative than the average voter in their party, while 22% say that member of Congress is more liberal. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 11-12, 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.

17% of GOP Voters Think Republicans in Congress Should Put Working with Obama First

Most Republican voters continue to think their representatives in Congress are not listening to them and feel overwhelmingly that they should stand up for what the GOP believes in. Most Democrats like the job their congressional representatives are doing. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 65% of Likely Republican Voters think Republicans in Congress have lost touch with GOP voters from throughout the nation over the last several years. Just 24% think their legislators have done a good job of representing Republican values. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 11-12, 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.

Just 11% Think NSA Less Likely Now to Monitor Phone Calls of Innocent Americans

President Obama in a press conference on Friday announced tighter restrictions on the National Security Agency’s domestic surveillance program, but most voters still don’t trust the government to protect their constitutional rights. Very few expect the program to cut back on monitoring the phone calls of innocent Americans. 

Despite the president’s pronouncement of greater “transparency,” only 11% of Likely U.S. Voters think it is now less likely that the federal government will monitor the private phone calls of ordinary Americans. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 30% believe it is more likely now that the government will monitor these calls, while 49% expect the level of surveillance to remain about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

60% Think Muslims Are Not Treated Unfairly in America

Many Americans are suspicious of Muslims in this country, but most continue to believe that American Muslims are not treated unfairly here.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 19% of Likely U.S. Voters think American Muslims living in this country are treated unfairly because of their religion and ethnicity. Sixty percent (60%) disagree and say Muslims in the United States are not treated unfairly. Twenty-one percent (21%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 5-6, 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.

58% Favor Death Penalty for Fort Hood Killer

Most voters continue to believe the Muslim-American U.S. Army officer now being tried for killing 13 of his fellow soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas should be sentenced to death if convicted.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 58% of Likely U.S. Voters think Major Nidal Malik Hasan should receive the death penalty if convicted. That’s down from 65% in November 2009 just after the shootings occurred.  Twenty-one percent (21%) oppose the death penalty for Hasan, while another 21% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 5-6, 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.

38% Agree with Obama’s Plan Linking Corporate Tax Cuts, New Jobs Program

President Obama in budget negotiations with congressional Republicans has proposed cuts in corporate tax rates in exchange for a new federal jobs program to tackle infrastructure needs. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of Likely U.S. Voters view Obama’s combination approach as the better way to create new jobs, but nearly as many (36%) think cutting corporate tax rates alone would be more effective. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 19% believe creating a new government jobs program alone is a better way to create new jobs. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

11% Still Think Snowden A Hero, 32% A Traitor

Even before a military judge handed down his verdict against Bradley Manning yesterday, nearly half of U.S. voters still believed the former Army intelligence analyst was a traitor for leaking government secrets. But voters remain more undecided when it comes to Edward Snowden, the private contractor who exposed the National Security Agency’s spying on domestic phone calls.

Thirty-two percent (32%) of Likely U.S. Voters consider Snowden a traitor who endangered lives and national security, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. That compares to 46% who feel that way about Manning. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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

46% Favor More Restrictions on NSA Surveillance Program

Defenders of the National Security Agency’s recently disclosed surveillance of Americans’ telephone records seem to be getting somewhere. Voters tend to believe the NSA program should be reined in, but they’re not quite as suspicious of the government’s motives as they were earlier.   

Forty-six percent (46%) of Likely U.S. Voters favor putting greater restrictions on the NSA’s tracking of Americans’ telephone calls, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Thirty-six percent (36%) oppose additional restrictions on the program. Eighteen percent (18%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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

33% Still Favor Life in Prison for WikiLeaks Leaker Bradley Manning

A military judge is expected to rule as early as today on the guilt or innocence of former Army intelligence analyst Bradley Manning who is accused of leaking a huge amount of U.S. classified information to the WikiLeaks website. U.S. voters are slightly less convinced of his guilt these days.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of Likely U.S. Voters still believe it is at least somewhat likely that WikiLeaks’ release of this secret information has hurt national security. Just 28% think it’s unlikely that the exposure of these classified documents has hurt the nation’s security. This includes 26% who say it’s Very Likely to have hurt national security versus seven percent (7%) who say it is Not At All Likely to have done so. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

19% Support Florida Boycott Over Zimmerman Verdict

Despite a threatened boycott of Florida by those unhappy with the George Zimmerman trial verdict and the state’s “stand your ground” law, most voters nationwide don’t agree with a boycott of the Sunshine State.

Just 19% of Likely U.S. Voters believe it’s a good idea for states, cities, organizations and individuals to boycott Florida over the Zimmerman verdict, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Seventy percent (70%) don’t think a boycott of the state is a good idea. Eleven percent (11%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 22-23, 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.