Just 22% Now Expect Situation In Afghanistan To Improve
Voter optimism about U.S. involvement in Afghanistan has slipped back to levels measured before the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Politics
Most Recent Releases
July 15, 2011
July 14, 2011
58% Trust Jury More To Determine Guilt or Innocence, 27% Trust Judge
Consistent with trust in individual citizens rather than government officials, most adults nationwide still trust a jury over a judge to determine the innocence or guilt of a defendant. However, faith in juries is down a bit following the Casey Anthony verdict.
July 12, 2011
Generic Republican Candidate 48%, Obama 43%
A generic Republican candidate earns the highest level of support yet against President Obama in a hypothetical 2012 election match up.
July 12, 2011
Support for Military Action in Libya Is Down to 24%
Voters remain skeptical about U.S. military involvement in Libya, with a plurality still opposed to further military action in the north African country.
July 11, 2011
53% Oppose Gas Tax Hike, Even If Dedicated Only to Interstate Highways
Voters oppose any increase in the federal gas tax even if the money goes only to developing and keeping up Interstate highways.
July 10, 2011
Most Voters Think President Obama is More Liberal Than They Are
As they have consistently, voters continue to believe that President Obama is more liberal than they are, though that number has reached a new low.
July 9, 2011
55% Say Decreased Government Spending Good for the Economy
President Obama and Congress are currently debating how deep to cut government spending and whether to include some tax increases as part of a budget deal. But voters feel more strongly than ever that decreasing government spending is good for the economy and think tax increases of any kind are bad economic medicine.
July 9, 2011
What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending July 9, 2011
There was more bad news on the unemployment front Friday, and Americans continue to express little optimism that the elected officials they have now will be able to do anything about it. They also strongly question the national security direction the country has taken.
July 8, 2011
72% Favor Free Market Economy Over One Managed by the Government
Voters remain strongly supportive of a free market economy over one controlled by the government and still think small businesses are hurt more than big businesses when the government does get involved.
July 8, 2011
18% Favor Military Draft, 30% Support Required Year of Public Service
Support among voters for a military draft is at its lowest level in several years, but nearly one-out-of-three voters favor mandatory public service.
July 7, 2011
Plurality Sees Both Republicans, Democrats in Congress as Extreme
For the second month in a row, slightly more voters describe the Republican agenda in Congress as being more extreme than mainstream. Voters have consistently felt this way about the agenda of congressional Democrats.
July 7, 2011
75% See Vital U.S. Interests As Only Reason For Committing Military Forces to Overseas Action
Compared to the four presidents who followed him, Ronald Reagan had a more limited view of when to send U.S. military force into action overseas and voters today still embrace the more restrained use of force that he advocated.
July 6, 2011
52% Say Finding New Sources of Energy More Important Than Reducing Amount Consumed
While a majority of U.S. voters still feel discovering new sources of energy is more important than reducing energy consumption, the number who feel this way has fallen to a new low. Voters also continue to believe there’s a conflict between economic growth and environmental protection.
July 5, 2011
Generic Republican Candidate 44%, Obama 44%
For the first time this year, a generic Republican candidate and President Obama are tied in a hypothetical 2012 election matchup.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters finds a generic Republican candidate picking up 44% of the vote, while Obama receives identical 44% support. Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate, and another eight percent (8%) are undecided.
July 5, 2011
22% View Geithner Favorably
Following news reports that he may be leaving his post this fall, favorable ratings for U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner tie their lowest level to date.
July 3, 2011
Full Month Approval Ratings for President Slip in June
When tracking President Obama’s job approval on a daily basis people sometimes get so caught up in the day-to-day fluctuations that they miss the bigger picture. To look at the longer-term trends, Rasmussen Reports compiles the numbers on a full-month basis, and the results can be seen in the graphics below.
July 2, 2011
What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending July 2, 2011
As the United States prepares to celebrate its 235th birthday, Americans still overwhelmingly agree with the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence. Ninety percent (90%) agree that “we are all endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Americans also strongly support the beliefs that we are all created equal and the government’s derive their only just authority from the consent of the governed. Men tend to be stronger supporters of these views than women, but majorities of just about all demographic groups agree.
July 1, 2011
57% View Hillary Clinton Favorably
Globe-trotting Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was in Hungary this week urging greater democratic freedoms, remains the most well-known and well-liked member of President Obama’s Cabinet among voters back at home.
July 1, 2011
Americans Under 40 Skeptical About Receiving Promised Social Security Benefits
Just 26% of voters under 40 believe it’s even Somewhat Likely they will receive all of their promised Social Security benefits. That includes only 5% who say it’s Very Likely those benefits will be paid.
July 1, 2011
51% Say Gov't Should Force Oil Companies To Use Profits To Develop Alternative Energy
Voters strongly believe the United States is not doing enough to explore alternative sources of energy, and most still think oil companies should devote big money to searching for those types of energy.
