General Politics

35% View Tea Party Favorably, 42% Do Not

Voters have a slightly more favorable view of the Tea Party than they did at the first of the year, but that support is still well below where it was three years ago when the grass roots movement came into existence to protest President Obama’s growth of government. A wide partisan difference of opinion remains.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 35% of Likely U.S. Voters now share a favorable opinion of the Tea Party movement. That compares to 31%  in January, the all-time low in favorability to date, and a high of 51% in mid-April 2009.

Forty-two percent (42%) view the Tea Party unfavorably, while another 24% are not sure what they thing of the group.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

Only 7% Support Legal Reasoning That Led to Greater Government Regulation

In 1942, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the federal government could regulate how much wheat a farmer could grow on his own property for his own use. That ruling dramatically enhanced the power of the federal government by making almost all economic activity subject to federal regulation as “interstate commerce." However, voters today overwhelmingly reject that underlying argument.

40% Trust Local Government More Than State, Federal

Americans have more trust in local government than any other level in our federalist system.

Forty percent (40%) trust local government the most. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 23% trust the federal government the most and only 12% have most confidence in state governments.  (To see question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on July 5, 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.

26% Conservative on Both Fiscal, Social Issues

Although the number of Democrats in country is still at its highest level of this year, more voters remain conservative on both fiscal and social issues. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 26% of Likely U.S. Voters say they are both fiscal and social conservatives.  Just 10% say they are liberal in both areas, while 63% are some other combination.   (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 27-28, 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.

Most Say Feds Should Handle Banks; Look to States for Minimum Wage, Gambling

Americans want federal government rather than state governments to regulate banks and financial institutions, but think states should handle gambling and minimum wage. On other issues, adults are more evenly divided. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 67% of American Adults think it’s better for the federal government rather than state governments to deal with banks and other financial institutions. Twenty-seven percent (27%) prefer state governments more in this area. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on July 5, 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.

Americans Still Agree With Declaration of Independence

With Independence Day just around the corner, most Americans still strongly agree with the central tenets of the document that declared the nation's independence from Great Britain 236 years ago.

The Declaration of Independence, ratified by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, asserts that “governments derive their only just powers from the consent of the governed.” A new Rasmussen Reports national survey finds that 70% of American Adults agree with that statement, up from 66% last year and up from 56% in 2008. Just 13% now disagree with this assertion, but 17% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

30% Say America Better Off Today Than Four Years Ago

Most Americans don’t believe the county is better off today than it was four years ago, but they'd still rather live here than anywhere else in the world. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 30% of American Adults think the nation is better off today than it was four years ago. But twice as many (60%) don’t believe the United States is better off today. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

58% Say An Overly Powerful Government Is A Bigger Danger Than A Weak One

As they have for years, Americans feel a government that is too powerful is a bigger problem than a government that is not powerful enough. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of American Adults say a government that is too powerful is the bigger danger in the world today, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  (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 national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 24-25, 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% Put National Security Ahead of Human Rights

Former President Jimmy Carter complained earlier this week that the United States is “abandoning its role … as the global champion of human rights.” But most Americans put national security ahead of human rights when it comes to foreign policy and think the best thing the United States can do is be a good role model for others.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of American Adults think the United States is a positive role model for the rest of the world when it comes to human rights, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Just 19% disagree, but another 15% are not sure. (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 Americans nationwide was conducted on June 26-27, 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.

71% Say Democratic Leaders Liberal, Republicans Leaders Conservative

Voters continue to see a sharp ideological difference between the leaderships of the two major political parties, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Seventy-one percent (71%) of Likely U.S. Voters describe the leadership of the Democratic Party as liberal, and the identical number (71%) believe the leadership of the Republican Party is conservative. These findings include 43% who think Democratic leaders are Very Liberal versus 36% who feel the GOP leadership is Very Conservative.  (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.

This national survey of 1,000 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on June 23-24, 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.

