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Politics

Most Recent Releases

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April 12, 2011

65% Say Most Judges Should Be Elected, Political Class Disagrees

Even as the political battle over Wisconsin’s recent state Supreme Court election continues, most voters favor the election of judges and think there should be term limits on how long someone can serve on the bench.

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April 9, 2011

Locke, Solis Are Least Known of Obama Cabinet Members

The Who's last major hit was a catchy tune called "Who Are You," and it might well pertain to most members of a presidential Cabinet.

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April 9, 2011

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending April 9, 2011

It’s the economy, stupid. Remember that one? It was the political mantra that propelled Bill Clinton into the White House. President Obama would do well to remember it now that he’s declared his candidacy for a second term.

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April 7, 2011

28% Say They Share Obama's Political Views

President Obama this week declared his intention to seek reelection, but just over one-quarter of voters say they share the same political views as the president.

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April 7, 2011

Support for U.S. Military Action in Libya Down to 39% With 37% Opposed

Support for the U.S. military mission in Libya and the president’s handling of the situation is declining.

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April 6, 2011

Americans See Cut in Foreign Oil Dependence As Unlikely

Most Americans agree with President Obama’s recent statement about the need to limit U.S. dependence on foreign oil, but the majority also think it’s unlikely America will reduce that dependence as much as the president would like.

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April 5, 2011

50% Acknowledge Conflict Between Economic Growth and Environmental Protection, Highest Level Yet

The Obama administration has dismissed rumors that BP was given the go ahead to resume drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.  Meanwhile, the number of voters who believe protecting the environment gets in the way of a growing economy has reached its highest level in just over two years.

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April 5, 2011

50% Favor Drilling in ANWR to Reduce Foreign Oil Dependence

One-in-two Americans are ready to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to lessen the country’s dependence on foreign oil, but they’re not nearly so willing to drive 55.

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April 5, 2011

48% Say Their Views Closer to Tea Party Than Congress

In the ongoing budget-cutting debate in Washington, some congressional Democrats have accused their Republican opponents of being held captive by the Tea Party movement, but voters like the Tea Party more than Congress.

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April 5, 2011

Reading the Signs on the Road to Obama’s Reelection

President Obama on Monday became the first officially declared candidate for the 2012 presidential race, and the early signs suggest it could be a competitive contest.

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April 4, 2011

Voters Strongly Believe The Average Member of Congress Doesn't Think Like They Do

Voters continue to view the Republican agenda in Congress as more mainstream than the agenda of the Democrats. But only one-in-four voters think the average member of either party shares the same ideology they do.

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April 4, 2011

53% Say Even GOP Spending Cuts Won't Dent The Deficit

Capitol Hill is deadlocked over how deep to cut the current federal budget with Republicans hoping to cut nearly twice as much as Democrats. Yet while voters like the idea of big spending cuts, they don’t think even the GOP cuts will make much of a difference.

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April 3, 2011

Ratings For Obama’s National Security Performance Fall to New Low

Although President Obama made an address to the nation Monday night to explain his decision to commit U.S. military forces to Libya, fewer voters than ever give him positive grades on his handling of national security issues.

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April 2, 2011

Obama’s Full-Month Rating Down Two Points in March

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.

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April 2, 2011

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending April 2, 2011

With America bogged down in Afghanistan, the nation’s longest-running war, President Obama made a nationally televised address Monday night to explain his decision to use U.S. military forces in Libya, too.

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April 1, 2011

57% Okay With Government Shutdown If It Leads to Deeper Budget Cuts

A majority of voters are fine with a partial shutdown of the federal government if that’s what it takes to get deeper cuts in federal government spending.

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April 1, 2011

39% Say Legal System Worries Too Much About Individual Rights At Expense of National Security

Voters still tend to think America’s legal system puts too much emphasis on the rights of the individual when it comes to national security and public safety.

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March 31, 2011

Americans Still Divided Over Legalizing, Taxing Marijuana

Americans, as they have been for some time, are closely divided over whether the government should use marijuana to help solve the country’s fiscal problems.

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March 31, 2011

Just 21% Say U.S. Has Clearly Defined Mission in Libya

Despite President Obama’s address to the nation Monday night, most voters still aren’t clear about why the U.S. military is engaged in Libya.

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March 30, 2011

Voter Views on Libya Show Little Change

President Obama’s address to the nation Monday night doesn’t appear to have made voters more confident about his handling of the situation in Libya, nor has it made them feel more strongly that Libya is important to U.S. national security.