27% See UN As U.S. Ally, 15% As An Enemy
The United Nations has been conspicuously absent from the diplomatic activity surrounding the political crisis in Egypt, but few U.S. voters lack an opinion of the New York-based international organization.
General Politics
Most Recent Releases
February 8, 2011
February 7, 2011
68% Believe Government and Big Business Work Together Against the Rest of Us
President Obama told the U.S. Chamber of Commerce today that government and business “can and must work together."
February 7, 2011
Just Over Half Aware U.S. Spends Six Times as Much on Defense As Any Other Nation
Just 56% of Likely U.S. Voters recognize that the United States spends about six times as much on national defense as any other nation in the world. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 13% disagree and say it’s not true, while a sizable 31% are not sure.
February 5, 2011
Military Aid to Iceland? Most Americans Say Yes
The United States has military defense treaties with over 50 nations around the globe from obvious ones like the United Kingdom and Germany to less predictable ones like Costa Rica and Iceland. What do Americans think we should do if these countries are attacked?
February 4, 2011
Half Want Troops Out of Europe, Japan, But South Korea's Another Story
A plurality of voters think the United States should remove troops from Western Europe and Japan and let them defend themselves. But when it comes to South Korea, most voters think we should stay.
February 4, 2011
32% of Voters Are Both Fiscal and Social Conservatives
In today’s economic climate, few voters consider themselves liberals on fiscal policy issues, but there’s a little more divergence of opinion when it comes to social issues.
February 3, 2011
When It Comes to Military Strategy, Voters Put American Interests Ahead of World Peace
Most U.S. voters believe the country’s military strategy should focus on defending the United States and its interests, but a sizable number thinks the strategy should concentrate on keeping the world peaceful instead. Either way, voters see economic challenges as a much bigger threat to the United States than challenges on the military front.
February 2, 2011
65% Say U.S. Has World's Most Powerful Military
Most U.S. voters believe America's military is the most powerful in the world.
February 1, 2011
Voters Underestimate How Much U.S. Spends on Defense
Voters are fairly evenly divided as to whether the federal government spends too much or too little on national defense, but most also appear to dramatically underestimate how much is actually spent.
January 31, 2011
GOP Voters Want Presidential Candidate With Private Sector Experience
Most Republican Primary voters are looking for experience in both the private sector and government in a potential presidential candidate. Private sector experience carries a bit more weight. They are also looking for someone who shares their views rather than simply picking someone who is electable.
January 31, 2011
53% Support Decision to Abandon Color-Coded Threat Alerts
For many Americans, the national color-coded terror alert system had become little more than a joke, so it's not surprising that a majority of voters agree with the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to abandon that system in favor of more specific warnings. A plurality also approves of the department’s reported interest in focusing more security on rail, ships and mass transit.
January 30, 2011
46% of GOP Primary Voters Who Favor Palin Might Back Third-Party Option If She Isn’t Nominated
Nearly half of the Republican Primary voters who support Sarah Palin say they are at least somewhat likely to vote for a third-party candidate if she does not win the GOP presidential nomination.
January 28, 2011
Just 38% Think Major Spending Cuts by Congress Likely In The Next Year
Despite talk from congressional Republicans and President Obama’s State of the Union comments about debt reduction, most voters still think Congress is unlikely to make major spending cuts in the near future.
January 27, 2011
56% Say Arizona Shooter Should Receive Death Penalty
Jared Loughner, the Arizona man accused of shooting Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and killing six others, has pleaded not guilty to murder, but most Americans believe he should receive the death penalty if convicted.
January 26, 2011
33% of GOP Voters Hope Palin Isn’t 2012 Nominee
Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin remains a top favorite of Republican voters, but she’s also the front-runner they least want to see get the GOP’s 2012 presidential nomination.
January 24, 2011
Romney Holds Slight Edge Over Huckabee and Palin
History tells us that primary races are all about name recognition at this early stage, and right now, not surprisingly the best-known Republican hopefuls are running ahead among likely party primary voters.
January 20, 2011
Voters Still See Some Obama Foreign Policy Views As Different Than Their Own
A survey conducted just before Barack Obama’s highly-publicized talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao this week shows that voters continue to believe the president’s ideas on foreign policy don’t quite match their own.
January 19, 2011
Voters Think Congress Is Listening A Bit More
With midterm elections over and a new Congress seated, more voters believe most members of Congress care what's on their minds.
January 18, 2011
56% Say Media Put Too Much Emphasis on Politics in Arizona Shooting Coverage
Voters give mixed marks to the media’s handling of the recent tragic shootings in Arizona, and most say the coverage focused too much on the political angle of the story.
January 18, 2011
Most Think Congress Doesn’t Read What It Votes On, Favor Putting Bills Online Well In Advance
House Speaker John Boehner like many of his predecessors has pledged that the new Congress will be more open and transparent than the previous one, but voters want even more openness than he has promised.