57% Say Constitution Should be Left Alone

As Independence Day nears, most Americans still believe the U.S. Constitution should be upheld and left as is.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% of American Adults think the Constitution should be left alone, although that's down from 63% last year.  Thirty-nine percent (39%) think the Constitution needs some minor changes, and just three percent (3%) think it needs major changes.  Though the option was given, no one thinks the United States should scrap the foundational document and start over. (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 national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on June 24-25, 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.

53% Say Neither Party Represents American People

Most voters think for the first time that Republicans have a plan for the future, but they remain more divided over whether the same is true of Democrats. However, more voters than ever believe neither party represents the American people.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe the Republican Party has a plan for where it wants to take the nation. That’s up 19 points from 35% in February 2010 and the first time a majority of voters has said that of either major party. Just 27% believe the GOP does not have a plan for the future, but another 19% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here).

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

63% Believe U.S. Society is Fair and Decent

Voters now have a more positive view of American society than they have had for the past couple of months.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 63% of Likely U.S. Voters now feel U.S. society is generally fair and decent, up from 57% last month and 60% in April.  May was the first time the finding had fallen into the 50s since December 2008.

(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 national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 19-20, 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.

22% Believe Government Has Consent of Governed

Democrats are happier with the status quo than Republicans and voters not affiliated with either of the major parties when it comes to the current Congress and the federal government.

One of the central tenets of the Declaration of Independence is that governments derive “their just powers from the consent of the governed.” Only 22% of the nation’s likely voters believe the government today has such consent.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds a wide partisan gap on the question. Democrats are evenly divided as to whether or not the government has the consent needed for legitimacy. Only eight percent (8%) Republicans and 21% of unaffiliated voters believe it does.  (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 June 15-16, 2012 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% Say U.S. Doesn't Spend Enough on National Security

Voters nationwide continue to have mixed feelings about how much the United States spends on national security, but most don’t think it’s necessary to spend three times as much as any other nation.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 31% believe the United States spends too much on the military and national security, while just as many (30%) say it doesn’t spend enough money in this area. Another 32% say America spends about the right amount on national security. (To see survey question wording,  click here.)

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

81% Say Congress Listens More to Party Leaders Than to Voters

Voters continue to believe overwhelmingly that members of Congress listen more to their party leaders than to those they represent but get reelected anyway because election rules are fixed.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just eight percent (8%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the average member of Congress listens most to the voters he or she represents. Eighty-one percent (81%) disagree and say the average legislator listens most to his or her party leaders in Congress. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters 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. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

72% Say Media Hurts National Security When They Release Secret Documents

In response to news outlets publishing top secret national security information, lawmakers in Congress are drafting legislation to limit access to such information and to create new penalties for revealing it. Seventy-two percent (72%) of Likely U.S. Voters say when media outlets release secret government documents, they are hurting national security.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 14% believe the media is providing a public service when it releases that information.  Another 15% are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

62% Would Rather Be Called Good Citizen Than Patriot

More voters than ever would rather be called a good citizen than a patriot, but a plurality thinks they’re really one and the same.

Sixty-two percent (62%) of Likely U.S. Voters would rather be called a good citizen, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. This finding has been on the rise since May 2010 when 52% said they’d rather be called a good citizen. Fifty-seven percent (57%) said the same in May of last year.

Twenty-five percent (25%) now would rather be called a patriot, but 13% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 9-10, 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% Think Leaks of Classified Information Will Hurt President’s Campaign

Most voters are concerned about recent leaks of classified security data to the news media, and a plurality believes those leaks will hurt President Obama’s reelection chances.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 73% of Likely U.S. Voters are at least somewhat concerned that the security leaks will compromise national security, with 40% who are Very Concerned. Twenty-five percent (25%) don’t have that concern, but that includes just three percent (3%) who are Not At All Concerned. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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

67% Rate Volunteer Work More Important Than Politics

Even as the presidential campaign increasingly catches fire, voters continue to believe overwhelmingly that doing volunteer work is more important than playing politics.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 67% of Likely U.S. Voters feel that in terms of being a good citizen, it is more important to do volunteer work for church and community organizations than it is to get involved in politics and political campaigns. Only 16% disagree and put political involvement first, while another 16% are not sure. (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 June 9-10, 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.